A glimpse into the future.

January 24, 2012 6:00 PM

Eight Net Generation norms. Some statistical fingerprinting. Digital natives in the workplace. Changing faith. Socialism loses its stigma. Adapting in the wake of the Great Recession.
posted by I've wasted my life (24 comments total)

The first article reads like an expansion of a cover letter.
posted by parmanparman at 6:10 PM on January 24 [3 favorites]

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Then set up a booth in front of your house, and sell it for 5¢ a glass. You'll be on your way in no time, boyo!
posted by crunchland at 6:13 PM on January 24

Just what the world needs: more unproven, handwavey generalisations about people. I love how these things always essentially boil down to: "Young People: They don't want shit jobs".

Or more specifically: "They are still naive enough to believe in a meritocracies, and doing meaningful work."

Generationism: Phrenology of the corporate world.
posted by smoke at 6:25 PM on January 24 [7 favorites]

For one thing, I'm really sick of this "Millennials want to be on Facebook at work! They're so wacky and demanding!" It's painting a lot of adults with a very broad brush; and if that wasn't bad enough, it's a whole generation who are not exactly getting a fair shake at starting out in life. Insult to injury. Pay me a fair wage and give me enough work to do and i won't have to be on Facebook. Not only that but I see workers of all ages on Facebook all day long. Ridiculous.

Gen Y is clearly attached to their electronics. Nearly half said they would rather lose their wallet or purse than their smartphone or mobile device.
This is really unfair. First of all, how many respondents of other generations would rather lose their wallet? Presumably smartphones cost the same large amount of money for everyone. And replacement credit cards are still free for everyone else. It just makes economic sense, and we have to get sneered at for it? Why?
posted by bleep at 6:26 PM on January 24 [7 favorites]

yeah, a lot of these things in the first article are about *everyone* now a days.

The last article, about changing definitions of success, really hit me. "Oh, other people think that too?" I guess it makes sense.
posted by rebent at 6:29 PM on January 24

The leaving generation: Raised during the 50s, remembers radio programming, bonded with each other over television and professional sports.

The entering generation: Raised during the 90s and the Naughts, many of them have logged onto 4chan and Something Awful, bonded with each other video games.

I look forward to the world becoming a lot more awesome in the next couple of decades.
posted by JHarris at 6:46 PM on January 24 [4 favorites]

49 percent of Obama's biggest fans—Millennials age 18 to 29—view socialism in a favorable light, compared to 43 percent who view it unfavorably.

I was just looking at the Socialist Party (which I just noticed there are actually at least 4 of in the US) vs the Greens this morning for my vote this year. I'm glad I'll be one of those cool old guys whose hip to this youngster thing rather than a fuddy duddy.
posted by DU at 6:49 PM on January 24 [1 favorite]

old guy whose hip...breaks vs old guy who's hip.
posted by DU at 6:51 PM on January 24

Oh, Forbes, why do you do this:

–one that’s expected to run out in 2037,

Social Security Trust Fund via Alternet
posted by the man of twists and turns at 6:52 PM on January 24 [5 favorites]

Today, youth collaborate on Facebook...

Collaborate is a funny word. Some will expect it to mean that these youth work jointly to produce or create something, especially for the sake of economic gain.
posted by StickyCarpet at 6:58 PM on January 24

the man of twists and turns: "Oh, Forbes, why do you do this:..."

Because... They're FORBES.
posted by symbioid at 7:25 PM on January 24

But who are these digital natives? And what makes them different from those of us Boomers and older?

They want you to stop pretending they are a different fucking species, genius.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:28 PM on January 24

Ugh. My last comment was supposed to be directed at the titled of the first article: Who are the digital natives? And what do they want?

Who's the genius now? Someone else, that's who.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:33 PM on January 24

@jharris

I look forward to the world becoming a lot more awesome in the next couple of decades.

why
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 7:45 PM on January 24 [1 favorite]

It's not just about accessing the full web at work. I don't want to work at a company that hires people they don't even trust regarding Facebook. Seriously. I have a feeling that it's going to take more than a web filter to make that person someone you'd want to work with.

Also, I would hereby like to create a generational name for those of us born in '79, '80, and '81, who are routinely left out of either Gen X, or the Millenials. We are now called the Baseball Furies. I hope that's cool with everyone.
posted by evidenceofabsence at 8:31 PM on January 24 [5 favorites]

Socialism means taking care of everyone, not just the rich.

I'm not holding my breath on this one.

I've been hip forever, if that's the case.

Now get off my lawn unless you need something.
posted by BlueHorse at 8:34 PM on January 24

We are now called the Baseball Furies. I hope that's cool with everyone.

Awwwwww.....but I don't like baseball. Can't we be the 'Super Ninjas'?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 8:35 PM on January 24

Why am I now called a Baseball Fury?
posted by nat at 8:39 PM on January 24

I'm just on the border of the Baseball Furies, but I feel more connection to that generation than the one I'm assigned purely by birth year.
posted by eruonna at 10:38 PM on January 24 [1 favorite]

Fucking boomers. The older they get the more insufferable they become.
posted by seanyboy at 2:25 AM on January 25

I dunno. Some of the most aggressive, fire-breathing Libertarians I know are devs and web guys who fall squarely into this so-called "net generation". I don't think they can so much as think the word "socialism" without spitting.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:29 AM on January 25

I don't think the word "socialism" would be nearly so popular if Republicans hadn't spent the past few years screaming bloody murder about it. The GOP railing against something is a pretty good way to get a lot of people to support it.
posted by General Tonic at 7:35 AM on January 25

Well, and especially what with the watered-down meaning of the word that they're railing against. If you're gonna tell the kids that shit like the National Park Service is socialist, hell yeah they're gonna be okay with "socialism."
posted by nebulawindphone at 8:12 AM on January 25 [1 favorite]

those of us born in '79, '80, and '81, who are routinely left out of either Gen X, or the Millenials

Don't fall into the pre-79-is-Gen-X thing! I'm a 77 kid, we were not considered "Gen X" until recently, for reasons I don't really understand. Actually a lot of definitions now include people born in 1981 and 1982. I was in the 9th grade when Slacker came out. That was about Gen X kids in college, kids with identifiable characteristics and stereotypes about them that had been around long enough for someone to have made a movie about it. Gen X was those older kids. We were Gen Y! The generation that was gonna be all about computers and virtual reality and stuff! But then that changed for some reason, I think because everyone got into computers and lost their jobs, and subsequently our "Y" which was given to kids that had let to obtain and lose their jobs in computers.
posted by Hoopo at 9:11 AM on January 25