Is Gen-Y the First Post-Racial Generation?

Published by Ryan Healy on December 8th, 2008 in Generation Y, Politics | 24 Comments

The place went crazy. People jumped on tables and raised their hands in victory. Others were hooting and hollering, high fiving friends and ordering round of shots for complete strangers.

No, I'm not remembering an awesome rock concert. And I'm not having flashbacks to watching my favorite football team play for the national championship. I'm thinking about the upcoming presidential inauguration and I'm remembering the scene that took place one month ago.

We were in the middle of New York City – in Soho, at a bar with a diverse group of professionally dressed twentysomethings. It was November 4, 2008 and CNN had just officially announced that Barack Obama would be the 44th president of the United States of America.

The scene was magical. I couldn't help but look around with a huge smile on my face. I was watching history, and all I wanted to do was soak it in.

Then John McCain took the stage for his concession speech. The bar went silent. Everyone turned toward the television. And some of the first words that came out of John McCain's mouth (after "My Friends" of course) were about the special significance that this election had for African Americans.

The bar immediately started booing. I looked at my friend Keith and said, "Why does it have to be about race?" He shook his head and remained silent. None of us wanted this election to be about race. To us, it was never about race. It was about hope and change and the future of our country.

Remember, this was not a bar full of people who all looked the same. It was an extremely diverse group of all races and cultures. And nearly every single one of us did not think John McCain should have brought up Barack Obama's race.

"What's the point? Who cares?" We thought.

Then something weird happened. The pundits came on and every single one of them acknowledged race and how significant this was for African Americans. To me, and the rest of us in the bar, this was really surprising. Race wasn't a factor in our minds, but it was obviously at the very top of the list for everyone talking about the election – everyone who just happened to be much older than us.

Over the next day, I watched pundit after pundit and television host after television host talk about the historical significance of the election, and it sunk in that, yes this election was very much about race – for everyone who could remember the days of segregation.

But for a generation of people who have only read about separate water fountains for whites and blacks, and Rosa Parks refusing to move to the back of the bus, and Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech," this election was purely about a new direction for the world and the one man who may be able to guide us there.

So, when I presented on a panel on the afternoon of November 5, and the panel host asked us, "Is Generation Y the first truly post-racial generation?"

I thought back to the night before and said,

"Almost."

For one, I can't possibly speak on such a big issue for an entire demographic of people. And secondly, despite what I felt and witnessed at the bar in Soho that night, I'm not sure if I totally believe our generation is post-racial.

What do you guys think? Is Gen-Y the first post-racial generation? Is this even a conversation worth having?

Generation Y: Inheriting a World That Must be Fixed

Published by Ryan Healy on September 30th, 2008 in Activism, Generation Y, Politics | 15 Comments

"Young people today can't repay their college loans; they can't afford apartment rents, let alone mortgages; their Social Security is being sucked up by their elders; and H.I.V. left them out of the sexual revolution: what was once free love is now a viral minefield."

I didn't say it. The New York Times did. And this was before the disaster that took place on Capitol Hill yesterday.

The article, written by Alessandra Stanley, goes on to say that the pending economic crisis, which has since become not so pending, "is confirming the worst fears of Gen-Y, namely that our baby boomer parents are leaving us a world convulsed by war, drowning in debt and melting down under global warming."

She's got a point. The world, and more specifically, The United States, is screwed up right now. The House just rejected a $700 Billion rescue plan, effectively causing the largest drop in the stock market since 1987. And the word is that House members pending reelections played a major role in the rejection. You've got to be kidding me.

But way before the most recent "Black Monday," for years, us 20-somethings have been graduating into a world where we are buried in debt before stepping foot into our first job, and dealing with living expenses that are often more than average starting salaries. Our generation has inherited a world that needs some serious fixing.

And yesterday was just the final straw in what's been a disastrous 8 years for America. But, as bad as yesterday was, it may be a blessing in disguise.

When we look back on Monday, September 29, 2008, will we say that it was the beginning of the end, or will we say that it was the day America took a long hard look in the mirror and decided to make a change?

I'll choose the latter.

I'll choose it, because I see a group of 20 and 30-something's prepared to clean up the mess. Blaming our parents, or Congress, or the baby boomers, or even the President, won't get us anywhere. But recycling, going green, being fiscally responsible, starting non-profits, starting for-profits, and actively involving ourselves in the presidential election is a good start.

Despite our youth, and despite the fact that we aren't in traditional positions of authority, I see Generation Y, or as I recently saw us referred to as, Generation We, pushing change and making progress in every area.

In Washington D.C., the Progressive Happy Hour group is hosting debate parties and constantly trekking over to Virginia, vowing to knock on 100,000 doors in hopes of turning the battleground state blue before November 4.

Yesterday, I spoke with Jordan Goldman, a recent college grad who decided he'd had enough of universities providing high school seniors with inaccurate, boring and often misleading descriptions about their outrageously priced schools. So, he gathered a team and started Unigo, a company that puts the message back in the hands of the people who really know what the school is all about–the students.

In a couple of hours I have a meeting with Rich Littlehale, a Yale student and budding social entrepreneur, who recently started Twigtek, a company that helps organizations raise money by collecting old cell phones and helping the environment.

The list goes on and on. Young people have looked at the disastrous situation this country is in and decided to do something about it -way before "Black Monday" caused mass panic.

As Progressive Happy Hour organizer Brian Komar eloquently explains, we are in the midst of the NEXT Progressive Movement. He says, "Change doesn't come from parties. It comes from movements. This movement will bring the change America needs. Young people are always the early adopters, and this time younger people are paving the way. . . . My sincere hope is that this movement becomes multigenerational."

This is the attitude that Generation Y has demonstrated, and must continue to demonstrate. Because it's not about being a hero; it's about working together and making smart decisions for the greater good because we see the mess that we've been dealt. And when you see a mess, there's only one thing left to do: clean it up.

Standing at a Crossroad: Am I Still a Millennial?

Published by Ryan Paugh on June 10th, 2008 in Blogging, Generation Y, Millennials, Personal Development, Politics | 16 Comments

Because of blogging, my life took a complete one-eighty in less than a year. One day I was working in a cubicle, the next I was part of a startup. And as much as that whole scenario blew my freaking mind, I didn't change via startup alone. The biggest changes actually occurred from within.

Events in our lives have a way of shifting our attitudes about certain things. Sometimes that's bad, but then sometimes that's really good. In my case, let's just say that I'm a more seasoned millennial than I used to be.

And I think that's a good thing. Because while I inherently see the world through the eyes of my generation, I'm starting to understand what Gen-Xers and Boomers are talking about.

No, I don't think we're a bunch of narcissistic brats all of a sudden. But I do understand why we're sometimes misunderstood. Because as life takes its toll and we all grow up, I think we all find that our virtues mature.

Here are a few things that have matured with me during the past year.

I'm not as idealistic.

When I first read the cover of Strauss and Howe's Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation, I think I tricked myself into believing that we're already just as stellar as my grandfather's generation who kicked butt for all of us during World War II. But let's face it, we haven't proven anything yet.

I do still believe our generation has the potential to be great. But I'm pretty sure now that it's going to take a lot more work than I originally thought.

A year ago I would've said that Generation Y is going to change the world and social media is going to be the vessel. Today, while I still believe that social media is a powerful ally, I'm not as naïve.

It's going to take a lot more than tech savvy for Gen Y to make change the way we talk about changing things. We need hands-on action. And while a few critics pointed me to some great examples of millennial leadership, I still haven't seen enough.

But maybe I'm demanding too much. Maybe we're on the right track and just too young to take the reigns of leadership. That would be just fine with me. But in the meantime, I'd rather demand more than be satisfied with less.

I'm more skeptical.

When I first heard Barack Obama speak, I said to myself, "Wow, there's the guy who's going to save this country." I was completely blown away. And looking back on it all, I kind of get mad at myself. I want to be smarter than that.

I no longer believe in the hype, I believe in results. Words like hope and change, used to give me goose bumps. Now when someone tells me they're going to do something all I can say is "We'll see."

And that may sound like I'm lacking in hope, but I'm not. I'm very hopeful. In fact, I voted for Obama in the primaries, and probably will vote for him in November too. But I realize that actions speak louder than words, and I'll definitely give the guy a hard time if he makes it into the Oval Office but doesn't live up to all he promised.

The problem I've seen in myself and in my generation thus far is that we're a lot of talk. And sometimes we believe in things without asking for proof.

But maybe that's all we can do until we gain more momentum. I'm sure anxious to see how we turn out, but until then, we'll see…

I'm not as bold.

When I started blogging, I used to run my mouth too much. I'd take something preposterous that someone said about my generation and respond with something equally, if not more preposterous. While shock and awe is typically a lot of fun, it's better to be taken seriously.

Today I think things through. When I get a nasty comment from someone who calls me an amateur, sometimes I don't say anything at all. It's not always worth it to stoop to their level.

Why does this matter?

It matters because I refuse to give Gen-Y dissenters exactly what they want — proof that I'm a hack. Some people feed on their ability to fire people up. And as soon as we lose our cool, they get exactly what they want.

My new motto: Stay cool. Backlash is always going to suck, but as soon as I give into the hate I lose my leverage as a reputable voice.

I'm more myself than I've ever been.

For about a year after graduating college, I was depressed. Between leaving long-time friend behind and searching for a new meaning for my life, it was a rough spot in my life. Then things started to fall into place.

Over the past year I've experienced the ups and downs of a first job, endured startup stress, and learned a lot about myself. And I don't want to toot my horn too much, but it feels awesome.

And at the same time, while all this awesomeness surrounds me, I wonder if I'm staying aligned with the values of my generation. Do I need a reality check? I'm really not sure.

Maybe I'm just opening up a new chapter. Maybe other members of my generation are starting to feel this way too. With all the garbage channeled our way via media campaigns, politicians and marketers there's no doubt that we're all getting a little nauseous.

So maybe I'm not alone. Are others breaking the stereotypes too? I'd really love to know, because either I'm losing touch or just headed down a different track.