Millennials: Selfish or Selfless?

By Blake Egozi on November 19, 2016

There seems to be a negative stigma that is connected with being a millennial. Google ‘millennials’ and you are sure to come across a variety of ridiculous negative headlines titled “The Cheapest Generation,” “The Me Me Me Generation” or my personal favorite, “Memo To Millennials: That Awful Feeling You’ve Got Is Called Losing.”

It seems that the older generations have unanimously decided that, to put it in simple terms, we suck. They claim the millennial generation is full of narcissistic, lazy, sore losers who in their eyes aren’t productive members of society. While sometimes we have trouble disconnecting ourselves from technology and accepting authority, these accusations are just plain ridiculous.

Millennials are judged because we are determined to do something different. We are excited about possibility and refuse to accept the norm that the past generations have decided on. Millennials are anything but selfish and our actions prove it. Prior to contrary belief, being obsessed with taking selfies does not make us selfish. The millennial generation is overall a society of selfless individuals. I’m not talking about the type of selflessness where you buy the last cold brew coffee and choose to give it to the upset looking person behind you. I’m talking about the type of selflessness that makes the world we live in a better place.

Living in the constant spotlight that social media creates means we can’t hide from opportunities to better society and ourselves. The basic fact that we are always watching each other means that we are constantly driven to do better and create more than the next person.

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We are the generation of one for one companies and viral charity videos. Companies like Toms, This Bar Saves Lives, and Warby Parker are just a few of the popular names that millennials have created and consistently choose to buy from. This is an entirely new concept of consumerism that millennials have put in motion for generations to come.

Social media has also made it possible for charities to branch out into the millennial generation and we have responded in an overwhelming fashion. The Ice Bucket Challenge and Movember went viral because of the willingness and desire for millennials to promote these campaigns. Every weird mustache photo posted on social media is one thousand views on the issues of men’s health.

Even if a millennial just really wanted to dump a bucket of ice on their head for fun with no intention of donating to this the ALS cause, it is still only promoting the charity and adding to the worth of the generation. These are the type of actions that show that millennials are aware of the world around them and have the drive and passion to finally make a real difference.

Blake Egozi

The biggest complaint I hear from my parent’s generation is that millennials are way too self-admiring because of our obsession with taking photos. We may be narcissistic at times but this is a quality that stems from confidence, not from selfishness. The desire to post an attractive picture on social media for others to view does not relate or make a statement about the overall consciousness of millennials.

If taking a photo of yourself 30 years ago didn’t require a five pound camera and a tripod, I bet I would see a lot more conceited photos of my parents in their high school photo albums. It is simply a trend to post an outfit of the day or a snap with a filtered selfie. Trends are time and culture bound, not generational.

The generations before millennials were focused on self-promotion and success through business. While there is nothing wrong with this type of focus, we are actually more aware of others as a generation than any cohorts were before. While self-importance may be a large part of culture these days, it does not take away from the fact that we are more likely to buy a product that is charitable or benefits others than a basic piece of merchandise. We share and create videos to spread awareness and raise money. We create companies that benefit the less fortunate and not just ourselves. We have moved outside our country and gone global in the past decade with these ideas. You just have to take a step back and look at the products of millennials and stop judging the way we act, dress, and self promote.

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So Google may not be always right. Millennials are not more selfish than any other generation. If you truly disagree with these ideas, I urge you to wait another 10 years and see if society has not developed for the better. We are the type of adolescents that older generations will always hate because of our aspirations. The type of people who aren’t going to stop and just accept the negativity and bad moments in time. Just like the generations before us, we will grow and adapt and force our hand until we have made a real difference.

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