Millennials are the following generation, mainly boomers but also Jones’[1] sons and daughters. We have to go back a little bit to their youth in order to understand cultural influences on Millennials’ personalities[2]. The atmosphere was disruptive, hopeful and socially engaged. By that time, “free love” meant respect to sexual orientation diversity (especially gays’ rights). In that context, Psychoanalysis had the strongest theory to understand personality and was, by the way, psychiatry most important reference until the urge of pharmacology and images’ scan. Altogether, as a theoretical model to understand what’s become known as mental disorders (unknown causes’ disorders) has fitted like a glove once their causes would always be, in the end, sexual repression issues.
Well, it is expected that a generation that has fought for civil rights and sexual freedom raise their kids in a freer and more permissive way. Generation X is more focused on career and social mobility -they are called workaholic[3]-but have assimilated psychosocial changes. It means that they are essentially liberals regarding behaviors. And what aboutBoomers and X as parents? They have certainly founded new moral guidelines, which are expressed in the way they raise their kids. And what are the consequences of these changes to the following generation? Millennials[4] are considered narcissistic and lazy. This generation experiences the first effects of technological revolution and is still more focused and worried about status: fame, money, image. They are also considered spoiled as they can’t handle pressure (competition). It’s the urge of burn-outs, depression, anxieties.They are also more self-indulgent[5] and, on the other hand, they are the result of such deep social changes in subjectivity. They are genuinely open-minded regarding sexual freedom and diversity in ways of life. In psychological terms, this generation expresses the
[1] Generation born between 1954 and 65 give it or take [2] Once our goal is to understand cultural influences on subjectivity changes, it is worth mentioning that most of this sociological literature is north American. Although it is possible to infer common characteristics among Western Societies during the specified time, there are differences between European cultures, between European and north American ones, between north and south American ones and specially between Western and Easter (Asian) cultures, at least until de end of 20th century. Yet, regarding this topic, we believe Brazilian and north American culture are quite akin. [3] www.livescience.com [4] Term used to refer to generation born from 80’s. They are also known as generation Y because they follow generation X . They are called Millennials because they would be the youth generation in beginning of the new millennial. [5] Millennials- generation me. Wikipedia-Free Encyclopedia.
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