My generation

Sometimes I'm just so tired.  Not just physical tiredness (although that basically perpetually describes me), but a tiredness that comes from hearing people mis-categorize people.  Especially those who pigeon-hole my generation (Gen Y/Millennials) into a teeny-tiny box.

I look young, which doesn't help, but I work around people who are older than me.  Slowly the fact that I'm one of the younger people employed in my work circle has settled in.  I'm used to being the youngest person in the room.  I'm used to having all the attention focused on me as soon as anything "young" is discussed.  That's why I'm around, right?  To share insight in an underrepresented, but up-and-coming generation.

This morning I sat through an amazingly dull four-hour seminar for leadership development focused on the non-profit sector.  A woman from a different organization asked a simple question on how to best utilize millennials who come to volunteer.  The speaker (a woman probably in her 60's) answered the question.  Honestly, I was offended.  It sounded something like this:

"Role playing!  Get them acting out situations so they understand.  Keep it simple, that's what they understand."

It's an insult.  And really, this is what I'm so frustrated about.  There is a general lack of belief that my generation can do anything.  This is not the first time I've heard something like this.  We're apparently only good at video games and surfing the internet.  You know what happens when little is assumed from someone?  They accomplish little.  Surely our capacity exceeds "simple instructions".  We're not idiots. 

And I'm not just frustrated that we don't trust the older side of the generation, the post-college grads (who apparently need "simple" directions in order to understand things), but the younger ones too.  The responsibilities that adults gave me when I was in middle school were amazing compared to what we believe teens are capable of doing today.  Giving them the same responsibilities can almost be laughable.  And that's sad.  What happened in the middle of my generation that caused everyone to lose faith in us?

Sure, we're got our quirks, but don't you realize that someday, we'll be in control.  Shouldn't you have already taught us how things should be done?  Shouldn't you trust us now and let us prove our capabilities?  Where are all the mentors for my generation?  Why won't you share your wisdom, and we can share our youth?

The future is only scary because no one seems to want to be bothered to show us the way to go.  The end result is inevitable.

P.S. Today is my 1-year blogging anniversary.  My first post: here