Thoughts On The Ongoing Millennial-Boomer War (Part 2/2)

OK! We've seen the millenial point of view, agreed with some of it and ripped into the rest. Boomers are going under the microscope next.

What Boomers say about Millennials

The younger generations are soft and spoilt. They're irresponsible, whiny snowflakes. They have no idea how hard things were back in the day. They're idealistic and self-righteous, and think that they can change the world by undoing the past. But their arrogance, combined with naivete, is their undoing. The world is what it is. What makes them think they can change it? They have no consistency. They're so entitled and don't believe in the values of hard work and loyalty, changing jobs on a whim. Young people just don't know what they want in life.

Why Boomers are right

Some things are not era-specific. Some principles apply regardless of the times we are currently living in. And it's these principles that make Boomers valuable, if they have been consistently applying them to their lives. Millennials would do well not to dismiss Boomers out of hand just because their words and experiences come from a different era. Not only is that lazy, it is foolhardy.

The Boomers also have a point about this overdoing of Woke Culture that seems to be a hallmark of this generation. It's one thing to advocate for awareness of Climate Change, Minority Rights, Social Justice, and so on. But digging through someone's tweets from ten years ago, and holding them accountable for those? Going way back into ancient history to attack long-dead personalities? That is so banal. Shouldn't the leaders of the future be more concerned with, y'know, the future?

Plant a seed of change,
not a tree.

Change is a natural aspect of our reality. Change occurs regardless of anyone's attempts to stop it. It also occurs at its own speed regardless of attempts to speed it up. So trying to effect change for the sake of change itself, is unproductive. If the younger generation pushes for change and encounters pushback, maybe it's time to consider that this isn't the time for that particular change. The overemphasis on things like Affirmative Action and erasure of potentially offensive terms in tech is what I call "trying too hard", and it's counter-productive.

Get the seeds of change right, and change will happen. Millennials need to stop trying to produce an entire tree overnight. There's a process to this shit!

Why Boomers are wrong

No matter what you may think of Millennials, remember that they are now the dominant majority demographic where the workforce is concerned. They will, by default, be the ones charting the course for the future. Who else is gonna do it? You, Boomers? Face it; your time was over ten years back. Whatever mistakes Millennials may or may not make, they are the ones who are going to have to live with it. Statistically, you are going to be long gone by then. You have no skin in the game. So stop trying to exercise influence over a world which you won't have to be responsible for.

You probably think Millennials change their minds way too often, as compared to the days where you stuck to one course your entire lives and never deviated? It's frightening that this lack of flexibility is actually considered a virtue.

People change their minds more often now because they can. It's called having options. Let's be real - if you had that many options back in the day, would you be doing what you're doing now? Not having options is not the same as being steadfast. The internet has opened up a multitude of options. There are multiple paths to success, and as the conditions for success change, so too, must the course you are on.

Agility is a mindset that is encouraged in the workforce today. The Agile Methodology is a concept bred in software and now business - that one must constantly make adjustments to work plans based on ever-evolving conditions. If people with static mindsets were in charge, we would not be seeing the great leaps in progress that we're seeing today.

Are Millennials really lazy?

As for knowing the value of hard work, quit the bullshit myth that Milllennials are lazy. They are just as capable of working hard... except that unlike you, apparently, they want their hard work to mean something. Hard work for the sake of hard work is even dumber than change for the sake of change. In your day, hard work was the only value you brought to the table. But in this day and age, any idiot can be hardworking. So if you want to get ahead, you better have a hell lot more to offer than your sweat, blood and tears.

And finally...

"In my day..." doesn't help your case at all. You're trying to make a point as to why things should be done a certain way. Even if people were interested in a history lesson, a history lesson from your personal point of view is pretty fucking useless except for entertainment purposes.

Also, stop with the unsolicited advice. If your advice was so valuable, people would be paying you to talk. Are people paying you to talk? No? Well, take that as a sign from the universe.

The war continues!

Nothing I've said here is going to change anything. People are going to think what they think and do what they do, even if it is absolutely stupid. It's a very human thing.

Did I mention I'm taking no sides here? Millennials and Boomers both suck. Seriously. Honestly, what kind of idiot thinks that simply being born in a particular era makes them special?

The world continues to spin no matter how important you think your perspectives are. Millennials, one day you will be those Boomers you love to shit on. Boomers, one day you will be corpses and distant memories. Get over yourselves, guys.

Tale as old as time!
T___T