Millennials: The MeMeMe Generation or the golden builders of tomorrow? July 21, 2013

image by axinia

It’s always been “Damn young people these days” out of the Mouths of Age.

“The world is passing through troublous times. The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they knew everything, and what passes for wisdom with us is foolishness with them. As for the girls, they are forward, immodest and unladylike in speech, behavior and dress.”

—Peter the Hermit, 1274 (!)

We all know that, and yet every generation seems to be quite different from the previous ones, hand in hand with the evolution of humanity.

Recently many articles have been written about the so called Millenials (birth rates from the early 80s to the early 2000s)- I have summarized what I found interesting and made my conclusions. 

Jean Twenge, the author of the 2006 book Generation Me, considers Millennials along with younger Gen Xers to be part of what she calls “Generation Me”.^[26] Twenge attributes confidence and tolerance to the Millennials but also a sense of entitlement and narcissism based on personality surveys that showed increasing narcissism among Millennials compared to preceding generations when they were teens and in their twenties.

So what do we know about these new people so far?

1.Millennials are the first generation to have a global identity and not a national identity.

2. Every generation has been the “Me” generation at some point. The only major difference now is that millennials have Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to highlight their me-ness.

3. Millenials say: “The olds are calling us narcissistic because we don’t worship children or the corporate workplace, two American religions based on the morality of self sacrifice. We also are extremely well versed in social bullshit and prize self-awareness. We play with that and it looks like narcissism. It’d be more accurate to call us the Theater Generation.”

4. Millenials say: “At any rate, what looks vapid to the outside eyes is really just the self-promotion we HAVE to do in order to get jobs and keep them. What looks like Special Snowflake Syndrome to the outside eyes is really just how we’re trying to stick out in a terrible job market. What looks like laziness and lack of commitment (all those stats about how we are not marrying and not having kids) is the huge economic insecurity we’re all living with.”

5. At a time when our society is in total tilt, the emergence of a paradigm shift centered around joyfulness is a phenomenon that we should be paying serious attention to. This isn’t just a hippie ideology reincarnated in millennial “entitlement.” Joy is an economic force that makes sense. Innovative companies are expanding their definition of profit and are making tangible investments and partnering with groups such as the Kantian Advisors, a consulting firm established by millennial co-founders Alexandra Douwes and Nellie Morris to help integrate purpose in their work because all signs suggest that purpose is the future (source: here)

6. Millennials are sometimes referred to as the Peter Pan Generation, because of the members’ perceived penchant for delaying some rites of passage into adulthood, longer periods than most generations before them. These labels were also a reference to a trend toward members living with their parents for longer periods than previous generations. Many Millennials are delaying the transition from childhood to adulthood as a response to mistakes made by their parents. “In prior generations, you get married and you start a career and you do that immediately. What young people today are seeing is that approach has led to divorces, to people unhappy with their careers … The majority want to get married […] they just want to do it right the first time, the same thing with their careers.

7. Generation MeMeMe has led a trend towards irreligion that has been growing since the 1990s. It also found that a third do not believe in any god and that 41% thought religion causes a lot of evil in the world.

8. Since millenials do not respect authority, they are not outraged by it. That is why they are the first non-riotin teenagers. «MTV has always been a territory free from the parents, -says the president of MTV Stephen Friedman, which now includes parents in almost each of his shows. – One of our studies showed that today’s youth delegate its superego to parents. Even when it comes to the simplest decision – our audience seeks advice from mom and dad. ”

9. Millenials use their communication advantage to knock out the best conditions for themselves to work with traditional institutions. Harry Stiteler, who is recruiting since 15 years into the U.S. Army sincerely admires millenials:
“When I first started watching recruits, it was a generation that had to be constantly told what to do. But a new generation understands everything else before you opened your mouth. They are three or four steps ahead. They come in and say “I will do this, and then I’ll do that, but then I want to do also this and that “.

10. Millenials are persistent and optimistic.  They are  thinkers, rather than dreamers, they are Life hackers. They have no leaders, and that’s why Tahrir Square and Occupy Wall Street had even less chance for success than any of  previous revolutions. However they can be dangerous to the establishment because they don’t believe in it.

11. Psychologists agree on one thing: millenials are sweet. They are friendly and positive. In the recent decade they changed the emotional content of Internet! Internet has always been  50% positive, 50% negative. But today, the ratio of 90 to 10 in favor of the positive.

By reading all that and corresponding it to my experience with this generation (which i am not part of :)) I came up to two main points:

The Millenials are collective and not interested in power, they are not keen on leaders and politics. That is highly interesting because all previous generations starting from Baby boomers seem to have come to break down the System, to riot, to change the whole world order in a dramatic or even aggressive way. The Millenials seem to be much more peaceful and positive.

After the Warrior-archetype of the Baby Boomers, the Millenials are clearly a Child-Archetype, they are infantile and sweet, seeking the true joy and friendship. They are not such desperate seekers as we have been. Are they born already with the Knowledge of Truth?

Whatever it is, if these are people who will run the world community in 10-20 years then we will most probably live in a happier world!

LOVE
axinia

Yogis are most desirable candidates for jobs July 25, 2012

Meditation makes you more balanced and joyous. People love to be around happy people, and will understandably enjoy your company. An inner magnetism will start to be expressed, and somehow, you may not know why, but you will find almost everyone eager to work with, or for you. 

Interestingly in the job world you become a desirable candidate for any recruiter because of your charisma and dynamism. The reason behind this is that regular meditations increase your energy level and you yourself will start emitting vibrations, or essentially everything positive. People can feel it and they actually love it, even if they do not understand the source of it.

This is what I’ve learned from several recent recruitment experiences: among many candidates people who meditated were selected as the best, although the recruiter or client knew nothing about the yogic background of a job candidate.

People practicing yoga and meditation are more luckily to be selected for a job.

So the new career rule says: MEDITATE and you will be successful!

🙂 axinia

The global changes we have not noticed… October 17, 2011

Over the last 50 years the life on this planet has changed dramatically. I wonder if we can fully realize what has happened to us? Here are some observations on this topic, compared to what we know about the previous history.

• People got used to the idea of change, so used to change, that they are  expecting permanent change.

• Population control: sex has been separated from reproduction, contraception is universally available, Contraceptives are displayed prominently in drug stores, right up with the cigarettes and chewing gum.

• Abortion is no longer a crime.

• Homosexuality is “allowed”.

• Clothing styles became more stimulating and provocative. It is not just the amount of skin that is exposed that makes clothing sexually seductive, but other, more subtle things are often suggestive.

• Families are limited in size, divorce has become more easier and prevalent, the marriage relationship are less stable and, therefore, people are less willing to have babies.

• The old are no longer useful. They become a burden. After you have had enough of it and you’re no longer productive, working, and contributing, then you should be ready to step aside for the next generation.

• Medical care is closely connected to work. If you don’t work or can’t work, you hardly have access to medical care. Everybody is made dependent on insurance and if you don’t have insurance then you pay directly; the cost of your care is enormous.

• Children spend more time in schools, but in many schools they can’t learn much. They learn some things, but not as much as formerly. Better schools in better areas with better people, their kids can learn more.

• Students have to decide at a younger age what they would want to study and get onto their track early. It is harder to change to another field of study once you get started. Studies are concentrated in much greater depth, but narrowed.  People become very specialised in their own area of expertise. But they are not able to get a broad education and not be able to understand what is going on overall.

• Gambling changed from illegal to state monopoly: state lotteries are very popular.

An interesting Mahatma Gandhi saying May 20, 2011

“To see the universal and all-pervading Spirit of Truth face to face one must be able to love the
meanest of creation as oneself. And a man who aspires after that cannot afford to keep out of any
field of life.

That is why my devotion to Truth has drawn me into the field of politics; and I can say
without the slightest hesitation, and yet in all humility, that those who say that religion has nothing
to do with politics do not know what religion means.”

– Mahatma Gandiji, autobiography.

I find it very interesting, especially in connection with my earlier post on Daneel Andreev’s quote about love to evil which is only a highly enlightened soul is able to: “In the distant future even more spiritual possibilities will arise. Even love for demons will become viable and necessary. History has already seen some saints who grew to such a love. ”

LOVE, axinia

Changing Education Paradigms – another brilliant insight on education! January 6, 2011

The video in my previous post was showing severe problems the global society is facing,  and here comes  one of the solutions. I found this animation very well presented and highly insightful.

Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we’re educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.

Why don’t we get the best out of people? Sir Ken Robinson argues that it’s because we’ve been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies — far from being cultivated for their energy and curiosity — are ignored or even stigmatized, with terrible consequences. “We are educating people out of their creativity,” Robinson says. It’s a message with deep resonance. Robinson’s TEDTalk has been distributed widely around the Web since its release in June 2006.

The most popular words framing blog posts on his talk? “Everyone should watch this.”

A visionary cultural leader, Sir Ken led the British government’s 1998 advisory committee on creative and cultural education, a massive inquiry into the significance of creativity in the educational system and the economy, and was knighted in 2003 for his achievements. His latest book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, a deep look at human creativity and education, was published in January 2009.

LOVE, axinia

The decoding of mysterious Russian soul December 30, 2010

I came across an interesting study revealing the part of the Russian soul’s mystery: although looking ever-suffering, in fact Russians are tend to be less depressed than the Westerners. The study gives an explanation why.

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Study co-author Igor Grossmann, a doctoral candidate in psychology at the University of Michigan, said in a university news release, “our study suggests that Russians are actually less likely than Americans to be depressed.”

“Among Westerners, focusing on one’s negative feelings tends to impair well-being, but among Russians, that is not the case,” Grossman stated.

Grossman explained that Americans tend to dwell more on past experiences and negative feelings than Russians do. The Russian people are able to distant themselves much better from these emotions than Americans.

Grossmann and co-author Ethan Kross, a University of Michigan assistant professor of psychology, published their findings in the August issue of Psychological Science.

Grossmann and Kross reported on two studies, funded by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health:

A new approach in self-teaching – the future of schools? December 16, 2010

Some of you may know that pedagogics is one of my favorite spheres of interest, although I don’t blog about it much. I have a dream of opening a private school that would be based on the principles, more relevant to the evolutionary level of the upcoming generations than whatever we have now.

Today I would like to share with you an interesting TED video about a new experimental approach in teaching – helping school children in self-teaching.

I find it very insightful, especially the point of collective learning – something which is missing quite a lot in the modern concepts of education.



LOVE; axinia

The amazing Guru of two religions November 17, 2010

This post is dedicated to the upcoming birthday (21. Nov) of a great Master, Guru Nanak.

 Guru Nanak was born in 1469 in Talwandi, Pakistan and was called a father or what was later called Sikhism. This movement was begun by the Guru Nanak as a challenge to a medieval world dominated by Hindus and Muslims. The Hindus upheld caste law, separating people according to social class. Meanwhile, the Muslims worshipped Allah with little room for tolerance of non-Muslims. Even more important to Nanak than social reform was his belief that his god should be worshiped not through ritual, but through continual prayers to the “True Name.” Nanak believed he could reconcile both Hindus and Muslims to a better path of worshipping the true god who could never be named.

Guru Nanak

By all accounts, 1496 was the year of his enlightenment when he started on his mission. His first statement after his prophetic communion with God was “There is no Hindu, nor any Mussalman.” This is an announcement of supreme significance it declared not only the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God, but also his clear and primary interest not in any metaphysical doctrine but only in man and his fate.

So he began his missionary tours. Apart from conveying his message and rendering help to the weak, he forcefully preached, both by precept and practice, against caste distinctions ritualism, idol worship and the pseudo-religious beliefs that had no spiritual content. He chose to mix with all. He dined and lived with men of the lowest castes and classes Considering the then prevailing cultural practices and traditions, this was something socially and religiously unheard of in those days of rigid Hindu caste system sanctioned by the scriptures and the religiously approved notions of untouchability and pollution.

He spent twenty five years of his life preaching from place to place. Many of his hymns were composed during this period. They represent answers to the major religious and social problems of the day and cogent responses to the situations and incidents that he came across. Some of the hymns convey dialogues with Yogis in the Punjab and elsewhere. He denounced their methods of living and their religious views. During these tours he studied other religious systems like Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Islam. At the same time, he preached the doctrines of his new religion and mission at the places and centres he visited. Since his mystic system almost completely reversed the trends, principles and practices of the then prevailing religions, he criticised and rejected virtually all the old beliefs, rituals and harmful practices existing in the country. This explains the necessity of his long and arduous tours and the variety and profusion of his hymns on all the religious, social, political and theological issues, practices and institutions of his period.

Guru Nanak’s gospel was for all men. He proclaimed their equality in all respects. In his system, the householder’s life became the primary forum of religious activity. Human life was not a burden but a privilege. His was not a concession to the laity. In fact, the normal life became the medium of spiritual training and expression. The entire discipline and institutions of the Gurus can be appreciated only if one understands that, by the very logic of Guru Nanak’s system, the householder’s life became essential for the seeker. The primacy of the householder’s life was maintained. Everyone of the Gurus, excepting Guru Harkishan who died at an early age, was a married person who maintained a family.

Positive Psychology – studying what has gone right, rather than wrong in both individuals and societies October 5, 2010

I was pleased to learn about one interesting recent branch of Psychology, which does just he contrary to the common psychological studies and practices:  Positive psychologists seek “to find and nurture genius and talent”, and “to make normal life more fulfilling”, not simply to treat mental illness. By scientifically studying what has gone right, rather than wrong in both individuals and societies, Positive Psychology hopes to achieve a renaissance of sorts.

The purpose of Positive psychology was summed up in 2000 by Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: “We believe that a psychology of positive human functioning will arise that achieves a scientific understanding and effective interventions to build thriving in individuals, families, and communities.”. Yes, finally somebody got it!

As a born psychologist I of cause see the problems and illnesses of human beings and societies very well. But honestly, it’s getting so boring! Why can’t we all start learning how to enjoy the beauty of life and not to make our lives difficult for ourselves and for others?

According to positive psychologists, for most of its life mainstream psychology (sometimes also referred to as ‘psychology as usual’) has been concerned with the negative aspects of human life. There have been pockets of interest in topics such as creativity, optimism and wisdom, but these have not been united by any grand theory or a broad, overarching framework. This rather negative state of affairs was not the original intention of the first psychologists, but came about through a historical accident. Prior to the Second World War, psychology had three tasks, which were to: cure mental illness, improve normal lives and identify and nurture high talent. However, after the war the last two tasks somehow got lost, leaving the field to concentrate predominantly on the first one. How did that happen? Given that psychology as a science depends heavily on the funding of governmental bodies, it is not hard to guess what happened to the resources after World War II. Understandably, facing a human crisis on such an enormous scale, all available resources were poured into learning about and the treatment of psychological illness and psychopathology.

This is how psychology as a field learnt to operate within a disease model. This model has proven very useful. Martin Seligman highlights the victories of the disease model, which are, for example, that 14 previously incurable mental illnesses (such as depression, personality disorder, or anxiety attacks) can now be successfully treated. However, the costs of adopting this disease model included the negative view of psychologists as ‘victimologists’ and ‘pathologisers’, the failure to address the improvement of normal lives and the identification and nurturance of high talent. Just to illustrate, if you were to say to your friends that you were going to see a psychologist, what is the most likely response that you would get? ‘What’s wrong with you?’. How likely are you to hear something along the lines of: ‘Great! Are you planning to concentrate on self-improvement?’.

All we need is… a grandmother revolution! September 21, 2010

For those who have seen the film “Patch Adams”, starring Robin Williams, the interview below would be an added value to this amazing film. And the value of the film itself is high indeed, especially because it’s based on a real-life story.

Today I came across one interview with the film protagonist. The real person turned out to be even more fascinating than the film character (often it’s just vice versa).

Hunter Doherty “Patch” Adams, M.D. (born May 28, 1945 in Washington, D.C.) is an American physician, social activist, citizen diplomat and author. He founded the Gesundheit! Institute in 1971. Each year he organizes a group of volunteers from around the world to travel to various countries where they dress as clowns in an effort to bring humor to orphans, patients, and other people. Adams is currently based in Arlington, Virginia. In collaboration with the institute, he promotes a different health care model (i.e. one not funded by insurance policies).

In his interview to one Italian financial newspaper Patch Adams gives a genius in its simplicity answer of how to change the world to a place, full of love and compassion:

and enjoy the second part, that’s brilliant!