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Ryan Paugh graduated from Penn State in 2006 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business. After working in corporate communications, freelance writing and reporting, he co-founded 
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New here? Employee Evolution is dedicated to helping the Millennial generation answer the hard-hitting questions that come with the biggest transition of our lives. Be sure to visit our about section for the full story. Since you're here, check out our best articles in the archives. We've also put together a list of some Millennial-friendly employers on our jobs page. Any questions? Feel free to contact us.
I’m terrible at being environmentally conscious. I use paper plates because sometimes I’m too lazy to wash dishes. I drive my car (a lot). And you could build some kind of cool castle structure with all of the non-reusable coffee cups I go through. All and all, I’m a bad environmentalist for a millennial.
But before you lock me up and throw away the key, I want you to know that I’m trying. I’d like to be more socially conscious than I am. And I’m hoping that by acknowledging the fact that I’m not, it’ll mean positive steps moving forward.
Generation Y and activism have been braided together for some time. And while it makes me proud to say that this generation has what it takes to make improvements in the world. I wonder if we’re kind of jumping the gun.
I mean, what have we done so far? I’m sure there are plenty of others out there just like me who don’t do enough. And maybe, unlike me, they’re still in denial.
Here are three reasons we may not be all we could be (yet):
We’re too conservative
There’s no doubt that we’re less radical than the Boomers of the 60’s and 70’s. We don’t even protest. And sure, we can band together on the web to support a cause, but what tangible goal do we accomplish?
Gen Y is an internet culture. We go to freerice.com and think we’re really making a difference.
Real change requires not only ambition, but a little bit of impetuousness. And while nobody will argue that Gen Y isn’t ambitious, I don’t see that many of us willing to put their ass on the line for a cause they believe in.
If we want to make a difference in the world we’re going to have to use the same attitude we have about getting what we want in our careers. But do we care enough about something other than ourselves to make it happen?
We’re way too trendy
We don’t just hop through jobs. We hop through everything. So when it comes to supporting a cause it’s here today, gone tomorrow.
I worry about this because making a significant change in our society takes the one thing we don’t have right now – patience. If we want to make a difference we have to be steadfast. Don’t treat it like your job. If you’re bored, you can’t just get another world-changing cause. That’s not how this works. You’ll never make progress like that. World-changing takes lots of time.
College students behave like this all the time. And who can blame them? With all of the choices among activist groups to join on campus, it’s like a free-for-all to get involved. But when a bunch of young people jet around from activity to activity, what are they really accomplishing?
It’s been really easy for us
While the environment is one of the top concerns of my generation, there is no real authority figure within our ranks on the topic.
The closest thing we have is Al Gore, who stops by the MTV Music Video Awards to plug The Inconvenient Truth. And while it’s nice to have a Boomer, ex-Vice President who’s trying to reach the next generation of leaders, it’s not earning any points for Gen-Y leadership.
The real movement leaders for most of today’s environmental and social initiatives are Generation X and the Baby Boomers. But they’re marketing to Generation Y. So while many of us are getting involved, nobody has stepped up and led. And that makes me wonder when somebody finally will.
I’m very optimistic about my generation. But I’m also wary that we’ll ever show some results. I can’t even commit to recycling.
Statistics show that Gen Y cares about a lot of things. But until we actually commit to doing something and stick with it, we’re doing nothing.
Popularity: 5%
Ryan, if being environmentally conscious doesn’t come “naturally” for you, it’s obviously not something you’re really passionate about. You may think it’s important. So do I. But it’s not something that keeps you up at night, and that’s okay. (This is where I expect those who are passionate about it to crucify me, but hear me out.)
There are lots of important causes in the world, and if we all focused on making a difference for one cause, all the others wouldn’t get the attention they deserve.
We all have certain things that we’re really passionate about, and those are the causes where each of us is individually able to make a difference. There are a few causes that I’m very passionate about. They’re not the usuals like environmentalism, but I know they’re important and I’m willing to do what it takes to make a difference. In fact, I’m working to make a career out of it.
I don’t really recycle right now either, probably because I’d have to go out of my way to do it, and I’m too busy being passionate about other things. But while I’m making a difference in my areas of passion, the environmentalists will be busy in theirs, and if they’re successful, they’ll make recycling easier for the rest of us and more of us will do it.
Of any generation, ours is the most willing to embrace diversity - and that means more than just ethnicity. It’s totally okay that we have different passions. In the end they’ll all work together for the greater good.
Hi Jacqui: I’m glad you’re active in a few causes and making a difference. That’s what gives me optimism, the fact that many of us have something we’re passionate about changing, so we get involved and do our best to change it. Great.
What I am more concerned with is Gen Y banding together to start a movement. I don’t see anything big happening yet. And that’s where big changes that generations are remembered for get their merit. Also, I want to see more Gen-Y leaders in these movements. Until that happens, why are we being called big environmentalists? What are we doing besides saying we care?
Don’t get me wrong, I see a lot of good things. But it’s nothing new. I’m ready to be blown away.
Wow. I love this article. I’m not sure when I started following this blog–mid last year sometime I guess–but sometimes I swear I can actually hear the two Ryans’ perspectives broadening as the months go by. It gives me hope. Maybe GenY is more self-aware and less blindly idealistic than other generations give them credit for.
Ryan, this kind of article may ruffle some Millennial feathers, but from my skewed little GenX perspective, I think you’re hitting the nail squarely on the head.
The real power of social networking isn’t all the blah-blah-blah back and forthing in which we all take such joy. Communication and exchanging ideas are valuable, to be sure, but only as a means to a separate end. The real power comes from somebody taking something they discovered or decided and actually applying it in the real world to the betterment of themselves, their community, their society, and/or the world. But that’s where most folks–guilty as charged, by the way; it’s certainly not just GenY–stop short. We babble and we counterpoint and we argue with each other until we agree (or agree to disagree), but what next? All too often: nothing. We just sit back and wait for the next discussion to start.
I’m not so sure, Ryan. Other generations are known for banding together in a movement, but really, what precentage of those generations? My guess is probably not much. I know my parents never marched on Washington, or even attended protests on college campuses.
Why do we have to make a legacy the way they did? I’m not sure I want to be known as just the environmentalist generation. I’d rather be known as the generation that made changes in a broader sense. Why do we all need to conform to the same cause? Can’t we make a bigger difference in the world with a multi-frontal attack?
I’m plenty content not being part of a movement.
Sean: Thank you. I know you’ve been with us on our blogging journey since pretty much the beginning so it’s nice to hear from a valued reader how much I’m evolving.
I expected to ruffle some feathers here, especially amongst my generation. But I think it’s important to remember that just because we’re being called something, it doesn’t mean we’re there yet.
I hope we don’t turn into a generation of head-nodders — saying we care, but doing little about it. But I still have faith. Time will tell.
Jacqui: There are some big problems in our world today and to fix them we all need to get on board. It’s great that we’re looking at the broader picture, trying to diversify how we give back to our planet and fellow man, but if we want to fix the big issues — the ones we talk about every day — we need to band together. Don’t think of it as conforming, think of it as uniting.
Does that make sense?
Hi Ryan, I see your concern with Gen Y. There is a lot of discussion recently comparing Gen Y and Baby Boomers with regards to social change and how it should be done, since both are considered idealistic generations. But, is the Baby Boomer model of social change the only way to do it? I don’t think we need to be worried about Gen Y just yet. We are definitely quiet, but, as Jacqui mentioned above, I think one thing that Gen Ys are doing is trying to create lives that revolve around our passions. What that will look like in the future as a group I don’t really know, but I don’t think that our generation’s mark on society needs to look exactly like previous generations.
Amanda: You’re absolutely right. And to be honest, I don’t think I would want Gen Y to do things exactly like the Boomers did.
I also think it’s great that our generation is finding ways to combine their passions with community service. More power to us! But I believe that we also need to unite on the issues that don’t revolve around our passions.
It’s not always about us. Right?
Ryan, I see where you’re coming from, but like I said, I think you have a misperception that any of these past generations all banded together. Look back in history and you’ll see that most revolutions were fueled by relatively small groups of highly passionate people.
I don’t know any successful revolutions fueled by large groups of people who sort of care.
I understand the idea of uniting, but if I’m not passionate about it, what help am I? Uniting is only powerful if everyone agrees on a common purpose.
And why should anyone else have the right to tell me what should be important to me?
I stand by my theory. You fight your revolutions, I’ll fight mine, and we’ll all be better off.
Good points Ryan,
One of the reasons it seems Generation Y isn’t having the impact we’re supposed to is exactly the opposite of something you said above.
We’re extremely patient. Millennials may seem impatient, because we get out and make changes in our lives, and switch jobs, and don’t wait for things to come to us. But being proactive does not make us impatient. I think Millennials from all walks of life have an understanding about social change. You say that there are no leaders, nobody standing up and taking charge. I say that the social change we herald is a movement away from overt leadership of this variety. You feel guilt that you aren’t as environmentally conscious as you think you should be. You recognize a need to do better, and you don’t know that you will succeed. This doubt is not impatience, it is awareness and reality.
People are always saying that Millennials aren’t as radical as the boomers, that we’re conservative. In a lot of ways we are. But in our own way, we are more radical than the boomers. The boomers protested and fought the government and tried to make the world better in huge sweeping revolutionary motions. And very little has changed. You know, and I know, and all of us know that the world does not change in one sweeping motion. That it changes because of a hundred thousand little changes made by individual people.
Truth is, Generation Y is the most socially conscious and balanced generation alive today. We embrace social change and restructuring of outdated cultural morals that don’t serve us anymore. Generation Y is undermining the conservative bastions that support discrimination and inequality across this country. We are embracing ourselves for who we are and what our world has made us into. We are sick of blaming other people and are focused on introducing real social change, and that change is happening at the level that it needs to happen. Small groups of people. Families and social circles across the world are living the changes we want to see.
Can we do more? Always, but don’t mistake slow meaningful activity for lack of activity. Leave that assumption to the true conservatives who try and squash us when they realize that the world is changing around them.
As far as environmentalism goes, the trick is to make it EASIER to be good to the environment than it is to be wasteful. Put a recycling bin right next to your trash can, in EVERY room. Don’t buy products that will encourage you to be wasteful. Spend the money on more real plates and real cups so that you don’t have to do dishes as often. In our house the policy is that every time you use a plate or cup you put it directly in the dishwasher. When it’s full, we run it. This stops us from leaving dishes everywhere and helps us keep things clean and ensures we always have clean dishes. Don’t carry your car-key around with you all the time. Make it a conscious effort to take your car instead of public transit. etc. etc.
but Jacqui - going back to your original comment - “But while I’m making a difference in my areas of passion, the environmentalists will be busy in theirs, and if they’re successful, they’ll make recycling easier for the rest of us and more of us will do it…” how easy does it have to be before you feel like doing something?
I guess my main point is that it shouldn’t take any ‘extra’ energy to plan your lifestyle around being good to the environment. They are your surroundings, and you live and work with them. Having to let someone else focus on the environment as ‘passion’ is letting laziness trump necessity.
While this article is pointing out that Ryan, you don’t feel involved or “up to par” on the environmentalist’s movement, it is also showing a larger problem; the idea that Y-gen’s can only change the world by taking on “world changing” problems is the bigger issue. I know that world has a lot on its plate but if I’m turning off all my lights, not using plastic silverware at work and trying to keep my air conditioner use at minimum this summer, then I’m still making an impact.
People have been trying to get others to care about the environment for over 50 years, since “Silent Spring”, but we’re still not changing, so shouldn’t the approach change? Shouldn’t the idea that to make an impact you have to be huge, stage protests, or fast for your cause, be abandoned? It’s not just with environmentalism; it’s with all social and economic problems that we now face. Our generation should not be the ones to continue the protests and sit-ins. We should be the ones that choose the free-trade coffee or reusable cup, we need to step up and change our habits. We shouldn’t look for ways to place a band-aid over the problem or over our own self pity for not being like generations before.
Ryan, when you try to compare an apple to an orange it’s never going to add up, it’s never going to be the same. We shouldn’t feel bad because we don’t have a Y-gen leader; we don’t need a leader to tell us how to change. You just explained in detail how you could be doing better, so why aren’t you?
There are currently more college graduates now than ever before. We are an educated generation who is trying to change how we live our lives and that will change the world. It’s not like being on a diet, where you just keep trying new ones when you feel like it, it’s like doing a lifestyle change and putting down the brownies or disposable water bottles. So, don’t criticize yourself and others, just do better, you already know how to.
Jacqui: Rallying against Vietnam, the Civil Rights movement, giving women the right to vote: all huge. Not to say that there haven’t been revolutions sparked by small groups, but those were some pretty widespread movements.
With that said, I totally respect your approach. It works for you, and who am I or anyone else to tell you to change? Keep doing what you’re doing. And I’ll be pleasantly surprised if your theory is correct.
Theo: I would argue that huge widespread movements have changed the world in many cases. But in many other instances you are correct.
I keep hearing how Gen Y is the most socially conscious, balanced generation alive. And sometimes I see it too, but not enough. I guess all I’m doing here is challenging us to do more. Maybe that offends some people because they think they do enough. But if we’re so damn great I want to see more.
Liza: Why aren’t I? Like I said, I’m trying. There’s always something we could do better to Theo’s point above.
I don’t think we should abandon large protests and rallies because they have proved useful in the past. But you’re right, we need to think about the everyday things we can accomplish too. It’s actually what sparked my interest in writing this.
I hope you weren’t offended by my criticisms. There’s nothing wrong with critiquing something you’d like to be better. But like you say, it’s also about acting on those criticisms to be better.
So wish me luck! I’m trying to change.
I’ve been following this article with interest, and I do find myself swayed by the respondants who suggest that GenY is being just as socially conscious as the Boomers, but in different ways. There’s truth in that, of course.
However I think Ryan’s larger point still stands. While it’s terrific and commendable that we’re all finding ways in our own lives to be environmentally sensitive (we put our recycling bins in strategic places in our kitchens; we avoid plastic cutlery; we reuse our coffee cups), and it’s absolutely true that those actions will positively impact the environment, there is little GenY activism when it comes to affecting change on a global (read: “corporate”) scale. That’s what I hear Ryan looking for.
Individually, we can recycle and reuse, and we can blog to helpfully hint that others do the same. But that won’t force companies to stop polluting our waterways or to spend money on renewable energy sources. That’s the Boomer-type activism that GenY doesn’t seem to have the stomach for. Is it any more world-changing than what GenY is already doing? Maybe not. But GenY is in a position to accomplish both.
What a great post. I love to hear others in our generation admitting that maybe for all the strengths we share in our generation, our weaknesses of impatience and instant gratification are MAJOR problems. I’m president of a non-profit board in my community with a RIDICULOUS amount of resources. I got the job because no one was willing to step up and take the position (which is crazy to me). All of the people in the community said they wanted to save this organization when it was falling, except they didn’t want to step up and actually DO anything and that’s what kills me. I have been patient and managed to do some great things with the help of the local boomers, but getting my friends who are board members to physically help out is pretty challenging.
**I submitted accidentally in the post above…can you delete that?**
I’m a bit surprised to hear that Generation Y and activism have been linked together at all, but then again, my college campus is notorious for being pretty apathetic about such things.
Thanks to the Internet, Generation Y has more information about all the horrible things happening in the world than our parents ever did. So, it would be nearly impossible to pick one cause to build any mass movement around - there are so many that deserve support. And I think that college students, at least, don’t think they can make a huge difference; they go to FreeRice and join Facebook groups because they don’t really know what else to do.
But I also think we still haven’t seen the full extent of our ability to mobilize ourselves. The people who are most immersed in the Internet are already using it to organize real-world activism, including mass protests. (I’m talking about Project Chanology. Yeah, they’re doing it “for the lulz,” but at least they’re doing something.)
Perhaps one of the reasons we don’t want to get out and change the world is because we have people like this:
www.brazencareerist.com/2008/04/14/what-you-do-outside-of-work-matters/
telling us that being seen at a rally in support of a cause can have negative consequences @ work.
Andy,
Good point!
I often find myself wondering how anyone can *not* be idealistic, particularly Millennials. Maybe the fact that she works in HR has an influence on her views here. HR, in my experience, tends to cultivate and encourage the most dogmatic and prohibitive minds. My principles are far more valuable than my job.
They might not change the world, but I’d settle for changing the blog posts daily.
Interesting post! I think Gen Y needs more time. Yes, we’re spoiled and coddled and probably entirely naive about what is required to change things, but we’re also young. I don’t know many people who know how to fix the world within a few years of truly entering it (post-college.)
It’s like when you start a job. You can’t just walk in and announce that you’re going to start changing things. You’re not yet intelligent enough about the situation to know what’s best to change about it (or even if it needs to be changed.)
A good leader needs a clear direction and deep understanding of the situation s/he’s trying to lead in and we Gen Y’ers are too young to be there yet.
I think that’s likely the reason the leaders you see are Gen X and Baby Boomers. Give us some time and have a little more patience.
I don’t know whether this informs the dialogue here at all, but I noticed a recent story in a Hartford, Connecticut newspaper regarding a Facebook push to save a local landmark:
http://www.courant.com/community/news/hfd/hc-conny0506.artmay06,0,419935.story
Three things of particular interest to this discussion:
- Nearly 2500 Facebook members answered the call to save the landmark.
- The rumors turned out to be, in fact, entirely untrue.
- Not one person of 2500 bothered to call the institution responsible for the landmark to confirm or deny the rumors. Not even the original poster. (The article says that she “intended to call the museum directly and ask about Conny and then, well, track practice and schoolwork picked up.”)
I think this goes to support Ryan’s post. Of all the people quick to respond on Facebook, almost none of them actually did anything or even contacted the folks responsible for the landmark. Just a lot of posted lamentation and virtual hand-wringing. At some point, if you want to affect real change, it seems like you might need to move the discussion into real world action.
Take it or leave it; I thought it was interesting and relevant.