Ann Marie-Yerks
Comp. 106
27 April 2009
The Technology Generation
Going on a rise since the 1980’s, technology is impacting the currently growing generation in many different ways. Words such as, Echo Boom, Generation Y, First Digitals, and Millennials, are used to describe the 80 million individuals born between 1981 and 1997. This generation is known for never taking no as an answer, adopting the newly digital social interaction, and having the ability to multitask. The words used to describe this generation have many similarities and little differences, all which play a key role in describing it. Along with their time of birth, these individuals became tagged with stereotypes about their generation who were expected to be completely different than any other. These stereotypes, such as increased smartness or efficiency, became noticeable throughout my life as well as others.
Terms such as Echo Boom, Generation Y, First Digitals, and Millennials, are used to describe the current generation of individuals who were born between 1981 and 1997. The most commonly used terms, Generation Y and Millennials, describe a person who is faster, more efficient, smarter, and more available then the previous generations. Jordan Kaplan from a USA today article says, “Generation Y is much less likely to respond to the traditional command-and-control type of management still popular in much of today’s workforce.” Offspring of the Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Jones, these people are sweeping the labor field and letting the company know what they need to succeed, rather than the company telling them what they need. The previous generation is known for putting their career before everything, though this generation is stamped for placing their career behind friends and personal life on their list of priorities. The importance of priorities is best put by Marian Salzman, an ad agency executive who studies the Millennial generation, in a special on 60 Minutes. She said, “These young people will tell you what time their yoga class is and the day's work will be organized around the fact that they have this commitment. So you actually envy them. How wonderful it is to be young and have your priorities so clear.” Following an extreme organization in priorities, Generation Y or Millennials are said to enjoy constant change in their day to day plan, demand flexible jobs, and have a high confidence level.
The remaining synonyms, Echo Boom and First Digitals, are both derived to describe the same generation, though are used in different ways. Echo Boom refers to the college generation, who is sweeping the nation and bringing change to many universities. These students are socializing and working around the clock, similar to the book Microserfs, where the characters spend up to sixteen hours a day doing similar activities, and to some extend creating a different time clock to the population. For example, the University of Louisville now has a library that stays open all day, where students nap, eat, socialize, and study throughout the 24 hour day. In addition to this, colleges are enhancing the typical students living choices, by changing the size, number of rooms, and number of bathrooms found in a traditional dorm room used before. Echo Boomers are also experiencing more recycling, uses of alternative energy, and global warming issues than other generations. Next to the idea of going green, this generation became the first to experience a new digital world of technology, thus naming them the First Digitals. First Digitals is used the least when describing the current generation, mostly because the definition goes no further then the first age group to adopt digital social interaction. The low usage of this word is also due to the other synonyms, which are already defined as the most technological advanced generation.
Many stereotypes are found when describing the current generation, though the true test is appears when determining if these stereotypes are facts. Not knowing my generation contained so many names or stereotypes, I found it very interesting to find that many of them were true. With myself unable to remember my childhood, I interviewed my father, Tim Forrester, who told me about my childhood baseball team. He said, “You played baseball every year, won every game, and received a trophy after every season. The funniest part, the teams you plaid also won every game and received a trophy after every season.” As I child, winning every game and never loosing molded me to a world where no is not an answer and success is never measured. Many sources, such as the USA Today article and CBS News 60 Minutes, believe the Millennial generation’s child hood, which is structured for winning shaped, them to acquire their confidence, smartness, and willingness to place their career below friends and priorities. My father, who attended Farris State University, often tells me that my way of life is night and day when compared to his at my age. My homework is done at all times of the night, I socialize nonstop, and have the ability to text, listen to music, surf the web, and do homework at the same time. As a First Digital, I know more about technology then my parents will ever know in a life time. Following this, I have also experienced the flexible workforce, which is highly demanded by this current generation. When hired, my boss at GNC Nutrition told me school always comes first, following family, and lastly work. He also told me I can work on my homework when the store is empty and eat when I please, along with laying down some strict guidelines to keeping the store successful. Today, more companies are building a core relationship with the worker, which makes them happy and the business thriving at the same time.
The previous generation, known as the Baby Boomers, grew up in a world with strict order and discipline in the workforce. The current generation, known as the Millennials, is growing up in a world where they have more control and freedom of speech in the workforce. As stated previously, these individuals are stereotyped to be the best, strongest, and even obtain a completely different set of work to personal life priorities when compared to the previous generations. Many companies, such as Zappos, a shoe producing company who appeared on the 60 Minutes special, state that the best way to build a relationship with their employees and be successful is to make them happy by giving them what they want. On the flip side, many believe the current generation’s success is building up for a declining storm, with most raised to always be winners and get what they want. This is appearing inside companies who have a strict dress code, where workers are deciding to show up in flip-flops listening to an ipod. From the same 60 Minute special, Mary Crane says, “It's a perfect storm we have created to put these people in a position where they suddenly have to perform as professionals and haven’t been trained…They have no idea what it's like to actually be in an office at nine o'clock, with people handing them work.” The negatives are few and in between, with many positives surrounding this generation who puts family and friends before their career, almost similar to the characters found in Microserfs who live and work together to rise above the rest.
Works Cited
Agron, Joe. "Echo Boom Impact." American School & University . 25 Apr. 2009
Armour, Stephanie. "Generation Y: They've arrived at work with a new attitude." USATODAY.com. 8 Nov. 2005. 25 Apr. 2009
CBS News. "The "Millennials" Are Coming." CBS News . 5 May 2007. 25 Apr. 2009
Coupland, Douglas. Microserfs. New York: HarperCollins, 1997.
Forrester, Tim. Personal Interview. 24 Apr. 2009.
