Drinking, kids, saving and work: 4 things millennials have supposedly ruined

It feels like there isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t stumble on at least one article – whether it’s on social media or Google – that blames millennials for bringing about the ruin or destruction of something. 

We’re too selfie-obsessed, drink too much coffee and did I mention that we’re not buying enough diamonds?

So since people keep on insisting that millennials aren’t paying their dues and doing our bit to ensure our economy becomes the bustling and thriving entity it once was, we decided to lean in to this narrative and compile a list of things we’ve ruined.

We’ve destroyed going out by choosing to drink at home instead

A recent piece on The Takeout reported on how millennials are no longer going out as much as they used to, opting to stay at home and drink instead. The study that revealed this, showed that 3 out of10 millennials find that going out takes too much effort. 

Gosh. So lazy.

Except that the reasons listed for people choosing to stay at home are actually simply because not only is it relaxing, but it’s also it’s that much easier to imbibe at home without worrying about any consequences. 

Also it’s cheaper.  I mean, have you seen the price of a cocktail lately? 

The study notes that drinking establishments are really going to have to up their game in order to entice millennials into going out, because with the price of drinks being what they are – well, we’d much rather buy two bottles of wine, share it at home and have enough money to pay our bills. 

We’re not having children

In fact, many of us don’t want children and would rather spend time with our nieces and nephews because while we may like kids, we can’t necessarily afford to have any of our own. Not just that, the cost of having children are already expensive and we can barely afford to save money for retirement.

And yet, according to Forbes.com, us choosing not to have kids is a problem for baby boomers, because won’t someone think of what happens when they need to retire? 

The truth is that while many of us are career focused and don’t want kids, those who do are choosing to wait because they feel that they need more time to establish themselves. In other words, money first, kids when we’re able to afford them.

Speaking of which, we’re irresponsible and ruining the economy because we’re not saving money for our retirement

In a recent tweet that went viral for all the wrong reasons, financial website Marketwatch tweeted that millennials should have at least saved double their annual salary by the age of 35.

And oh how we laughed and laughed and laughed. 

Because time and time again it’s assumed that we’re irresponsible and aren’t saving because we’re wasting our money on avocado toast, when in reality, we’re struggling because we have student loans and other debts to pay off (debts made out of necessity, not the debts made for the ‘gram). 

We often also have to hear that we have it so easy in comparison to baby boomers and are accused of being entitled because we demand money over exposure (oh the narrative of this one is definitely a topic on its own) and want fair and equal pay.  

READ MORE: Money advice for millennials who are struggling to save while paying off loans

We’re bad at our jobs because we want trophies and recognition

Aside from being narcissistic, we’re also an entitled bunch who struggle at work because our parents apparently made the terrible choice of praising us for everything. It’s almost like we weren’t allowed to be encouraged – even after failing at something –to pursue or goals.

And actually, yes, we do want recognition for our work because many of us have studied and worked hard to get where we are (and are still struggling despite that) and positive reinforcement goes a long way in fostering work great relations, encouraging motivation and letting us know that our work is actually being appreciated.

That’s not only a millennial thing – positive feedback makes most people feel valued, so there’s nothing wrong with asking to be recognised for doing a good job.

Of course, us millennials aren’t all sunshine and roses – you just have to go to Youtube to see some of the really dumb things we get up to – but that doesn’t mean we’re ruining everything.

And also, since when has doing things that helps us to survive in a tough economic climate been comparable to us destroying things? 

WATCH: 12 things millennials are ruining

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