The Myth of the Milennial as Cultural Rebel

[marvin100]

https://newrepublic.com/article/136415/myth-millennial-cultural-rebel

Which explanation seems more likely? Do we use Zipcar because we are ideologically committed to sharing, or because car ownership is still out of reach for a lot of people and renting piecemeal is the next best thing? Does a married couple decide to live with roommates because of our generational “openness to communal living” or because people in New York face impossible rents? Do people stop using napkins because of unshakeable cultural convictions, or because they’re a waste of money? If the new generation were really waging war on their forebears’ way of life, I doubt they’d start with the disposable table settings.

[halcyonheather]

Why can’t cultural changes have economic causes? Don’t they usually?

[Pizzagirl]

Interesting hypothesis. People curate a lot more of their lives on Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest but it may also be just gravitating to pictures bc picture taking is now (essentially) free unlike in our day where cameras, film, developing were costly and inexpensive. So maybe the selfie trend is just because it’s free entertainment and documentation. One might make the same argument with “always on their phones” - well, I have a world of entertainment on my phone that is essentially free as well. Will have to think about this more - interesting premise.

[whenhen]

I just wish the author pointed out how absurd it is to try to generalize the personalities and outlooks of every American born over a 20 great span. When a 19 year old can give birth to someone and both people are considered to be in the same generation, the definition of a generation needs to be changed.