The current generation gets a bad and at times undeserved, reputation. Millennials are all too often grouped as a single entity and then dismissed as having it easy in comparison to previous generations. Upon taking a step back and looking closer at this accusation, it soon becomes strange. Wasn’t that the point? Wasn’t that what we were fighting for? Wasn’t that exactly what we wanted?
When a parent is questioned about the hopes and dreams they have for the lives of their children – a common trend appears – that it will be better than theirs, in that they will have more opportunities, more freedoms, more choice, and ultimately, that they can do the same for their children. It is why we look back on the past with respect and love for our ancestors. It is for this same reason we should look to the future with a feeling of enthusiasm and excitement.
Yet, for some unfounded reason, the idea that the current generation has it easier results in them being criticized and dismissed. However, this is analyzing the current crop from an incorrect perspective. Why? How? To put it simply, the internet has changed everything.
Digital natives, the first generation in human history to grow up with daily access to the internet being the norm. So, if we have all acknowledged the severe impact the internet has had on us, why are so many of us still surprised that the current generation has a unique approach to both the world and to the future.
How Do Humans Approach the Future?
According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a psychological theory proposed by Abraham Maslow in 1943, to achieve self-actualization, the highest level of psychological development, we must first satisfy basic physiological and psychological needs.
On the path to reaching one’s true potential, or achieving self-actualization, we need to have the freedom to do what is right for us. Millennials, with a helping hand from a little thing called the internet, possess the same innate goal of becoming self-actualized but are taking an alternative route.
As humans, we all have the desire to be in control of our lives, to continually develop and grow as individuals. It is clear that the current generation is no different from previous generations in this regard, what is different are the tools at their disposal, and in defense of the millennial, it would be foolish not to take advantage of them. So, let’s take a closer look at how the current generation is shaping the future.
Autonomy
Autonomy is perhaps the cornerstone of the mindset of the current generation. It is defined in the Cambridge dictionary as the ability to make your own decisions without being controlled by anyone else. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
The age-old progression from school, to employment, to promotion (or promotions, if you are lucky), to retirement, is no longer the norm and is instead gradually becoming the exception. This pre-determined life cycle has been rejected by recent generations. It is now not uncommon to change roles and/or job sectors multiple times in one’s lifetime to discover what works best for you.
Self-Sufficiency
A key element of autonomy is the ability to be self-sufficient – in needing no outside help in satisfying one’s basic needs. Millennials are leaning towards jobs that adapt to them rather than the other way around, towards a lifestyle that doesn’t always require you to be in a certain place at a certain time.
Financial Freedom
The current generation is also looking to new forms of finance, that work on their terms. Enter, generation crypto. It has been said that the best way to predict the future is by looking at the past and based on this theory, it is obvious why there is a feeling of distrust when it comes to financial institutions. Cryptocurrencies are proving to be the perfect alternative. The internet has turned the world into a global village, and cryptocurrencies are following suit, seamlessly transcending borders and putting you firmly in charge, all the while, removing the middleman for good measure.
Convenience
Cryptocurrencies also offer a level of convenience that millennials have come to demand from the world. Transfers can happen almost instantly, while using traditional banking methods may take days to be processed. The rise of cryptocurrencies, and Bitcoin, in particular, have matched up perfectly with the services the internet has to offer. Millennials tend to do more online than any other generation – they socialize online, they order food online, they visit their favorite bitcoin casino online, they shop online, they study online and they even date online.
A Brave New World
Yes, the exponential growth of the internet can at times feel unnatural, but for digital natives, they know nothing else, it is how the world has always functioned. To understand this in its entirety, you must be part of a certain generation, a generation that like all before it, are using everything at their disposal to make the world a more fruitful place, and who can blame them.
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