Kids Today and Their Cell Phones

Warning: angry (yet insightful) rant ahead

Last semester, a woman with whom I chat on the Georgetown bus pointed out that when I have my headphones in, she doesn't feel like she should interrupt me. It never occurred to me how inaccessible listening to music in public makes you appear. This must be why I hear so many older people complaining about our obsession with our phones and ear buds.

I had never realized how much I needed my headphones until today. I was leaving the metro station and I smiled at a guy that was waiting with me for the elevator; I received a blank stare. I frowned and reached for my headphones. It was in that moment that I made the connection. My goal is to signal that I am inaccessible. I create my own space. I listen to my music to escape.

Escape what, exactly? Well, the commute on the streets of DC supply sights and interactions that, in my opinion, demand escapism. You want examples? I'll give you three from my last two commutes (seriously, I have THREE absolute peaches from just TWO days). First, Friday evening, I passed a man who was asking for money, but he wasn't asking for money. His sign read (pardon my language, I'm quoting) “Fuck you. Give me money.” I'm not kidding. 

This city's full of class....

My second example has to do with transportation etiquette. Babyboomers complain about kids today being rude on the bus. Eat my shorts. I hopped on the bus and there were two (TWO!) people sitting in the aisle seats with empty window seats next to them. They were not disabled; they did not have cumbersome luggage. They were just assholes (pardon my language again, or not). Five people were standing. This is a Metro Express bus, which means that once it picks people up in one location, it goes 5 or more miles before dropping anyone off. That's a long time to stand and get jerked around if you don't have to.

Finally, I was walking home this evening and a man honked his horn to get my attention. He was catcalling me with his car (or honk-approving my ass) As he rounded the corner on which I was waiting, he kept his eyes on me in a predatory way, and honked again, I guess to signal that he still approved. I can't even begin to explain how mad this makes me. Screw you, creeper. 

This is the public sphere that kids today are avoiding with their headphones.

I have pulled my headphones out to talk to very interesting people on the bus and train. The majority of the time, these experiences make my day, sometimes my week. I love talking to friendly people! If you want us to look up from our phones and pull out the ear buds, offer us a better alternative.

Until then, I'm going to listen to Lorde and you can keep your opinions about kids today to yourself.

#SorryNotSorry

and now... an otter plays dead.

Navigating the Net Generation at Work

This is an old piece I wrote last year for Americans Empowered, my freelance consultancy.

Generational differences in the workplace can be difficult to navigate. Very often, the Net Generation or Millennials (those born around and between 1981–2004) enter a job and do not share the same assumptions as their supervisors. Likewise, their supervisors and older cohorts are often caught off-guard by these differences. Millennials can seem lazy and unreliable, when, in fact, they have the potential to be our most efficient workers yet. Technology has changed the brain chemistry of the newest generations, giving them the ability to multitask better than any generation before. (This is commonly found in academic research, but if you want to take a quick look check out http://forum.uschamber.com/MillennialsReport.)

The key to working with Millennials, or any generation, is understanding their assumptions and their incentives.

Let’s begin with Millennial assumptions. This generation wants work to help define their image. This means if their company makes a move, politically, socially, or economically, with which they do not agree, they are outta there! They want to contribute to a company whose mission fits their life mission, whose values reflect their values.

Millennials also assume they will receive feedback. This is the most important thing for a manager to remember. Positive feedback, especially, keeps millennials on track and keeps them motivated. If there is no feedback or if it is only negative, millennials will become discouraged and assume they are not satisfying management.




Feedback is also a vital part of incentivizing Millennials. Reward good behavior! But understand this doesn't necessarily mean reward them with money. The best strategy for rewarding Millennials is to trust them. Trust is currency. Micromanagement is so twenty years ago! Giving a Millennial a task and deadline and trusting them to complete it is often the greatest reward you can offer. *Remember to be available and open to questions.


Finally, know that Millennials develop respect for authority figures only after skill and competence is demonstrated. They also expect the workplace to be casual and open; they don’t speak the formal corporate language of past generations.

Infographic: The Case For College

This is my first attempt at an infographic, so please be gentle!

Playing Professional, Playing Dress-up

      For the twenty-somebodies, our early professional jobs can be surreal and foreign. It feels very much like playing dress-up to depart from casual blue jeans land for blazer world. I'm a naturalized citizen of blazer land, but I sometimes find myself insecure below the ankle.

      Some relationships come to define us. One of my longest and most significant attachments has been to my black booties. They've been my foundation through four nasty winters, two colleges, five jobs, six apartments, nine cities, two break-ups and one elopement. They've stepped in Parvo-infested puppy poop (TMI?), they've subsequently been bleached and boiled, they've been caked in snow and salt, rain and mud. Their soles have worn down and been replaced by cardboard. They're so sad and old, I should retire them, but their nearly-obscene decrepitude just makes me want to push that line a little more.

What is more twenty-somebody than mismatched, Dr. Seuss socks?
PS- Macey insisted on being in the photo. How could I deny that face???

      Many of us know how hard it is to keep up with rent and loan repayments, much less invest in comfortable yet attractive professional costumes. Do you have an article of clothing that is way past its prime, but you just can't part with it? Do you feel like you're an imposter at work? Like you're playing dress-up?

Feel free to post photos of your elderly clothing items, and please enjoy this elderly video about an old shirt.

Best wishes for a fabulous President's Day weekend!

Jeannie

The Perks of Being an Entitled Brat

      I think we need to talk about this idea of entitlement.

      Millennials find themselves deflecting accusations of entitlement by citing the philosophy of Barney the Dinosaur, their numerous trophies for existing (everyone is honorably mentioned, really?), and their English professors delineating the many careers you will be prepared for with the degree. I argue that entitlement starts at home, and that parents are largely to blame for this phenomenon. Our parents did have great opportunities to give us everything we ever wanted. Baby Boomers have the most buying power of any generation that’s ever existed, ever. Not to mention the economic optimism of the 90’s, when most of us were begging for Barbie Dream Houses. Who doesn’t want the best for their kids? It doesn’t even have to be financial. My mother has pointed out that when she played basketball as a kid, her parents never took her to practice or attended games. My husband, who was raised largely by his grandparents, agreed with her. That is unthinkable in the minivan-chauffeuring, boosters pizza-selling, helicopter-soccer-momming world we live in today.

     I say all that so I can say this…

           

     I try to be somewhat objective about myself. I don’t like to wallow in self-loathing or self-adoration. To take on one of the extremes is to always find yourself up against contradicting evidence. Therefore, I declare my entitlement to be only slightly above average (like, maybe 60%). Here is the evidence I’m using: my mother still helps me out with my cell phone bill and is there if I get in over my head, but I am independent to a fault, so I hate asking for help and rarely do. I have a lot of experience in my field

that should make me a worthy candidate for mid-level positions, but I do not expect to be hired in as an Executive Director after college. I work my ass off for every grade, paycheck, and reward. I don’t accept undue compliments, but I do expect acknowledgement when I do well. I depend on my husband too much to do household chores, and I get upset if my friends aren't available for drinks. I’ve not had a hard life, but I have had to suffer through the emotional and financial injury of lengthy unemployment.  I am lucky, and expect the opportunity to keep building good fortune. I expect that from my government, most of all.

           

      I don’t, however, see entitlement as a bad thing. If my inflated sense of privilege has done anything for me, it has made me fearless. Just yesterday I struck up a conversation with the local Arts Commissioner about my ideas for a local program. We had an extended conversation, and she was very supportive. Last week, I had three meetings with local non-profit staffers that I set up for no reason beyond my curiosity and to build my network. I'll take no for an answer, but I'll also rephrase the question and try again. I think our sense of entitlement raises our floor on “the worst that can happen” and provides that extra push we need to express ourselves and take risks. We need to use that fearlessness to be a force for good! Let's demand from our government, our society, and our experience growth, fairness, and opportunity. We deserve it. 

I would accompany this optimism with a healthy dose of humility—if you don’t have anything nice or meaningful to say, just don’t. But we have constructive things to say! If acting on this makes us entitled brats, we should wear the label proudly!     

The Case Against College

     I am a huge fan of The Good Life Project with Jonathan Fields, and his most recent show really made me think. He interviews Noah Bradley, a successful artist who has recently come out as being anti-art school.

Check out Noah's article here and his interview on The Good Life Project here. 

     You should definitely listen to the podcast and read the article, but essentially he is saying that unless you get a fantastic scholarship or your parents are generous and rich, you really ought to explore alternatives to the traditional art school model. You'll find yourself squirming under thousands of dollars in debt with no escape route.

     It's been my experience that it's not just art students that should think twice before going to college. Many majors are failing to pay off in this dreadful economy which, let's face it, is healing but not for us. This doesn't necessarily mean you should shirk college, but that it's an investment that needs to be very carefully considered.

      As a first generation college student, higher education was something I entered into blindly. I was expected to go to college, but only if I received a full-ride through West Virginia's PROMISE scholarship. It was certainly not celebrated when I tacked on an extra year for another major, and I expect to spend the next decade justifying a Master's Degree from a very expensive University to my family.

     I did not pick a thriving major that guaranteed me a job after graduation. My Political Science and Psychology degrees were actually liabilities when I applied to jobs. We are all familiar with the term "overqualified". But the fact of the matter is, I wasn't qualified for anything beyond interesting conversation. In
the podcast, Jonathan shares that even after he finished law school, he didn't know how to be a lawyer. College may serve various purposes, like self-actualization for its students and the growth of knowledge, but its core purpose is manufacturing viable economic actors (granted, high school doesn't do a great job of this, either). Otherwise, what are we going into major debt for?

     Once I realized that my Bachelor's was not getting me anywhere (other than behind the counter of a Dunkin Donuts), I applied to Georgetown for a Masters. I was no longer blind, and I had a new set of expectations for myself and the program. I had failed to network sufficiently in undergrad, so I stepped that up X1000. I am not at Georgetown to find myself, I am purchasing a name, a network, and a degree. We can only wait and see if it was a worthy investment.

     This is a conversation worth having, and I plan to make it a theme in this blog. What are your thoughts? Comment and let me know.







   

Book Review: The Apartisan American

 Russell Dalton's The Apartisan American

     In high school, I was heavily involved with the Young Republicans during the very intense Bush-Kerry election. The Young Democrats and the Young Republicans had been hanging posters and running self-made commercials on the closed-circuit cable channel during morning announcements. For a zero-stakes high school campaign, things were heating up. I was at lunch, preparing for another meeting, when an announcement came over the intercom "The first meeting of the Young Independents will be held in Mr. McClanahan's room in ten minutes." I smiled to myself because I knew what this meant. It was a few boys who were tired of the commotion and were making fun of us. Indeed, when I peaked into the classroom, it was empty save for the three suspects and the appeasing teacher, chomping on pizza and talking about everything except politics.

      Four years later, I was interning in Washington for my Senator, and attending as many Hill Intern events as possible. Barney Frank was one of the speakers in the series. He spoke on partisanship. He was dismissive of the issue of polarization. I will never forget what he said, "There are usually only a few answers to problems, so parties stand for these answers. In my experience, people who call themselves Independents are just uninformed and apathetic to politics."

     He wasn't wrong. For a long time, the general understanding was that partisanship indicated political involvement and likelihood to vote. Independents were considered uninformed, disengaged, and unreliable. Indeed, to this day, independents don't turn out to vote and they are uninformed about the parties and the political realities surrounding them. Despite this, Russell Dalton demonstrates that independents are taking on a new form, one of rising significance--apartisans. In The Apartisan American, Dalton delves into the common understanding of the electoral spread, pulling apart the label “independent” and providing us with a workable, increasingly relevant image of the new American voter.

     An apartisan independent is a voter who holds ideology and policy goals as the most important variables in his or her vote choice, wherein the majority of Americans considered

party affiliation to be paramount. Dalton disaggregates American voters into two sets of four groups. First, we have ritual partisans and apolitical independents, generally, the status quo understanding of the electorate in which people depend on inherited party ties and apathetic independents. Secondly, there are cognitive partisans and apartisans, who are more highly educated and are able to process complex political information in order to reach individual conclusions that either consistently match to a party platform or do not.

      Today, fewer Americans express party identification that any other time in modern electoral history, but this doesn't mean that the electorate is less informed or more apathetic. In fact, apartisans represent a highly educated demographic, one that does not require the short-hand of party platforms to conceptualize policy goals. Dalton attributes this to improved cognitive mobilization, wherein people are better equipped to synthesize information to reach conclusions about politics. As Dalton repeatedly states, we are becoming better citizens.

      Dalton also mentions that this trend is concurring with changes in our actions. Ritual partisans tend to care about their side winning, much like a bandwagon RedSox fan during this World Series, so they vote to keep their party on top. Dalton likens the cognitively mobilized to fans that know the stats about the entire starting lineup, these groups vote because they are engaged in the process. As the public strengthens its understanding of the political process, access points for intervention open up. The cognitively mobilized have the skills, and they are being utilized. Political action, both direct and indirect, is increasing significantly, and apartisans are at the fore of this trend.

     Better education is the pertinent variable in Dalton's argument. He takes an international perspective to demonstrate that this trend is not simply an American phenomenon. Indeed, it is prevalent in many developed nations. Its impact, though, is deeper in nations that have parliamentary systems, since they allow for more access to third-parties.

      The implications for this could be serious and are hard to predict. Dalton is generally optimistic, stating that this will likely lead to campaigns that focus on pragmatic, not ideological solutions. Subsequently, issues and candidates will become more important than party affiliation. Elections will depend more heavily on independents, so the ramifications will depend on how the parties react to this trend. He cautiously states that this could mean that voters will become more susceptible to charisma or appeals to self-interested policy proposals.

       One issue that Dalton didn't address in predicting the implications was the increase in single-issue voting. I believe that as this trend deepens, people will depend increasingly heavily on their passions for singular issues. This plays out now in regards to abortion. The pro-life movement does a great job of staying relevant to national elections, as many people consider it the initial litmus test for a candidate, despite the fact that abortion hasn't been a federal issue in decades. Single-issue voting can have the same ramifications that partisan voting has, but the scope is much more limited in terms of what is required of candidates.

      Finally, I took issue with Dalton's lack of credence to the media as an influential actor. The media landscape we currently see is highly divisive, and I think that it has the potential to slow apartisan growth. Conversely, this movement may impact the media by ending the demand for myopic, deeply slanted coverage and commentary. I wonder, if we controlled for increasing polarization in the media, would the trend of apartisans be amplified or remain unchanged?

      This book presents a new angle on the common conceptualization we have used to examine the electorate. It disaggregates the title “independent” in a meaningful way. It also provides a mostly optimistic outlook on the trajectory of the American political scene. It calls on us to continue the trend of increasing understanding of the political process, increased efficacy of the electorate, and more pragmatic approach to voter choice.       

Are you there, Future? It’s me, Gen Y.

Don’t get me wrong.

I would love to have a perfect elevator speech about the unique set of skills I could bring to your organization, but let's face it, I would sweep the floors if it meant not having to make sandwiches.

My mother is tired of hearing about my internships, aka "jobs with expiration dates" and my friends are tired of paying off their student loan debt by working at minimum wage. Nothing I can say about my generation will surprise you. Wherein some believe we are entitled and lazy, others will praise our ingenuity, our connectedness, and our optimism.

I don't want this blog to be an attack or defense on twenty-somethings. There is a contentious conversation in our society regarding the merits and demerits of the millennial generation, a highly valuable conversation. We are unique characters in a unique time. Unfortunately, I really have no opinion. Some of us are motivated, engaged, and generally rocking at life. Some of us are miserably entitled, disrespectful, and uninteresting. All I know is my experience, right now. That's what I want to share. I also want to explore the experiences of others in the context of finding yourself in the terrifying gap between "young" and "professional".

This blog will be an evolving story of finding yourself and your place on the planet.