Give Us Millennials Time To Be A "Real" Problem (or Not)

By Moses Johnson III on October 11, 2015

Millennials in America are on the hot seat.

Photo by Joshua Scoot C/o: adweek.com

The actions of millennials and their interactions with other generations in America are the subject of criticism amongst contemporary media outlets including journalists, sports reporters, social media and blog writers, and employers.We millennials are apparently the generation of the mass-produced free thinker; social change agents that don’t mind donning garb produced by the oppressed. Millennials text and drive… Millennials selfie our way through life… Millennials make sporadic investments in politics.

So, in the spirit of critique and in the interest of millenials knowing the history of problematic policy in action, I invite millenials to consider these issues, mishandled by other generations in positions of power at transformative times.

The Greatest Generation knew how to fight but forgot how to show love:

Those who battled through the Great Depression and carried the red, white, and blue into a global battle against fascism should be honored and remembered. They should not, however, be forgotten for their role in systemic injustice in America. A specific examples of this would be the staunch segregation that lasted until well after the war and the G.I. Bill that made little to no concessions with understanding for the racial issues of the day. The result was over populated Black universities and predominantly white institutions (PWI’s) that waited until G.I. Bill-subsidized black ranks were filled to bursting before allowing a few otherwise American citizens to partake in their benefits. The housing benefit was largely left unusable by Blacks during the time. Banks would not finance mortgages in the communities that were predominantly Black and Blacks weren’t allowed into deed-restricted suburbs that made segregation a condition of ownership. Let us not forget that this time could have seen an increase in economic growth throughout races and genders, but laws that sought to address issues of “deeded” racism weren’t addressed until two decades after. The issues and disparities from that time (please note that history shows this generation to be a continuance of systemic oppression and not a progenitor) carried through the hearts of the citizens in power and resulted in inequalities that affect our nation currently and well into the future.

Photo of Hiroshima by Veteran John Sanchez
extracted from nwitimes.com

Boomers bring boom, bust, and endless “wars

Boomers came up in a world of promise, growth, and change towards modernity. The generation itself is noted for its attention to the social justice that defined the sixties (and they should be commended for their youthful steps that brought the country forward in many ways) but power and influence in America is largely held by people in their forties and above. Perhaps the Silent generation should be given a public piece of the credit for the era. One thing that should be noted about boomers is their presence as leaders and policy makers during the seventies and eighties. This era brought us rampant deregulation (complete with boom and bust cycles) much like times in the early 20th century and the great “War on Drugs.” The spirit of oligarchy saw seeds planted that would ripen into the fruits of unlimited corporate contributions, lobbies, and special interests. The war on concepts brought us a continuation of fear-mongering, and stereotyping as justification of under-developed and untested policies. The result was great increases in systems that incarcerate at world-leading rates and have diverted resources away from infrastructure and systems that could immediately benefit the children of the time. Schools became bonafide tracking apparatuses that funneled students to administration, middle level careers, or prisons, respectively and consistently. It could be argued that the era began our decline as an international power by any means beyond military might and moralistic arbitration. (This argument would lack nuance and historical perspective, however, and I would challenge every fellow millennial to avoid these pitfalls, upholding both in high regard.) Remember this era fellows as we must remember them all, comprehensively.

From Marvel.wikia.com

Boomers and X’ers Taught us that Fear Trumps Liberty

This example is one that millennials can recall personally. I remember being in Algebra II, slipping in and out of consciousness when the television was set to New York City. The first of the twin towers was smoldering but standing as an initially unrecognizable figure appeared with a flash to change the trajectory of all things American. As the events unfolded before our eyes, we had little understanding of their ramifications or their origins. The times of the Patriot were now underway and we were set on a path of increased security, police armament, and justice for all. Our government set us on another war against a concept and pumped unfathomable resources into operations foreign and domestic, with the goal of securing the insecurable. It cannot be argued that we lost sight of the aspirations of liberty that our founders noted as necessary for our grand experiment… we only go as far to say we did what was necessary to gain a greater sense of safety. And yet, as we still conquer in the name of democracy, it is fear that still drives our politics, commerce, and media. It has even brought us to the point of fearing a future in the hands of our “over-educated, coddled, expectant” millennials in youth. Although it should be said that we millennials were watching the whole time; Watching the government and our elders mislead (in intention and direction) and divert resources, promise and bail, flout establishment while demanding that we honor it. These lessons are the ones that millennials learned in the world of our youth.

From where I stand, we millennials are not quite like our predecessors. Millennials have been given more upfront opportunities (offered at greater financial cost), more accolades (tentatively and coupled with gross exaggerations of resulting self-importance), and will soon be tasked with resolving or continuing the historical issues of the same people who view us as largely hopeless. The largest flaw of our American predecessors is the priority of human capital being of a specific gender, race, and general archetype. If millennials can effectively move away from the models that seek to justify or codify our differences and move towards existing as a nation of uplift for the under-served, undervalued, and less privileged classes perhaps we can begin to become a better representation of the vision that our fore fathers offered. Of all the things I hope millennials remember and learn as we step into positions of authority that fear, greed, and a lack of personal accountability, no matter how minute, can fester and lead to unnecessary sacrifice and and corruption. Millennials, don’t let that be us.

 

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