Millennials share American Dream

A millennial friend Facebooks a conversation he heard at the gym this week:

1st Guy : “I’m just sick of the whole thing. I mean, it’s not like our vote even matters. Don’t tell that to a millennial, though. They’re just excited to vote, they don’t even know what they’re voting about.”

2nd Guy: “Well, that’s the country we live in these days. Kids don’t even care.”

My millennial friend then gave his impression of the conversation:

My opinion, based on my own experiences, is that millenials are exceedingly well-informed. We’re also exhausted from being the focal point generation of what has amounted to a second industrial revolution, and are trying to get a well-rounded handle on financial and social issues that were more easily-navigated (or easily-ignored depending on your perspective) in previous generations.

So we’re trying to make sense of things that can’t be described in terms of “well, those are the facts of life, son.”

Which, I presume, looks a little like we don’t share the same values as our elders.

Perhaps others have different observations than I do, but I don’t think I know a single millenial peer who doesn’t want:

• a good family (chosen or otherwise)
• security (monetary and physical)
• a chance to grow and thrive

So, y’know. The American Dream.

We want the same things. We just don’t have the same tools, and we’re acutely aware that the tools we NEED….don’t necessarily exist yet. It’s very anxiety-inducing.

Question: Do you count many millennials in your circle of friends?