In his book, author Tim Elmore defines "Generation Y, as being the Millennials, those born between 1984 and 2002". He says "The younger Millennials, born after 1990, resemble their older Gen Y counterparts in many ways, but in volumes of other ways they stand in stark contrast to them. More than any previous group, this younger population has been defined by technology-which is why I believe it's accurate to call them Generation iY."
My thoughts are in bold below.
"A Portrait of a Generation"
Elmore says "I don't know why you picked up this book, but I do know one thing: the subject of this book will affect you and everyone you know in the next fifteen to twenty years."
Elmore goes on to say "Generation iY will be the largest in earth's history, and iY kids are the largest portion of that generation. Already, nearly half the world's population is under twenty-five years old. That represents three billion people. In America, their numbers already rival that of the Baby Boomers, and with migration-which is a wildcard-their population may grow as large as a hundred million, nearly a third of our population."
Christians, should we be paying attention to Generation iY? Christian parents? Seems like a ripe opportunity for spreading the Gospel. We believe at New Beginnings that the parents are the key disciplers of their children. Could this be the most important generation yet to come? You can make a difference in the lives of your children or as a mentor to a student or young adult, who can then make a difference in the world around them.
According to Elmore, Generation iY is:
An Overwhelmed Generation
"In 2007, the American College Health Association surveyed the largest random-sized sample of college students since its inception. Their study revealed that:
- 94 percent of students reported feeling overwhelmed by their lifestyles.
- 44 percent said they felt so depressed it was almost difficult to function.
- Almost 10 percent had considered suicide in the past year."
"On the other hand, stress can also stem from a lack of healthy pressure growing up. Children who lived with undue comfort through high school may face a shock when they enter college and face demands that are a little closer to adult life. The transition from the life of ease to a more demanding adult world lead to stress"
Elmore asks these questions: "What if this generation grows up and never finds a healthy way to handle all of this pressure? What if, as adults they continue to seek and find artificial ways to cope? Will America have a large percentage of adults with chronic depression? Will the majority of adults in twenty years be addicted to prescription drugs as a means to handle feeling overwhelmed? What if they perpetually yearn to return to their adolescent years-to escape marriages, job commitments, and legal obligations? What if adult life just doesn't suit them well because we didn't prepare them to be adults?"
Elmore says, "I wonder if we'll see normal responsibilities today reduced to bite-sized chunks in the future: McJobs. McMarriages.McCommitments.Marriage licenses may have three- and five-year options. Perhaps their children will have six fathers, because each successive "dad" was only able to commit for three years. Jobs may be reduced to serial contractual projects-partly because of changes in the job market, but also a manageable response to feeling overwhelmed."
Your thoughts? Can you relate to anything Elmore says here? Can you see how Jesus being the foundation in the lives of the Generation iYer help them to make a difference in the future culture and the lives of their peers who don't know Jesus?
Part 3 to come next week.
Terry Langenberg
Twitter: TheLangenberg
Facebook: TheLangenberg
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