10 characteristics of Generation Me
June 1, 2007 by Gary Schlee
I followed up on a suggestion from a colleague, Lindy Oughtred, who suggested college professors might gain a stronger insight into students by reading Generation Me by Jean M. Twenge. Now, I’m not normally a fan of books that reduce societies and generations to tight, trite stereotypes — and there’s no shortage of that in Twenge’s book — but there are also portrayals gleaned from mounds of academic surveys to help explain some of the differences between baby boomers and those who have followed. Apparently, you’re part of Generation Me if you were born in the 1970s, 80s or 90s. Twenge herself is embraced by the definition.
From my perspective as a boomer, what have I discovered about the cohort who are (and will be) current college students and entry level communications practitioners? Here are ten characteristics:
1. Generation Direct — On the TV teen soap, The O.C., a father chides his son with “Watch your mouth. I was trying to be polite. You might want to give it a try.” The son’s response? “No thanks. I’d rather be honest.” Being open, almost guileless, is preferred; even if others might interpret it as rudeness. It’s about being true to yourself. Or, as the t-shirts proclaim: It’s all about me. This candour has found a ready outlet in online networks like Facebook where every social and sexual burp in life is readily shared with lots of strangers.
2. Generation Self-Esteem — The guilt here lies primarily with the boomers, the folks who enshrined the concept of self-esteem into education and child-raising. Many schools have “specific programs to increase children’s self-esteem, most of which actually build self-importance and narcissism.” Kids need to feel good about themselves. Some educators don’t want to disturb that feeling by actually correcting mistakes in class. Inflated grades and independent spelling are two by-products of the self-esteem movement. When these bump against the reality of quality control at college or on the job, Generation Me is genuinely surprised — and who can blame them?
3. Generation Entitlement — The cocoon of self-centredness has left young people feeling that they deserve everything right away. Interns expect positions where they’ll be given plenty of responsibility from the beginning. Earlier this week, a PR agency VP told me about her surprise at the lofty short-term ambitions of some of her staff. It’s tough to manage expectations of employees who have never encountered the quaint concept of ‘paying your dues’.
4. Generation Thin-Skin — Generation Me doesn’t respond well to criticism. In many cases, it has never been part of their upbringing. They feel they can’t do wrong. So, when the boss rips into them about a half-effort on the job, they’re devastated. In the past, most people have complimented them on their efforts — no matter how shoddy or lazy those efforts might actually be. (You would think watching Donald Trump and Simon Cowell on reality TV would have prepared them!)
5. Generation Dream-the-Impossible-Dream — “You can be whatever you want to be.” “Never give up on your dream.” “Nothing is impossible.” Coupled with the concept of entitlement, this can be a potent brew. I see it first-hand in applicants who really want to work in public relations but can’t write. No one ever drew the problem to their attention, so they never made much effort to work on it or strengthen it Once again, everything was fine until pesky reality intervened.
6. Generation Get-an-Education — There’s more pressure than ever to get a good education. A degree is no guarantee to a career. In fact, that’s why there are so many graduate certificate programs in community colleges. But it’s often still not enough. Generation Me may have learned they can be whatever they want to be, but just what is that exactly? Many agonize over finding the right profession. It’s an agony that prevents them from finding any profession. Of course, there’s always another academic credential and another extended stay at home.
7. Generation Don’t-Want-To-Be-Bored — Skills help prepare students for the workplace. But what prepares them emotionally? The cult of self-esteem, plus the prevalence of film & TV characters (and the actors themselves!) in exciting jobs, sets Generation Me up for a fall. Job descriptions and salary expectations often can’t match the inspired expectations that have been cultivated.
8. Generation It’s-Not-My-Fault — This starts early when GenMe kids discover how often their shortcomings in school are blamed on their teachers. It’s always external forces at work. And so, the victim mentality is nurtured.
9. Generation Tough-to-Make-a-Living — Yes, the GenMe has high expectations, but some of it is justified. Economically, it’s much harder today to get a career started. Whopping student debts, whopping house prices and whopping child care fees have created hurdles the boomers generally didn’t face. My first house cost two-and-half times my annual salary. How many entry-level practitioners can pull that off today? The pricetag on my first car was 40 per cent of my salary. Again, not so easily done today. We boomers have a tendency to set our own historical measuring sticks up against today’s reality.
10. Generation Can’t-Change-a-Thing — Here’s where the It’s-All-About-Me-I-Can-Do-Anything syndrome encounters a dichotomy. For all the self-confidence, there is also a cynicism that most things are beyond their control. So, why bother. Why bother to work hard at finding a job; it just comes down to being in the right place at the right time. Why bother to work hard for a promotion; it’s who you know, not what you know. Why bother to vote; my single ballot will influence nothing.
This list isn’t meant to bemoan the sad state of today’s young people. It’s an effort to explain why some things might be the way they are. And it’s important to remember that it’s the boomer bunch that set a lot of it in motion. Hey, wait a minute. It’s not my fault! Don’t start taking shots at my self-esteem! It’s tough enough juggling everything these days! And, anyways, there’s nothing I can do to change the Generation Me personality!
15 Responses to “10 characteristics of Generation Me”
This is excellent, Gary. I believe it is, to a great degree, the Boomer generation’s attempt to “get parenting right” as a response to the upbringing we received from “The Greatest Generation” view of the world.
Yes, books like this may reinforce stereotypes. But, I think they are useful to understand possible cultural aspects of the generation and – I hope – find a way to reach them with a bit of reality. GenMe really needs that before they step out the door into workplace reality. They need it just like we did, years ago.
Hi Gary,
I just came across ‘A Class Act’. You will recall we met at a Third Tuesday event a few weeks ago. (I am an SVP at Hill & Knowlton.) I have subscribed to your blog and look forward to keeping up on your ideas.
Cheers,
Hey Gary,
Sounds like an interesting read – I’ll have to check it out. I have more thoughts on this than a comment should bear, but what I feel fuels our collective cynicism could be found in:
- The part-time, contract employment of an educated young person in the field of custodial geriatric care for millionaires.
- The total breakdown of any and all real meritocracy in the form of mass intracorporate diffusion, not to mention the leader of the free world.
- The complete devaluation of creative content through its brazen, common theft via the internet.
- Terrorism, and its total redefinition of power and influence through brutal displays of how the weak can prey upon the strong, and the resulting suggestion of absolute instability.
- Chobi Liang and her reckless, empty decadence. The cost of the shoes alone could irrigate Africa.
This book states that our attitude is one that we are powerless, and that nothing can be changed – does it refute that contention? That’s the book I’d really like to read.
Oh, and please add me to your blogroll! You’ll see that my name links to my site now – I’m trying to swing it as a ‘living resume’ of sorts.
No doubt about it, Robert. Our reality check entering the workplace was probably as out of synch in our day as it is for current grads.
Great to hear from you, Boyd. In addition to your blogs, I’ve listened to a few episodes of your Connected Conversation podcast. Your chat with Kadi Kaljuste (say hi to her for me) about The Death of Shame adds more fodder to the Generation Me profile.
No, Will, the book doesn’t refute your powerlessness, just merely acknowledges it. But you still have your wit and eccentric take on life. Don’t let Generation Me take that away from you. Oh, and consider yourself blogrolled.
Okay, given your most recent post I’m not going to bother with a link here, but I wrote a post last May about a recruitment seminar I attended for UGA, and one of the things I learned then was that some of the Gen-Y attitude stems from insecurity– and one of my students at the time agreed. Did the book address this issue?
While the book doesn’t directly deal with insecurity as a source, it does devote an entire chapter to anxiety, depression and loneliness. If my list had extended to 11 points, I probably would have included Generation Stressed. You might want to get Twenge’s thoughts about the insecurity syndrome by commenting on her blog that’s parked on her Generation Me page at Amazon.com. I think you need to have purchased Amazon loot to be able to leave a comment.
Thanks for the reference in your Week’s Best section, and for the heads-up about your Generation Y posting last year.
Thanks all around.
Excellent summary, Gary. Glad you and colleague Lindy Oughred brought this book to our attention. I recall, as a 20-something Journalism student ,being interviewed for a Toronto Star internship. This was the first time the Star had stooped-so-low as to consider a community college student for an internship position! I was so full of hope and confidence. Put my meagre portfolio together. Borrowed a bunch of business-looking clothes for the interview—including a ridulous looking fur hat from my landlady–and arrived at the interview in good time. The editor let me know, from the outset, that community college students really weren’t what they had in mind…however, he chatted with me, gave my work samples a cursory, then hit on me! No internship but an offer to “have lunch with him anytime.” Yuck. Same old. Same old for our GenMe studeents today.
Interesting post Gary. I’ve been meaning to comment on this for a while.
I think Twenge’s Generation Me is to Foot’s Boom Bust and Echo is to Coupland’s Generation X. They are good signposts to their times.
While the cultural references and ideas in the book overlap sometimes, each newer book seems to be more articulate at what it is that drives us as a culture. What is very clear is the way in which they delineate the us vs. them. The now vs. how things are done in the past. (Never mind the fact that the oldest book in that sequence in terms of original publishing date happens to be fiction and in the postmodern genre.)
Personally, I think GenMe should be seen as a phenomenon of its time. Meaning now.
My take is this shift toward a me-centric-ness is likely here to stay. Or it would likely in the decades to come transmute into something else that turns into another cutting edge commentary / bestseller. That is not to say we should batten down the hatches and hope for better weather.
The book is a great read because it gives hope. So I think. Hope springs eternal; I see the book as a catalyst. I suspect people who get the GenMe phenomenon would be those who have context, a signposts to the now, metaphorically speaking. As opposed to GenMe more bewildering content. I think people who get both the context and the content are likely to be those who can thrive and better survive the changing world. If that makes sense at all…
Anyway, thanks for pointing the book out.
I love your article. I have put a link to this article on my recent blog about GenME. If this is a problem, please let me know.
Thanks for the link, Ashley. I enjoyed reading your perspective from the GenME inside.
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