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Millennials

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Millennials are a specific demographic cohort of people. They follow Generation X and come before Generation Z. Most researchers define this group by their birth years. A widely accepted definition is people born from 1981 to 1996.

US living adult generations
US living adult generations

This group is often the offspring of baby boomers. They are also the parents of Generation Alpha. Because of their large size, some call them "Echo Boomers." This name refers to the increase in birth rates following the baby boom era.

This generation experienced a major shift in how people communicate. As children, they saw the rise of the Information Age. They grew up alongside the development of the Internet.

Nostalgia (7539894906)
Nostalgia (7539894906)

This made them the first truly globalized generation. As young adults, they used early social media platforms. These included tools like AOL Instant Messenger, LiveJournal, and Myspace.

Girl talking mobile 2006 cropped 2
Girl talking mobile 2006 cropped 2

They possess a very high familiarity with digital technology.

Many different names have been used to describe this group. In 1987, authors William Strauss and Neil Howe coined "millennials." They predicted the group would be civic-minded and community-oriented.

Social sciences
Social sciences

They wrote about this in their book "Millennials Rising" in 2000. In 1993, the term "Generation Y" was also used. However, many experts later decided "Millennials" was a better name. Other labels include the "Net Generation" and "Generation Next." Some even call them "The Burnout Generation."

Defining the exact years for millennials is often difficult. Different organizations use slightly different ranges. The Pew Research Center uses 1981 to 1996. They chose these dates because of major social and economic factors. These include the 11 September attacks and the Great Recession.

View on Climate Change
View on Climate Change

Other groups, like the Australian Bureau of Statistics, use 1981 to 1995. Some researchers, like Jean Twenge, use 1980 to 1994. Because these dates vary, the boundaries are considered "squishy" or subjective.

Economic challenges have shaped the lives of many millennials. Many entered the workforce during the Great Recession. They also faced the COVID-19 recession.

Public Expenditure on Tertiary Education (OECD 2011)
Public Expenditure on Tertiary Education (OECD 2011)

In Western countries, they are sometimes called the "Unluckiest Generation." This is because they have experienced more economic recessions than previous generations. They often face high levels of student debt and childcare costs. In Japan, some use the term "ikizurasa" to describe the anxiety of these struggles.

Psychologists have different views on millennial personality traits. Jean Twenge suggested they might show more narcissism. She used the Narcissistic Personality Inventory for her research. However, other experts like Jeffrey Arnett disagree. He argues that millennials are actually an exceptionally generous generation.

Students working on class assignment in computer lab
Students working on class assignment in computer lab

He believes the data is often misinterpreted. There is also debate about how much millennials are influenced by advertising. While they may ignore traditional ads, they respond to transparency and flexibility.

Millennials are also changing social patterns globally. They tend to be less religious than their predecessors.

Crowds in Copacabana - Holy Mass for the WYD 2013 in Rio de Janeiro
Crowds in Copacabana - Holy Mass for the WYD 2013 in Rio de Janeiro

Many also postpone marriage or living with a partner. They are having fewer children than previous generations. However, millennials in developing countries still drive much of the global population growth. These social shifts show how much this cohort is changing the world's future.

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