Audio version here


Frizzy-haired, New York-based, Canadian author, Malcolm Gladwell has just released a new book that everyone is talking about. It's surely going to be a bestseller.


And perhaps that's partly because the main premise is very simple and easy to understand: even naturally talented people need practice to become really good at what they do.


That's pretty obvious isn't it? But sometimes the obvious has to be pointed out again and again and again.


And that's why I'm going to remind you now that 99% of the people who go around boosting Gen Y are just plain dumb.


Outrageous Claims


Listen to this claim that about Barack Obama’s victory. It's not only the best example yet of the growing influence of Generation Y in America and the world.


"Gen Y is smart, diverse, energized, socially and politically aware and able to use the Internet to do pretty much anything."


"Pretty much anything." What does that mean? Everything and nothing.


Well-Informed


You know what? I don't think the average person is well informed politically no matter how old they are. And I don't think they ever will be. You know why? It's too much work.


Look. If Gen Y is so busy being well informed, who's watching Access Hollywood? The old guys? The Boomers? Come on, look at the ads. They're not selling Depends.


A Deceptive Brand


And you know what? Gen Y isn't diverse either. When people talk about Gen Y they're only talking about middle class college educated people who plan on having careers.


And here's something else. When people talk about Gen Y they never tell you stories like this.


Queens University is one of Canada's top universities. It's across the lake from Rochester in the United States. Every September, they have a big homecoming party and a few thousand old students march around the football field during half time.


Drunken Brawl


But recently they had to cancel this event because the current students like to get drunk and wreck things. For instance, this past September, a customer at a fast-food restaurant was attacked and put into a coma. He woke up after a month but he's going to have permanent brain damage.


And this was really a Gen Y event because the Queens University students put out the word on Facebook that this is going to be a big drunken brawl and students came from all around to participate.


Now it's possible that the student who put that guy into a coma was "smart, diverse, energized, socially and politically aware and able to use the Internet to do pretty much anything." But he was also a goof. And he wasn't the only one.


In Conclusion


As history progresses, education is becoming more widespread. So does freedom spread in all sorts of relationships. Nevetheless, Gen Y is, in many ways, as ignorant and foolish as any other generation. In fact, they're almost as ignorant as their much-maligned parents, the baby boomers. But the boosters, they forget to mention that.


The Recruiting Animal

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Comment by Vegan_Atticus on November 25, 2008 at 3:20pm
It seems a lot of people want to villify Gen Y as being lazy and over privlidged. A lot of articles mention how they want to "Stroll in around noon, and leave before five." ( http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3486473n&channel=/sections/60minutes/videoplayer3415.shtml )

Yet, others are jumping out of their skin to say how wonderfuly involved and dedicated they are ( http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-10-23-gen-next-cover_x.htm ) - This could be a good place to mention that almost all of the Assistant Directors in the (International) organization I work for are under 30.

I would just like to point out that little is really known about Gen Y. Keep in mind that the oldest in Gen Y are just now entering the workforce (mid-20's), and the youngest are just about to enter kindergarten.

I think it is unrealistic to classify people based on their generation. People are different; some are highly active while others are apathetic, and I believe it has little to do with their birth year.

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