The generation often labeled as entitled, lazy, and the source of ire for bringing the selfie stick to the world now finds itself caught between fleeting youth and the throes of adulthood.
Growing up, we resonated with the line “Follow your dreams.” It was drilled into us by our families and the movies that shaped us.
Advice such as “Follow your passion and you will never work a day in your life” inspired a generation into unsubscribing to hustle culture that required corporate loyalty from the baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) to chasing dreams in the quest to end up loving what you do daily.
Before the time of millennials, the dream was straightforward: get an education, find work, own properties, and start a family.
The generation was filled with literature in pursuing one’s dream. From Dead Poets Society (1989), which laid a foundation for individualities to thrive towards a new decade of youth, to the mid-aughts where sandals and jeans-wearing tech mogul Steve Jobs addressed Stanford’s graduating class of 2005 with the advice to never settle.
“You’ve got to find what you love….The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking, and don’t settle,” Jobs said.
For those born between 1981 and 1996, we are now well integrated into the country’s work sector with over 17.5 million out of the total 67.4 million in the labor force according to Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in 2022.
Even a young Jaden Smith, playing the son of Will Smith in the movie The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), was told in the film: “Don’t ever let someone tell you you can’t do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you got to protect it.”
With an age range of 28 for the youngest millennial and 43 for the oldest in 2024, those same young people who have seen the film then may probably have their own families to look after now. At the very least, all of us are now adults, just trying to get better every day.
Did we, as a generation live up to the expectations of the adults that came before us?
Memories over properties
Emerging from the impacts of the Great Depression amid the post-war years of the Second World War, boomers found a collective psyche to approach one’s purpose: loyalty to corporations or their places of work with a promise of lifetime employment.
Then came a mental shift during the decades of the ‘60s and ‘70s when adherence to such thinking became too conformist with the burgeoning youth.
Thus, the sentiment evolved once more to finding a greater purpose and searching for a job that allows that passion to translate into work that covers the bills.
Before the time of millennials, the dream was straightforward: get an education, find work, own properties, and start a family. In the first part, the ‘90s babies seem to nail it with higher educational attainment. According to the World Bank open data, the literacy rate in the Philippines from 1990 to 2019 recorded one of the highest tallied scores at over 90%.
A recent study by the Pew Research Center also revealed more than half of millennials remain unmarried unlike their predecessors with 53% of Gen Xers, 61% of baby boomers, and 81% of the Silent Generation (children of the Great Depression born between 1928 and 1945) at a comparable age.
The difference seems to be rooted in culture change. Many millennials grew up seeing their parents focused on acquiring material goods with owning a house and a sensible car as the epitome of success. In the absence of online space, projecting a prosperous lifestyle rested on tangible possessions.
While I believe these considerations still play a role in my life plan, I prioritize experiences over accumulating products.
We have to remember: we were the first to be acquainted with modern technology such as the internet, smartphones, and of course, social media. The desire to be more connected with people produces the urge for this generation to create shareable moments ushering in the boom of the experience economy.
When it comes now to our supposed generational mantra of following our dreams, was it all a scam? Did our parents create a device to live out their choices vicariously in ours in their failed attempt to rise against the constraints of the 9 to 5 setup?
Pew Research has also noted that homeownership isn’t a priority for millennials. Considering the deeply ingrained aspect of Filipino culture across generations on the importance of owning a house, it was only during the COVID-19 pandemic that an appetite emerged among demographics to become drivers of the residential property market.
Even in discretionary spending, millennials tend to gravitate towards companies that create products that simultaneously build a community with it.
Check, for example, products that engage our generation with enticing collaborations such as Uniqlo shirts sporting designs from the critically acclaimed Japanese anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995).
Even the shoe brand Crocs, which a lot of us thought to have been forgotten, mounted a resurgence a few years back boosted by celebrity partnerships, and the irresistible charm-like ornaments called Jibbitz.
This trend reflects millennials’ desire for products that resonate with their interests and values while providing opportunities for social connection and familiarity.
Our shared generational journey
As a generation, we have inherited institutions that leave a lot to be desired. While facing one economic downturn after another, somewhere down the line, technologies have further evolved and we see ourselves knowing what to do, but without the resources to get it done.
So, when it comes now to our supposed generational mantra of following our dreams, was it all a scam? Did our parents create a device to live out their choices vicariously in ours in their failed attempt to rise against the constraints of the 9 to 5 setup?
If anything, I don’t believe following one’s passion is misguided advice—although it may need a tweak or two to fit the ever-changing demands of modern life.
It’s not a deal breaker if you don’t have a passion. Rather than following an imaginary track towards your dream, let it follow you instead. In your journey, place importance on having the abilities and be good at something first before you commit yourself to anything.
If I may, for the next generation, Gen Z—the road may be bumpy up ahead, but I hope you find solace that your journey isn’t isolated from the rest of us. Probably most of the negativities directed at echoes from previous generations.
Even in the period of Classical Greece, the youth have always seemed to irk their elders. In 500 BCE, the renowned philosopher Socrates swore the youth of his day concerned themselves with luxury, displayed poor manners, and contradicted whoever was in authority.
As for myself, I am currently in a state of exploration, not yet settled into a career that fully embodies my dreams—at least, not yet. However, like many of my fellow millennials, we are poised to leave a legacy beyond the amendment of the past and create a future that we’ve determined is becoming of all the lessons in tow, while we embrace the constant of continuous learning.
