“What’s wrong with Millennials?” was a recent YouTube video from Teal Swan, one of a constellation of contemporary creatives that I pay attention to, to inform me of current happenings. The three women, pictured above, happen to be Millennials on the backside of thirty. They are part of a small group of very smart people (mostly) on Youtube that I spend a good deal of time listening to. I’ve spoken of the why (here) before.
Swan’s explantion
is, I think, right on the money. The subtitle is: “Generation Y Explained”. Yet I do (of course) have some disagreements regarding her belief that Gen Y is a “game changer”.
Teal begins with the assertion that: “They have come [to be here] to collapse one way of doing things and to build a new way. They have come to restore humanity’s free will.” I believe that free will is an illusion (though necessary). Setting that aside, Swan’s argument basically aligns with Ken Wilber’s “Boomeritis”, laid out in his novel of the same name. You can read my review here. The subtitle of Boomeritis is: A Novel That Will Set You Free.
Coincidently? Swan’s “stage” name, Teal, corresponds to Wilber’s second tier consciousness stage. Wilber color-codes the “evolution” of consciousness. And teal/aqua/turquoise is where he fancies himself and other “integral” beings.
That said, I am very fond of Swan and her YouTube creations. She delivers, as she says, the “hard truth”. She excoriates Boomers for bad parenting, divorce, lying, and generally neglecting their children’s basic needs, as well as turning them into “slaves” for their own dreams and gratification (or wealth generation and materialism.) Teal validates much of what Dan Levine lays out in his essay “We Are A Lost Generation”. You can read it here. Levine, a Millennial, answers the question, “Why are you so angry?”
Morton’s Meltdown
can be viewed here. I love Kati, her mental health videos are like comfort food to me. But she is a good example of just how wrong the Boomers did their offspring, in preparing them for the real world. Her meltdown video, which she titles “I’m Still Processing It…”, is her honest reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent social lockdown. In it she discloses just how angry she is, and sad. (She cries on camera. Which used to be only in movies.) “I feel overwhelmed with grief,” she says – for the life she’s had to surrender.
It is sad. (And maybe a terrible mistake?)
Ball Is Ballin’
still, for Bernie Sanders and her progressive values. As I’ve mentioned before, Krystal and I share a birthday. She, like me, is very spirited, and argumentative. Krystal’s not giving in – to sadness and grief. She still thinks Bernie has a chance because she is “disgusted” by the behavior and tactics of the conventional Democrats. Krystal, also like I, is loyal. Ball, however, is a victim, too, of Boomeritis; but won’t whimper, or cry (at least not on camera.)
What is Wrong With Millennials?
Well, Teal is right. So is Morton and Ball, and Levine and Wilber, too. We, my generation, fucked things up. I’m sorry.
There is nothing wrong with Millennials. They are just people doing what people do – reacting to the environment they encounter as best they can. Because they are trying to get by, survive.
Are Millennials victims? Some are, and some aren’t. Same as it’s always been. There are winners and losers – same as it’s always been.
Teal Is Right.
“We” lied.
But, so is Krystal, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
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