Why Generation Y Yuppies are Unhappy

[flagella]

An interesting piece; thought I'd share.

Why Generation Y Yuppies Are Unhappy | Wait But Why

The article is easier read with the pictures on the site.

[falcon]

Gen Y is definatley unhappy because they were told their whole life they were "special" and "could do anything they wanted to do" but now realize once they are adults, this is far from true. You are average at best and are likely destined to live a life of mediocrity.

I remember seeing this article a while back and it's bang on.

[multicartual]

As someone who has seen how "the other side" lives, I can say my unhappiness mostly comes from knowing what it's like to be around people with tons of money and no need to work!

[iEatClams]

I've read this before, the article is has many good merits.

But the most liked comment on this article also has some good merits as well:

Yes, well, that may all be true. But the other really REALLY relevant thing about Gypsies vs. Boomers vs. the Greatest Gen is the job market, and the economy, and the price of education.

Let's say Lucy decides she'll try a lawn without flowers in someplace like Cleveland and see where it gets her. Okay.

Back when her parents and grandparents were growing up, you could go to a public college for the equivalent of $3000-$5000 in 2013 dollars per year, and get a degree and be more or less guaranteed a white-collar job with health insurance. If you couldn't cut college, well, a lot of people could still find a blue collar job in a strong manufacturing industry like steel or automobiles. Cleveland had lots of steel and automobile jobs, great! And labor unions were pretty strong in those industries, so you still had health insurance, and in fact, you probably made the equivalent of $50,000 or $60,000 in 2013 dollars annually.

... and really, do I have to go any farther with this? A college education for $10,000-$20,000 total. Not per year. Not per semester. TOTAL. A blue-collar job in heavy industry that bring home $50,000 annually, and has health insurance and retirement. That was 1985. Do I really have to spell out how that's different from 2013, and how that could be impacting Lucy's current happiness quotient, regardless of her expectations or upbringing?

[bloodmack]

Originally Posted by falcon

Gen Y is definitely unhappy because they were told their whole life they were "special" and "could do anything they wanted to do" but now realize once they are adults, this is far from true. You are average at best and are likely destined to live a life of mediocrity.

I remember seeing this article a while back and it's bang on.

If you're going to be average and live a life of mediocrity it's a fucking choice. It's not written in our genes to be like that. I'm not a bazillionaire, i'm not perfect but what I am not is average. I am a human being with ideas, emotions and accountability. If I ever have kids I will never say no you cannot shape your future and do whatever you want, that is sabotaging their very being. It seriously sickens me that people think like this.

[Wongtouski]

Keeping this short because I'm at work in a job I don't really like and fucking busy (ironic isn't it? LOL), but really I think the article is sort of correct, but in our generation we have a much higher chance to do something we want because of our baby boomer parents, I'm sure a lot of people here have parents who are capable to a certain extent to "entertain"our wishes/dreams growing up.

Another side note, even though I'm in a semi shit job now, I'm always thinking about opportunities out there, yes I may be delusional as the article suggests, but with the advent of the internet I honestly feel like we can do what we want simply due to the connectivity we enjoy and the countless things we can do using the internet as a base (create apps, start a hobby, business). Just revscene alone is a "miracle" by our parents standards.

[mr_chin]

Happiness is a state of mind.

Parents raise their kids telling them that they are special is to give them a boost as far as they could, feeling positive.

It's like working out, nobody is going to tell you you can't. You're telling yourself that you are not going to be one of those quitters, you're going to be the one that stands out, and those who hold on this belief everyday going to the gym, IS going to be one of those who stands out.

So Gen Y being happy or unhappy, maybe, maybe not. I can't say it solely relates to how they were raised by their parents and what they were told.

[JaPoola]

Joey Goes To NYC: Year Two: What We Were Promised

The other side of the story

[ae101]

those unhappy ppl should give back/help other in need, this way maybe their lives will be much happier knowing that they have helped someone in need

i duno if thats really part of the case (didnt read article) but thats what i have been seeing a lot

[StylinRed]

This "article" has been rehashed for every single generation past and present and will continue to be brought back up again for future generations and each and every time a new author will think they're a genius for pointing it out but they don't realize that they've committed plagiarism.

Each generation has a segment of those depressed who think the world was supposed to be handed to them and they will look back on prior or future generations and think "oh they don't know what its like" or "oh they had it great"

It's just a fact of life those unprepared or with unrealistic assumptions will be depressed when reality hits, this doesn't mark any one generation it marks segments of all generations.

[minoru_tanaka]

Originally Posted by falcon

Gen Y is definatley unhappy because they were told their whole life they were "special" and "could do anything they wanted to do" but now realize once they are adults, this is far from true. You are average at best and are likely destined to live a life of mediocrity.

I remember seeing this article a while back and it's bang on.

I wouldn't use mediocrity not because it's not accurate but because just like the theme of the article being average is considered bad now

Originally Posted by multicartual

As someone who has seen how "the other side" lives, I can say my unhappiness mostly comes from knowing what it's like to be around people with tons of money and no need to work!

That's the theme of the article. There's always people out there that have it easier than you but we look at it and see it as something we're missing, that we've failed

Originally Posted by bloodmack

If you're going to be average and live a life of mediocrity it's a fucking choice. It's not written in our genes to be like that. I'm not a bazillionaire, i'm not perfect but what I am not is average. I am a human being with ideas, emotions and accountability. If I ever have kids I will never say no you cannot shape your future and do whatever you want, that is sabotaging their very being. It seriously sickens me that people think like this.

Just checking that you're aware, most people are average. Not saying don't try but being average shouldn't make a person mad

[bloodmack]

I won't accept the fact that most people are average. I will accept they choose to live their life, but average.. what defines average? what defines boring? what defines not average? These are all assumptions and judgements about others. What makes me mad is that.

[white rocket]

You are in full control of your own happiness so get the fuck on with it and quit whining about how life has been unfair to you. There are some people that were given a raw ass fucking deal in life and some seem to pull the best out of it. Perception is everything. Start living with the glass half full and shitty situations will become opportunities.

While I do agree with most points in the article it still boils down to your own choice to make something happen. What people tell you throughout your life isn't the problem, what you choose to do with that info can be.

[ForbiddenX]

^Exactly. I found happiness in proving my parents wrong. They used to tell me when I would only be playing video games in highschool that I would get no where with it. Gaming is what got me interested in software development and it's what I'm doing right now. They also told me I wouldn't be able to find a job with only a diploma and tried to get me to do a degree after BCIT. Nope. Proved them wrong again.


Take a step back and look at what you have and be happy with it. I'm sure if you took a moment to appreciate all of the good things in your life, even the small things, you'd be a little more happy.

[trix4kids]

Originally Posted by JaPoola

Joey Goes To NYC: Year Two: What We Were Promised

The other side of the story

This is a prime example of whats fueling all the entitlement today. People are complaining about how they cant get jobs or how much student loans they had to take out. About how "I did x , why isn't y happening?" or "My parents had it way easier". The world doesn't revolve around static notions or causality. It's constantly changing and yeah it might get harder, but that's just how it is. There will never be a hypothetical world where the job you want magically gets delivered in a pizza box to you.

Complaining about your student loan? Bet 95% of these people didn't apply for scholarships or go the extra mile to get better grades. Can't get a job? Bet 95% of these people aren't cold calling, cold emailing, networking , or acquire new skills to stay competitive. Blame the government, blame whoever the fuck you want, at the end of the day, the only person who's in control of whether you make it or not is yourself. And btw, if someone does do something with their life and you try to marginalize their success, it means you haven't done shit.

The only things we're given is security and the opportunity for a formal education in a capitalist first world country. If that's not enough for you, I don't know what is.

[multicartual]

Originally Posted by ForbiddenX

They used to tell me when I would only be playing video games in highschool that I would get no where with it.

Another thing this lightweight fluff-piece article completely misses on is how elders used to be a source of wisdom and guidance, now they are a source of misinformation and disencouragement. Older folk have very little to no grasp of what modern life is like.

Spiritually, sexually, financially, physically, emotionally, politically, nearly all of our priorities, thoughts, habits, and aspirations are completely different than our parents.

Think about it like this. 100 years ago if you were born, chances are you would work in farming or labour, you'd marry the neighbor's daughter or someone from your village, attend a Church or other religious institution, fight and die for god and country, or live out your miserable, life-locked existence until an early grave in your 40's, if that!(In general.) Multiply that by the hundreds to see what life was like for most generations of human that preceeded you!


Now our lives are completely open to possibility. Shit, I could STILL become a transgendered Vegas showgirl if I wanted to. Move to China and become an MDMA dealer? Sure! Become a buddhist monk in Nepal? Ok! Go work the oilpatch? No problem! Become a pornstar? Buy a camera! Want to learn an instrument and start a band? Learn guitar on YouTube!

I could go on and on... reach down into your pants and feel those two big hairy balls you have, with those and a little guile, you can make nearly any dream you want come true.

How bad do you want it?

[godwin]

It depends on what you mean by average. Statistically mean is a very small chunk of people, but it is also the largest group. So it should be there are more people who are average than those who are not.

Happiness like Loneliness (I really hate that oft quoted Vancouver Foundation study about loneliness) are all state of mind. One can change the state if they want.. the question is how much they can change or how much they want the change is the variable.

Originally Posted by bloodmack

I won't accept the fact that most people are average. I will accept they choose to live their life, but average.. what defines average? what defines boring? what defines not average? These are all assumptions and judgements about others. What makes me mad is that.

[bloodmack]

There is still no answer to what defines average. I get what average means but to consider a life average is somewhat discriminatory is it not? Sure there will be up and down moments in life. There are average earnings, average clothes, average houses (physical things is what i'm getting at). The experience of life is not average.

[Lomac]

Originally Posted by multicartual

Another thing this lightweight fluff-piece article completely misses on is how elders used to be a source of wisdom and guidance, now they are a source of misinformation and disencouragement. Older folk have very little to no grasp of what modern life is like.

Spiritually, sexually, financially, physically, emotionally, politically, nearly all of our priorities, thoughts, habits, and aspirations are completely different than our parents.

Think about it like this. 100 years ago if you were born, chances are you would work in farming or labour, you'd marry the neighbor's daughter or someone from your village, attend a Church or other religious institution, fight and die for god and country, or live out your miserable, life-locked existence until an early grave in your 40's, if that!(In general.) Multiply that by the hundreds to see what life was like for most generations of human that preceeded you!


Now our lives are completely open to possibility. Shit, I could STILL become a transgendered Vegas showgirl if I wanted to. Move to China and become an MDMA dealer? Sure! Become a buddhist monk in Nepal? Ok! Go work the oilpatch? No problem! Become a pornstar? Buy a camera! Want to learn an instrument and start a band? Learn guitar on YouTube!

I could go on and on... reach down into your pants and feel those two big hairy balls you have, with those and a little guile, you can make nearly any dream you want come true.

How bad do you want it?

Who are you, and what did you do to Jason?

[rsx]

Originally Posted by multicartual

Another thing this lightweight fluff-piece article completely misses on is how elders used to be a source of wisdom and guidance, now they are a source of misinformation and disencouragement. Older folk have very little to no grasp of what modern life is like.

Spiritually, sexually, financially, physically, emotionally, politically, nearly all of our priorities, thoughts, habits, and aspirations are completely different than our parents.

Think about it like this. 100 years ago if you were born, chances are you would work in farming or labour, you'd marry the neighbor's daughter or someone from your village, attend a Church or other religious institution, fight and die for god and country, or live out your miserable, life-locked existence until an early grave in your 40's, if that!(In general.) Multiply that by the hundreds to see what life was like for most generations of human that preceeded you!


Now our lives are completely open to possibility. Shit, I could STILL become a transgendered Vegas showgirl if I wanted to. Move to China and become an MDMA dealer? Sure! Become a buddhist monk in Nepal? Ok! Go work the oilpatch? No problem! Become a pornstar? Buy a camera! Want to learn an instrument and start a band? Learn guitar on YouTube!

I could go on and on... reach down into your pants and feel those two big hairy balls you have, with those and a little guile, you can make nearly any dream you want come true.

How bad do you want it?

That's the whole point of the article.

The older generation knew how hard life is, how hard it is to make money. So they tried their best to get a stable career right away.

Nowadays, everyone thinks they can be anything, which is really not true. Some people don't have the talent to become a musician, writer, or balls to work in an oil patch.

So instead of going into a technical school or studying in a field that's relevant to today's economy, students are free floating looking to land their dream job.

You know... the start up online marketing/social/ad/gaming studio in a loft with brick walls and open concept office?

Life is extremely difficult especially if you don't have family money to bail you out. So at an early age you have to be realistic with what you can do in life.

[multicartual]

Originally Posted by rsx

Life is extremely difficult especially if you don't have family money to bail you out. So at an early age you have to be realistic with what you can do in life.

Well, then you got to get good at gambling, investing, or selling porno online!!!

[Lomac]

You know why Gen Y'ers are unhappy? It's because they didn't grow up watching movies with actors like Harold Ramis or John Candy, and the only movies they've seen with actors like Sean Connery were on Netflix and didn't get to experience him on the big screen.

Oh, and don't forget Justin Beiber. They bred him into success and now they have to deal with the aftermath of their folly.

[rsx]

Originally Posted by multicartual

Well, then you got to get good at gambling, investing, or selling porno online!!!

LOL. I was literally just looking at porn sites to buy yesterday.