Millenials:Too Sensitive or Simply Well Informed?

Saturday, March 24, 2018



Top - New Look (ASOS)
Skirt - ASOS
Shoes - ASOS
Inspiration - ADEAM Resort 2018
Let’s start this post with something everybody loves to do on a Saturday – drinking games! Start by opening Facebook or Twitter (either works for our purposes) and pick a meme or a tongue-in-cheek post that appears on your feed. Next, scroll through the comments and for every comment you see where someone is offended by something, take a shot. Repeat as necessary.

Fast forward and: you are very drunk and my point is very clear.

Articles offend at least some section of society on a daily basis. Someone, somewhere is mad about something and they are sure as hell going to tell you about it. Whether it’s race, sex, animal rights, developing countries, etc. But does this automatically mean that we are more sensitive as a society (or put plainly, a generation of whuses) or are we simple more socially aware?

As someone who has had the experience of living in a developed country as well as a developing one, these so-called “whussy” comments tend to appear more in the former. While Indian articles too garner their own share of Facebook arguments and sensitivity, the topics are generally not the ones I mentioned above. I’ll venture a reason for this discrepancy: perhaps, a large section of society in developing countries is too busy figuring out how to survive or improve their living situation to care about being offended by Facebook posts.

Likewise, our older generations may have had other concerns on their mind. For instance, while women still face hardships, they were in an infinitely worse place in the earlier generations and it is important to recognise that their contributions have landed us in a place where we don’t have to worry about the lack of basic rights (speaking from an Australian context) and can focus on the finer battles – like being more sensitive to other people’s feelings.

When you don’t have to worry about putting bread on the table, you can absolutely take the time to think about how something may have a negative impact on your fellow human beings, and I’d argue so you should.

Add to that the increase in travelling, globalisation and the widespread use of the internet and we as a generation are much more aware of social issues. Today, millennials take pride in travelling ‘authentically’ and the multicultural make-up of most developed countries gives us a plethora of information from around the world without having to chase it (we have social media to thank for that one). And while the world or Australia isn’t a perfect place, we’re getting there. With us having access to better healthcare, more equal rights, better education and living longer lives, we are able to pick up the baton for the “sensitive” issues as some may call them. 

And no, this isn’t some love letter to millennials. I acknowledge that this generation has a sense of entitlement that wasn’t so prevalent in say, the boomers. And yes, helicopter parenting has taught us that we’re all winners even if we came dead last and just as deserving of the praise as the kid who came first. But, an extension of this entitlement is also the entitlement to instantly speak up when we feel we or someone around us is being treated unfairly. Though, some may do this without thinking of the flip situation or giving much thought to the opposing side’s point of view, is speaking up against injustice a bad thing? Certainly not. Political correctness gets a bad rep sometimes but as someone who grew up in India I know what I one day will tell my child: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

Why? Because as I said, I grew up in India where being PC was absolutely not a thing. Any random stranger, distant relative or family friend feels its their duty to make derogatory comments about your looks, body type, weight, what you eat, how you eat it and where that 165 calories is going to land and how best you should work on losing it – all without you asking for it. That stuff can take a serious toll on a person’s confidence (or for those of us who are exceptionally strong willed, give you some thick skin). But ask yourself, if that really is the environment you want to be living in? Yes excessive political correctness can be bad and sometimes tough love or the brutal truth is necessary but should come from people who know you well.

Millennials get taken the mickey out of for how opinionated we are but I’d argue the generation before us, and the one before that, all had just as many opinions. But where they argued about it in their living room, we amplify our voiced with a quick status or tweet. Millennials have just as many or as few grievances as anyone else (albeit on different matters), we just have a much louder megaphone to voice them on. 




Links à la Mode, April 5th, 2018

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14 comments

  1. I love this post, it’s so well written and I totally agree - just because our views are amplified on platforms doesn’t mean other people haven’t had them before! Love the light in these pictures too!
    Amy xx
    callmeamy.co.uk

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  2. Wow, So pretty look!!! I love! :))

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  3. So true! I can't agree more!
    Great pictures too! I really love how happy your pictures are! :D

    xo Noor
    http://clothesanddreams.blogspot.com

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  4. Love this post! I agree that every generation has had opinions but ours is the one with the resources and confidence to voice them! That doesn't make us perfect or sheltered, it's just our reality! Also, your description of Indian people making rude comments is beyond accurate haha.

    asplashofsharan.com

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  5. First up, love the photos. Second, I agree. We have just the same amount of opinions, just with a much louder way to vocalise ourselves. I also think that with the internet we're all a lot more aware of the injustices that go around us, so we're more educated about issues and then have the ability to voice them.

    Amy;
    Wandering Everywhere

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  6. Such a great post! So articulate and well thought out. I love the lighting in your photos, makes me want to do a shoot in a parking garage!

    Shann Eileen | www.shanneileen.com

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  7. Really enjoyed this post - so well written! I agree with so many of your point and definitely sit firmly in the camp of thinking millennials are simply well informed. I suppose sensitivity is a byproduct of being socially aware! It can be taken too far sometimes though, for sure. Have a lovely weekend!! :)

    aglassofice.com x

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  8. I can't tell you how much I hate when people say "political correctness gone mad" or when men use "feminism" as excuses to underhand someone's sensitivity. The thing is everyone's emotions are valid so when people use statements like these it's irrelevant. Why are their feelings more important than another's? They're not. And why is it so hard for some people to understand those words have hurt another? Someone is upset over it. So enough, have respect and realise the world has changed and so does our attitude and tolerance. So to say we've gotten more sensitive is rubbish. The only thing that has truly changed is social media and the way information and opinions are more freely expressed. Comments like those have always hurt people, it's just the masses never heard about it.

    Sxx
    daringcoco.com

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  9. Omg I'm literally obsessed with your outfit -- So cute!!


    Love,
    Alexandra | These Chic Pants Trend Are Gonna Replace Your Skinny Jeans For A Moment



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  10. Great points here! Love your skirt, it's so pretty.
    Have a wonderful week.
    Xx Caroline
    www.foreverdolledup.net

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  11. This is well-written hun, and I absolutely agree with all the points you've laid out. And btw, I'm loving your outfit, you look so sweet <3

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  12. Omg the sun kisses look so adorable on the pictures. Really in love with your pictures and content.

    http://evgphotos.com/

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  13. The lighting in your photos are amazing! and what a great post! You write beautifully! I can totally relate to your point about "If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all." Since Asian relatives/older people tends to be pretty blunt and harsh on one's personal affairs.

    Have a great day! xx

    http://www.crystalchiffon.com/

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