Millennial sensitivity
Earlier generation criticizes the millennial for being too sensitive to various issues. But it is worth noting that the millennials have experienced significant changes mainly on the technological basis, and they thus have to change and adapt to the situation. Going through the readings, I think that the past generations are just labeling the millennials as too sensitive. People from past generations are not in a position to understand the current changes in the world in a better way, like millennials. Every generation experiences specific changes, be it industrialization in the times of Henry Ford, the emergence of TV and radio, the internet, among others. Therefore it is due to such changes that a particular generation has to adapt in a better way than the previous generation. Though past generations consider the millennial as soft since they have not experienced hardships, it is worth noting that technological advancement does not only bring good things. It is due to technological advancement that cyberbullying came to existence, posing a hardship to the millennials. Therefore I feel that the millennials are just improving by overcoming the mistakes of the past generation. Still, at the same time, they are faced with challenges that maybe will be overcome by the next generation.
I find it surprising that the past generation considers the millennial as too sensitive due to their empathy. On the contrary, I expect the previous generations to appreciate this shift where everybody gets accepted in the community despite different views, religions, races, among other factors. During Jim Crow’s reign, many acts of discrimination against people of color got experienced due to a lack of empathy. But the millennials are learning to overcome the prejudice through empathetic means, and thus they should not be labeled as too sensitive. I believe the past generation would have behaved the same way as the millennial if they had the current technological advancement allowing for the fast flow of information at their time.
I can’t entirely agree with the general concept the millennials are soft since they have not undergone through various hardships. I believe that the world is changing, meaning that the difficulties evolve with time. The millennials have difficulty in communication, making it difficult for many to express themselves due to over-dependent on technology. They also experience challenges coping with cyberbullying, hacking, and other difficulties associated with the internet. Therefore the millennials are not soft, but they have just adapted and learned to overcome the hardship experienced by the past generations. Therefore staying behind the screen and expressing personal views does not result in increased sensitivity. But instead, it is a challenge to communication, thus a hardship to the millennials.
Various political events have influenced my reaction to the course material. Trump’s idea of constructing a border wall between the united states and Mexico in a bid to prevent illegal immigrants from the country has affected my reaction. I believe that the world is changing, and some parts of the world are difficult to live due to political, social, or economic factors. But since we are aware of the harsh situation, it is thus reasonable to be empathetic to the immigrants and accord them the respect and required accommodation. Allowing them into the country cannot be considered to be too sensitive since it is a move to tackle the hardship experienced at this time. Ironically, immigrants contribute to the United States’ economic growth by receiving peanut salaries. Still, some label them as job “snatchers,” even though many Americans would not take the menial jobs and wages. Also, after the September 2011 attack islamophobia has increased in the country, making it unfavorable for many Muslims. But we ought to understand the Muslims and accept them in the community without labeling them as terrorists. It is due to such labels that the millennials are considered too sensitive without considering the events that have specific reactions to certain scenarios.