As part of our ED Decodes The Indian Millennial series: we bring to you part 3 here. Don’t forget to read the other posts in this series. mentioned in the end.
“Aajkal ke bachhe (Millennials)”, my parents said, “have gone from staring at comic books to TV screens and mobile screens and laptop screens!”
And it is usually true. A study by the Barna Group establishes that our reliance on digital tools has been growing exponentially. But that is not the only sore point for our elders.
As mindsets change, new generations develop habits that might be normal for them, but really annoy the older generations. And when I asked my uncles and aunties for examples, they were more than happy to point them out!
1. “TV, TV, TV!”
The universal problem that our elders have with us. Whether it be for work or leisure (usually the latter, according to them), our eyes are usually glued to our laptops, or mobiles, or tabs. And that leads to endless lectures about the deterioration of our culture.
And I agree to an extent. Sometimes we do use it excessively. But hey! Our parents would have used gadgets extensively too if they had been introduced in their time!
2. “They have no fixed time of sleeping”
The older generations swore by “early to bed, early to rise” (or so they tell us). But the millennials don’t. We swear by the peace and quiet of the night when we can just lie on our beds and chat with our best friends. Or as my budding engineer friends would tell me, when it comes to work, they are the most productive at night only.
It should be mentioned that an unlimited access to coffee helps too.
3. “They think that money grows on trees!”
The older generation had kirana stores and subzi mandis. We have malls. Millennials are being spoilt for choice, with new brands and food joints being introduced regularly. And they like to try them all!
The older generation keeps telling us the virtues of saving but, sorry dad, no one keeps a piggy bank now.
Read More: Tamil Nadu Farmer Protests Have Failed And I Blame Millennials For It
4. “He keeps roaming around with girls. Is he having an affair?”
Our parents grew up in a period when even thinking about roaming around with the other sex could have invited a beating at home. The only exception occurred when it came to their spouses. Even those were chosen by their parents.
Not today. Millennials do not have any biases when it comes to guys or girls. And a part of the older generation still disapproves. Jealous maybe?
5. “They do not want to settle down”
The older generation usually had it sorted when it came to life. “Either he will go into the family line of business, or become an engineer or doctor. Then he will marry a girl we choose for him and produce nice babies for us.”
Things are different now. Millenials like to try out different options and explore various opportunities, much to the exasperation of our parents. Settling down early in life is not an option, because, YOLO right?
Okay yes, our elders care about us and their exasperation over the above issues stems from the fact that they might not be good for us. But there is one aspect where Millennials truly are an improvement over their elders.
Millennials are more open to accepting everyone as they are. We are less likely to judge a person based on his/her religion, sexuality or colour.
We do not ridicule a person who worships a different god. We do not mock a person who has opened up about his/her sexuality. We treat everyone the same. And in the end, it is the only thing that matters.
Image credits: Witty Feed, Cartoon Stock, Google
You might also like to read this:
Part 1:
http://edtimes.in/the-misunderstood-indian-millennial/
And Part 2:
This Is How Indian Millennials Live A Regular Day & Spend Their Time
Part 4:
‘Beta Tumse Na HO Paega’: How Indian Millennials Have Created Their Own Social Media Lingo
