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Millennial Explains Why It’s Hard For Millennials To Wrap Their Head Around Their Own Age

Millennial Explains Why It’s Hard For Millennials To Wrap Their Head Around Their Own Age

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Every generation has its challenges and struggles, whether cultural, political, or psycho-social. Yet millennials, of all generations, seem to get most of the spotlight, not just in joke form, but also on a serious note through debates and discussions.

And this should not come as a surprise—not too long ago, an influencer called this a very unique generation that’s sandwiched between two others, serving as an interesting bridge between them, a best of both worlds.

Well, despite that, to some it seems that being a millennial is not all that glamorous because of a certain kind of identity crisis and that it’s just too difficult to make sense of what age they have to be—nobody, actually, understands that point.

More Info: Twitter

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Every generation has its struggles, but it’s millennials that find themselves in an interesting one

Image credits: 1Day Review

Meet Dr. Sunny Moraine, a sociologist and author from Washington, DC, who, back in 2018, shared their thoughts on how truly hard it is for millennials to make sense of their own age and in some regards their identity.

This was in response to a comment by Ross Enamait, professional boxing coach and entrepreneur, who said that millennials should stop complaining about how they are getting old and how it’s depressing.

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And this Twitter user points out what the struggle is all about after one person’s comment about ‘complaining millennials’

Image credits: dynamicsymmetry

Moraine said that the benchmarks that millennials grew up with do not really apply to them, leading to feelings of insecurity and confusion. Many end up not marrying or not having kids or not even finishing college at times that are ‘deemed appropriate by society.’

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“Add to that the fact that we literally don’t experience time the way we used to. Time is both stretched and collapsed, especially right now. Years feel like months. Weeks feel like years. The past is smashed into the future which folds into the present,” added Moraine.

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Image credits: dynamicsymmetry

This inevitably leads to a certain kind of identity crisis whereby you don’t even know what it means to be an adult, having grown up, what clothes to wear, etc. It’s not really a mid-life crisis as much as it feels like a “crisis of temporality,” says Moraine.

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The relatively thorough explanation of the issue comes as a plea of understanding to people who view it all as complaining. Dr. Moraine urges people to instead listen to the words behind the words, and be understanding.

Image credits: dynamicsymmetry

Many people online liked this, saying that this is exactly what they wanted to hear being millennials themselves. Others added to the discussion, saying that things like anxiety, depression, stress, racial differences, and many other factors make it even more difficult.

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Another commenter, a boomer with millennial kids, praised the thread, saying that it seems the structural inequalities that produced massive economic disparities also disrupted opportunities: “Reflecting on my path, I was a phlebotomist at 16, a ship’s first mate at 22, a husband at 27, a father at 31, a professor at 33, and managing big projects at 40.”

“It strikes me that it’s way harder now. And I don’t think it’s just because there are too many healthy boomers still working. So I’m not offering a solution but am recognizing your point. Actually I can offer advice. I’ve spent decades being indispensable. I do feel it’s my job now to make myself dispensable. Not because I am slowing down, but because people junior to me need to be able to speed up,” said Peter Griffith.

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Image credits: dynamicsymmetry

You can read through the thread and people’s replies here. But before you go, share your thought with us in the comment section below!

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Robertas Lisickis

Robertas Lisickis

Author, BoredPanda staff

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Some time ago, Robertas used to spend his days watching how deep the imprint in his chair will become as he wrote for Bored Panda. Wrote about pretty much everything under and beyond the sun. Not anymore, though. He's now probably playing Gwent or hosting Dungeons and Dragons adventures for those with an inclination for chaos.

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Robertas Lisickis

Robertas Lisickis

Author, BoredPanda staff

Some time ago, Robertas used to spend his days watching how deep the imprint in his chair will become as he wrote for Bored Panda. Wrote about pretty much everything under and beyond the sun. Not anymore, though. He's now probably playing Gwent or hosting Dungeons and Dragons adventures for those with an inclination for chaos.

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Wilf
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The most comprehensive and succinct explanation of what it feels like to be millennial I have read in quite some time. All I'll add to that, is in the UK, we're also the generation that has been f_cked over by our parents who, when they voted for Brexit, stripped us of many of the rights they enjoyed for 40 years!

Xan A. Du
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The thing is, this doesn't just apply to millennials. I am gen-x. I feel the same way. Most of my circle is exactly what was described here. I'm sure some boomers would read this and think the same thing too.

KandidaG
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gen X here, too, and I thought the same thing while reading this! I'm still waiting to "feel like an adult" and I'm approaching 50.

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denzoren
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm a 33 year old unmarried millennial and I can related to this 100% and it feels just as the way she described it.

Lauren Caswell
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm the same age, I rent, not married but I do have a kid. And I feel like some weird adult impostor. I still like video games and I just don't know how the next few decades will be, coz I don't even really have an identity now. I think a lot of it is the massive health s**t tho I've got a lot of life shortening s**t and I think that just adds to the lost feeling

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Wilf
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The most comprehensive and succinct explanation of what it feels like to be millennial I have read in quite some time. All I'll add to that, is in the UK, we're also the generation that has been f_cked over by our parents who, when they voted for Brexit, stripped us of many of the rights they enjoyed for 40 years!

Xan A. Du
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The thing is, this doesn't just apply to millennials. I am gen-x. I feel the same way. Most of my circle is exactly what was described here. I'm sure some boomers would read this and think the same thing too.

KandidaG
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gen X here, too, and I thought the same thing while reading this! I'm still waiting to "feel like an adult" and I'm approaching 50.

Load More Replies...
denzoren
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm a 33 year old unmarried millennial and I can related to this 100% and it feels just as the way she described it.

Lauren Caswell
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm the same age, I rent, not married but I do have a kid. And I feel like some weird adult impostor. I still like video games and I just don't know how the next few decades will be, coz I don't even really have an identity now. I think a lot of it is the massive health s**t tho I've got a lot of life shortening s**t and I think that just adds to the lost feeling

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