There have been many studies done that show most people believe that the millennial generation (the 80s and 90s babies) are lazy and believe they are entitled to anything they want. Some other common traits include impatient, disrespectful, whiny, dumb, and narcissistic. Sound familiar? So are the millennials the worst generation ever?

I don’t think anyone could argue that an alarming percentage of people fit right into that generalization. But does all our generation fit into this stereotype? Well of course not, but we will talk about these people last. The best for last right?

So if we as a species have more knowledge available to us then ever before, why are so many people going down hill? Obviously, there are so many factors that go into this. It would take a whole book or two to discuss it, so I am going to talk to you about the basics of what went wrong and is continuing to go wrong in our society.

Who are these people deep down?

The “I want it now” attitude that you saw from the bratty little girl on Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory is pretty standard these days. You can’t take a trip to Wal-Mart without seeing a kid similar to her and sometimes worse! Obviously, that girl had a rich daddy and her father got her everything she wanted. We all know that happens, but why are we seeing so many children from lower-income families acting like this? And why is this attitude carried over into their adult lives?

Let’s start from the beginning. Take a two-year-old child. It is completely normal for that toddler to be self-absorbed and demanding. But it is not normal when that child gets a little older and continues to behave this way. Here are some reasons that some kids just never grow out of it.

Divorce, death, and other major family stressors can have major effects on a child

In the case of a divorce or death of a parent, it can result in the remaining parent feeling sorry for the child.  And then trying to make up for it with gifts, fun outings, or they let the child get away with bad behaviors. These gifts are good in moderation, but will do a child no favors when they get older. I know someone today that lost their parent over 15 years ago. He still expects special treatment because of it and uses it as an excuse for their problems today. I’m sorry for their loss, but losing someone you love is going to happen to us all and we can’t let it define who we are.

Deprived of things like basic nurturing and love

They are likely to grow up and instead of showing sadness, many people will show anger. Then expect others to make up for his/her lack of love and result in a false sense of entitlement. They tend to become lazy because of it. They expect others to do everything for them. No matter how much they get it will never make up for what he/she missed out on from their parents. I am pretty sure we have all met someone like this before.

There are way too many single parent families out there

And the remaining parent usually has a hard time giving their child all the love the child will need physically and emotionally. Between providing financially for the children, taking care of the household chores, taking time for themselves, and giving their child the love and affection they deserve, it is nearly impossible. Strong family units are crumbling all around us.  Most of the issues we see today wouldn’t be nearly as common if we had a nation full of strong families.

Modeling a parent’s behavior

If a parent is lazy and entitled, there is a good chance their kid will be as well. Parents need to take a good look in the mirror and become a healthy role model for their children.

Love has grown cold in many families

Just the other day I saw a little girl get off the school bus and run to her father. He was on the phone and didn’t even acknowledge her. Imagine how that little girl felt? I imagine if this occurrence is normal she doesn’t feel very significant to her father. In turn, she is more likely to grow up searching for a man to make up for this. But will probably find a man similar to her father. The saying we end up with someone like our parents is pretty true in many cases unless we are aware of the problem.  There is a good chance this is similar to the past of the wild and promiscuous party girl that you know.

How did things get this bad?

I am a firm believer that the way you raise a child makes a world of difference.

If our generation is full of lazy and entitled people, who raised us? I guess you could say Generation X is to blame then. But let’s not get into the blame game. You would just keep going back generation after generation blaming and blaming some more. Here are some reasons why these people seem to be everywhere.

Poor education

I believe formal education is really important. But at the same time, it’s not everything kids need to learn. America ranks 14^thin the world in education despite the fact that we spend the most per student in the world! That has to mean something, don’t you agree? The system is failing us. Kids are not being challenged anymore, so there is no drive to do better and they become lazy.

Check out my article 9 Reasons Public Schools Are Failing Our Society.

Dumbed down

Everything these days is so simplified and people aren’t using their brains as much. Literally, your brain shrinks when you don’t use it! So just because you can look up the capital of all the states on your smart phone or use your calculator to solve a problem, doesn’t mean you always should. The process of learning is so important to literally build your brain. I know how easy it is to rely on technology, but the easy route is not necessarily the best route.

Helicopter parents

Parents micromanage their kids so much and they aren’t allowed to make their own mistakes. That is a vital piece to becoming a successful adult. When a parent does everything from tying their 10-year-olds shoes to making their 16-year-olds bed every day, what do you expect to happen to them when they grow up? They will not be ready to go out into the world.  Needy people don’t make it very far. Yes, the world is crazy and we don’t want our children out roaming the streets like most of us did. But it’s not all or nothing.

FREE STUFF!!!

Many people are so used to free this and free that, when they don’t deserve it. These people don’t think about the hard-working taxpayers that are the ones paying for all their free stuff. And the other people just don’t care. Free healthcare? So you smoked or ate bad your whole life and now your sick, but you expect the government to take care of you? We all need to take accountability for ourselves. Have you ever seen the video America’s Bloodsuckers on YouTube? That is a prime example why a bunch of handouts are not a good thing. When did people forget how to actually work for the things they want and need in life? I am not saying welfare is completely a bad thing.  It’s great for when someone is in a tough spot. But it is not meant to become a career choice.

Celebrities

This is a big one. Everybody today is so obsessed with the rich and famous. And it doesn’t help when there are families famous for nothing flaunting their millions around. People want get rich quick schemes and they think hard work is beneath them.

So what can be done?

Some people will never change.  All we can do as informed citizens is spread the word, be mindful, and carry it out into our own lives. If you are lazy or entitled it’s okay to admit it. I subconsciously used to think since I had a rough childhood that I deserved more than someone who grew up with more than I did. But I focused my energy on changing that about myself. People can change! We all have flaws and we just need to put forth the effort into fixing them.

Do your research on self-regulation. Fully accepting responsibility for my actions has helped me so much. Delaying gratification, meditation, and working on your emotional intelligence can change your life. If it’s not you that has a problem with entitlement, but it’s your child, do the research to become a better parent. Don’t think it is too late because it’s not! As a parent myself, I can completely admit I will never be the perfect mother. But I sure will try my best to be the best mother I can. We are amazing creatures capable of so much. It just takes effort on our part.

America’s Greatest Generation

So enough about the bad.  The millennial generation also has some of the most amazing people in it! People that are kind, respectful, hard-working, passionate, that have made this world a better place and the list goes on and on. It may seem rare to find these people, but that’s because most of them aren’t the ones blasting their business out for everyone to hear. They are somewhere busy working, creating, and living meaningful lives!

I understand it’s easy to be cynical when there are so many people trying to drag everyone else down to their miserable level. But it just makes it that much more special when you meet someone who stands out like a diamond among so many ugly rocks.

Related: 5 Signs Someone Really Is Too Easily Offended

Do you think the millennials are the worst generation ever? Why or why not? Let me know your answer in the comments below!

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