Millennials – a term that has been quite operational, lately. But the actual narrative is not well sought after or has been yet deciphered by the general masses. There has been an increasing discourse of this term, disguised as social media posts, mostly sarcastic and rhetoric posts, the infamous of all, ‘MEMES’. As one scrolls down the social media, the different pages, the sarcastic incarnation of the term ‘millennial’ is a common sight.Â
Millennial – also called Generation Y, are the ones who are successors of Generation X and will precede Generation Z. Well, to ascribe a certain range of years or period as such to this generation, is a tad bit bewildering. It is mostly because most researchers and professionals studying it, have been associating the millennials with varying time ranges.
There are researchers, who have mentioned and widely used this phrase in various publications and papers to describe the generation born in the 1980s and 1990s. There is yet, a considerable band of those who use the upper limit of the birth year as 2004. The early days witnessed the association of this term with only those, who would graduate from their high schools in the year 2000.
One can undeniably, consider the most prominent and widely accepted range to classify the millennials as the ones with their birth year between 1981 and 1996. Having said so, the age group of millennials would be from 24-39 years as of 2020.
The most impending danger today is the lack of knowledge and overuse of light humor and at times, demeaning as well, behind the rhetoric of entertainment. One could surely bet on the fact that this intense usage fervor over the term- millennial, is hardly of actual depth but rather is of absolute balderdash. There are polling results and survey analyses made which further accentuate the fact, that millennials as a term is used in an abhorred fashion, more of just like any other buzzword. Now this growing misinterpretation leads to the dismantling of some of the most prime differences that would’ve been of real importance in evidential studies.
The Evolution Of Social Spaces: How Millennials Became The First ‘Digital Natives’
There has been quite a vibrant discussion operational in most settings to discuss on social world vs social media. Most of such discussions have seemed to be limited and seen in association with just the attitude or vibe towards both. The most important shortcoming of this inference is that it narrows down the narrative. It is not just the overtime engagement or addiction to social media that predicates the impact on the generation. It is much more than that.
When we start our discussion on the impact of social media or the technological bloom on the millennial generation, we need to acknowledge and understand the fact that they are the first ones in the entire spectrum of humankind to get exposed and get to use social media. Whenever we discuss it, we have to understand the pertaining conditions, the maneuver of transition, and hence, the impact.
The social world is an ambiguous term. The social world necessarily need not be the same set of people who would define it, same for all. The more theoretical definition of social worlds is ‘universes of discourse’. A social world has been defined as a space with no physical boundary. But when we discuss the social world with reference to social media, the meaning needs to be manipulated to fit the narrative or the basic parley.
Social media is nothing that needs any such overtly explanatory definition to anyone of us, anymore. Generation Y more popularly known, as the millennials has seen the advent of social media, in their early years. This transition from the social world, being rightly associated with entertainment activities of mass-involving consumption from television or radios, to small, personal screens for the same, comes with its own set of effects.
Exploring The Shift
The impact is just like the facets of a gem. From not much productive engagement in the social world to getting engrossed in the newer skill enhancement and knowledge-enriching features that social media offers, the millennials have undergone a vast transition. The plethora of impact is hugely spread over the pros and cons of the transition from the social world to social media.
The immediate social world in which the millennials have been or are in the present does not always give them the platform to extend their self-confidence. From the financial crash of 2008 to the rise of digital technologies and the gig economy. Millennials have navigated an ever-changing landscape. Social media is both a reflection, and a catalyst for these changes, influencing everything from career aspirations to relationships and mental health.
For instance, a millennial transitioning from a stable corporate job to freelancing is often at the grips of validation and stress through social media. Platforms like LinkedIn offered her a space to showcase her work and network, boosting her confidence. However, the constant stream of success stories from her peers also made her question whether she was achieving enough, leading to bouts of self-doubt.
The immediate social world in which the millennials have been or are in the present does not always give them the platform to extend their self-confidence. The social media here paves the way for them to influence this realm of self-confidence.
There are many comparison studies made between the trend of social media usage amongst the millennials and Generation Z. For instance, millennials might post detailed reflections about their life events on platforms like Facebook, while Gen Z would opt for a quick, quirky TikTok video or a meme. This behavioral difference underscores the contrasting ways these generations process their online presence. The latter is the one, who had access to social media from the very first day. There is evidence that shows that millennials love to share while Generation Z engages only to a minimal extent, mostly for entertainment in social media.
Unlike the earlier days when their social interactions occurred in physical spaces—where judgments were fleeting and context-specific—social media amplifies scrutiny.
Disclaimer
The idea of generations is western, American to be precise and while many say that the Indian society is following the pattern (may be with a 5 year gap). It is best to understand the dialogue with this sub text. Here for example, is an infograph from Inspira Marketing on the customer profile of the generations.
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