We are the millennials – the generation born between 1981 and 1994/6. The cohort following the Gen X and preceding the Gen Z. Basically the in-betweeners. Like most of the cases, in-between is not a very fun place to be.
For instance, let’s start with our elders on the left most of the pendulum’s trajectory, the Gen X. They are right now in their forties-fifties. They are over their prime years and are inching towards their rich retirement life. They are in a comparatively better position to leave their job if it gets shitty. They have lesser relatives to deal with; lesser pressure to maintain a cool social media presence. They have a considerable amount of money stashed away for rainy days. They are well settled into their married lives and have kids who can wipe the shit off their butts by themselves. It may not be all shiny and cake walk, but they do have the majority portions of their lives sorted out.
Let’s move on to Gen Z, on the rightmost trajectory of the pendulum. I look at them and my resolve to not have any kids strengthens. This is a generation that mostly has been raised on the internet and social media. A generation that held an iPhone before they even held a pen. They are either yet to enter the workforce or are already social media influencers or an entrepreneurs. They can afford to “quit your job and follow your passion” because they have a huge generational wealth to fall back on. They are the groups of people who are not baffled by the most diverse concepts. They do not believe in labels and question the orthodox ways of the society. They do not restrict themselves to the stereotypes. They are untamed, untethered than their predecessors. They learn and preach on social media. They have layers of protection from all the dark sides of life – from Gen Y siblings and from Gen X parents. They are yet to discover the ‘real’ life and realize that the world is not so accommodating out there. They are in their dream bubble, surrounded by unicorns.
Then there are Millennials, the Gen Y. We are neither here nor there. We sure have discovered some life, but not enough. We do have some money which can back us up; but only for a couple of months. We are easing into the concept of matrimony. We have kids who need diaper changes. We are not young enough to quit jobs to pursue our passions because of responsibilities and on the other hand we are young enough to still keep that entrepreneurial dream alive. You can not go all “I will do whatever I want” like a Gen Z because you are too old for that. You do not have a say in serious conversations like Gen X because you are not old, matured and wise enough. It’s all a huge juxtaposition and the millennials are just nowhere. Told ya, in-between is not a nice place to be.
But the truth is, everybody is going through a shit of their own. It’s easy to compare and say “I have got it worse”. But from where they stand, all of them find that their problems are the most difficult ones. Everybody is fighting a battle others know nothing about. It doesn’t hurt to be kind and empathetic, does it? What all the three types of generations have in mutual is the potential to be kind to others. The world would turn a shade brighter if everybody understood this little fact that Kindness in fact, is the new cool.
Namaste,
𝙰𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑