Poll

The Millennial generation is...

People born around 1982
20 (54.1%)
People born around 2000
9 (24.3%)
Both
4 (10.8%)
Neither
4 (10.8%)

Total Members Voted: 34

Author Topic: Who are the Millennials?  (Read 4686 times)

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Who are the Millennials?
« on: 19 December, 2018, 07:47:39 pm »
Inspired by a conversation with my son this morning before he went to school. This seems to be a trans-Atlantic difference, with Americans using Millennial to refer to those who "came of age" around 2000 while in Britain it refers to those who were born around the turn of the millennium. Or possibly it's the other way round... (He reckons he's part of Gen Z, born after the millennium).
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #1 on: 19 December, 2018, 07:56:19 pm »
how the bloody hell would I know, I'm 44, Gen X through and through (I think, or at least I used to work for dept X)
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #2 on: 19 December, 2018, 08:03:50 pm »
The millennials as an expression describing a group is clearly describing those who became active around the millennium as it seeks to describe a characteristic, that's something not often present in newly born. The "baby boomers" are a slight exception to the rule as it describes the time of their birth, but it only became a thing when they (ok, we) could do stuff and be identified as a group.

FWIW, I would take it as people born from around 1980 - 1990.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #3 on: 19 December, 2018, 08:11:35 pm »
how the bloody hell would I know, I'm 44, Gen X through and through (I think, or at least I used to work for dept X)
Billy Idol?
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #4 on: 19 December, 2018, 08:18:50 pm »
The millennials as an expression describing a group is clearly describing those who became active around the millennium as it seeks to describe a characteristic, that's something not often present in newly born. The "baby boomers" are a slight exception to the rule as it describes the time of their birth, but it only became a thing when they (ok, we) could do stuff and be identified as a group.

FWIW, I would take it as people born from around 1980 - 1990.
That's clearly one definition but I'm not sure it's true that generations are usually defined by characteristics, in fact I'd say birth years are the norm. After all, Gen X, Y and Z don't convey much. And:
Quote
GEN ALPHA

Following our Gen Zeds are our pre-schooler and kindergarteners of today – Gen Alpha.

Born since the year 2010 they are aged 0-5, they are the children of Gen Y, and there are 1.6 million of them in Australia. They are truly the millennial generation, born and shaped fully in the 21st century, and the first generation that we will see in record numbers in the 22nd century as well. They are logged on and linked up – known as ‘digital natives’. They are the most materially endowed and technologically literate generation to ever grace the planet!
https://mccrindle.com.au/insights/blogarchive/gen-z-and-gen-alpha-infographic-update/

I haven't heard this term before – maybe it hasn't really made it out of Australia much – but if these are the "truly millennial generation" then the Millennials must be... not truly millennial!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #5 on: 19 December, 2018, 08:27:59 pm »
how the bloody hell would I know, I'm 44, Gen X through and through (I think, or at least I used to work for dept X)
Billy Idol?

Yes
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #6 on: 19 December, 2018, 08:38:50 pm »
"Millennials" to me are people in their 20s ie  young adults.

Year of birth would be about 1989-1998.

Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #7 on: 19 December, 2018, 09:54:53 pm »

That's clearly one definition but I'm not sure it's true that generations are usually defined by characteristics, in fact I'd say birth years are the norm. After all, Gen X, Y and Z don't convey much. And:
Quote
GEN ALPHA

Following our Gen Zeds are our pre-schooler and kindergarteners of today – Gen Alpha.

Born since the year 2010 they are aged 0-5, they are the children of Gen Y, and there are 1.6 million of them in Australia. They are truly the millennial generation, born and shaped fully in the 21st century, and the first generation that we will see in record numbers in the 22nd century as well. They are logged on and linked up – known as ‘digital natives’. They are the most materially endowed and technologically literate generation to ever grace the planet!
https://mccrindle.com.au/insights/blogarchive/gen-z-and-gen-alpha-infographic-update/

I haven't heard this term before – maybe it hasn't really made it out of Australia much – but if these are the "truly millennial generation" then the Millennials must be... not truly millennial!

I think you are missing the point. The generation labels are entirely new, and a product of the modern age, mostly driven by marketing, the need to create a cohesive group that has broadly similar characteristics. That's different from using the previous descriptive terminology: "The pre-war generation" etc.

"A generation" I've always understood to be a period of around 20 years, that time between parents and children. The fact that there are no easy start and stop points won't stop a determined market analyst heading for their target. That's why, instead of the previous broad terms that describe a generational group (eg, baby boomers) these labels are coming into being, fast and furious.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #8 on: 19 December, 2018, 10:05:25 pm »
I'm still missing your point, sorry. I agree these labels are relatively recent – I don't recall hearing any of them before the 90s – with the exception of Baby Boomers, presumably because the baby boom was something noticeable at the time it was happening. But I'm not sure how that relates to the question of which Millennials are which.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #9 on: 19 December, 2018, 10:09:35 pm »
The point (if such it is) is that the labels are for bunches of consumers. Those labels and targets are clearly aimed at 80's-90's born. If you have heard people using the term to describe those born around the millennium, that's just people talking english, which won't get you far.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #10 on: 19 December, 2018, 10:25:14 pm »
that's just people talking english, which won't get you far.
!! :o ;D

(though late teens are very much consumers too... )
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Ben T

Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #11 on: 19 December, 2018, 11:30:45 pm »
I read something recently talking about something like "back in the 19th century millennials would have started work instead of swanning off to uni"  ::-) :-\ ....err.... there weren't any millennials in the 19th century, by definition  ;D

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #12 on: 19 December, 2018, 11:32:25 pm »
They're the ones with the avocados and no money.

Ben T

Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #13 on: 19 December, 2018, 11:34:29 pm »
Inspired by a conversation with my son this morning before he went to school. This seems to be a trans-Atlantic difference, with Americans using Millennial to refer to those who "came of age" around 2000 while in Britain it refers to those who were born around the turn of the millennium. Or possibly it's the other way round... (He reckons he's part of Gen Z, born after the millennium).

I don't think the latter is ever correct. It refers to coming of age, ie born from around 1980 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennials

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #14 on: 19 December, 2018, 11:54:18 pm »
It might be no more correct than those 19th century Millennials sweeping chimneys but they both exist!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #15 on: 19 December, 2018, 11:55:29 pm »
They're the ones with the avocados and no money.
Not for much longer. They're toast.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #16 on: 20 December, 2018, 12:00:25 am »
Thought: Almost no one here thinks Millennials are those born around 2000 (well, 25% of votes so far, and one person voted both, so that's a bit more than no one) but it's definitely an interpretation applied by my post-millennial son. I'm pretty sure there are few forumites under 30 let alone about 18, so... perhaps this is a Millennial interpretation of the word Millennial?
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Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #17 on: 20 December, 2018, 12:04:13 am »
Mods. Rockers. Greasers. Hippies. Flappers.
It is simpler than it looks.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #18 on: 20 December, 2018, 12:10:10 am »
Skins. (!)
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rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #19 on: 02 January, 2019, 06:21:51 pm »
Are millennials GenY?  If GenX is the boomers' kids, is Gen Y the GenXers' kids?   The trouble is, generations get very blurred except when there's a world war as a starting point, and the lucky ones go home and shag.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #20 on: 02 January, 2019, 06:26:34 pm »
I think the Millennials are distinct from Gen Y. Kind of in between Y and Z, maybe.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #21 on: 02 January, 2019, 06:29:54 pm »
I thought that nowadays X or Y doesn't matter, they choose for themselves?
It is simpler than it looks.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #22 on: 02 January, 2019, 06:37:35 pm »
Boomers: selfish Brexiteer bastards
GenX: slackers
Millennials: snowflakes

There you go  ;)
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #23 on: 02 January, 2019, 07:19:51 pm »
According to Network Rail, Millennials are between 26-30. They might or might not have avocados but they've got railcards, just like old people.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Who are the Millennials?
« Reply #24 on: 02 January, 2019, 07:36:03 pm »
According to Network Rail, Millennials are between 26-30. They might or might not have avocados but they've got railcards, just like old people.

I'm looking forward to the The Only Demographic Not Entitled To A Railcard railcard.  I think that's single non-disabled GenXers.