7 Things We Learned About Millennials In 2014

There is no better way to reflect on the year than to catch up on all things millennial in 2014!

Putting this list together demonstrated for me that this really has been the year of the millennial. We are a powerful generation. Take a look at my favorite articles and studies from 2014 and see what I mean. 

1. Millennials fighting traditional gender roles in six stories.

2. Millennials are learning that your buying power is also your political power. Here are some great tidbits to help you start buying more responsibly. Did you know that Olive Garden donates to Republicans and Tiffany & Co. donates to Democrats?

3. Redefining charity- terming it "investment." Saving the world like we live here. 

4. This title is deceptive. This is an important piece about the millennial financial seesaw between paying off debt and saving for retirement.

5. The Pew Survey that started it all! My fave- Millennials in Adulthood. 

Seriously, if you haven't read this, you live under a rock.

6. Are the majority of millennials libertarian and just don't know it? Draw your own conclusions, but I think this shows that millennials will be changing the citizenry's relationship with government, no matter what they end up calling themselves.

7. This one is... fun. Understand how millennials interact with their main source of news, satire. 

Biting the Hand That Feeds You

When I was approximately four years old, my aunt was feeding me chicken nuggets, and when I realized that her finger was slightly in my mouth, I bit her. She screeched and launched into a barrage of “why would you do that” and “that really hurts.” Of course, she had every right to be upset. I was left wondering, and still wonder 21 years later, why I did it.

It brings me to another scene that sticks with me, not from my own life. In the movie “Love and Other Disasters” Brittney Murphy is speaking to a new acquaintance and photographer’s assistance, Paolo, about his boss’s talent. When Paolo comes off less than impressed, Murphy’s character says “I think one shouldn't bite the hand that feeds him.” I don’t quite know how to gauge her character from this scene, as the rest of the movie finds her holding a loving disdain of her profession, and a gutsy way of circumventing her own boss.

It leaves me wondering, is it ever okay to bite the hand that feeds you?

I think of organizations I admire like the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, which serves as a watchdog on the philanthropic community, but is also enthusiastically funded by nearly 100 major foundations. This seems like a good example of biting that reaps big rewards.

I ponder, as well, our comedy female role models like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, whose on-screen

personas constantly polish the floor with authority, demonstrating contentious yet often amiable  relationships with their superiors. These TV work environments hardly scratch the surface of the balancing act that is professional relationships, too often opting for familial and safe as opposed to impersonal and detached. Though I wouldn’t try this at home, I do find that these shows demonstrate, especially to women, that standing up for your opinions at work can be rewarding and often worth the risk.

In our personal lives, when is it better to hold our ground or succeed? One end of the spectrum leaves us stagnant, the other, alone, with only an angry aunt to show for it. I am still experimenting in this area, but I believe it is a question we should consistently ask ourselves. 

Capitalism That Gives a Crap

“Caring capitalism” may seem to some an oxymoron, but it is the newest buzzword for the increasing trend in socially conscious investing among millennials. According to the Chronical in Philanthropy, the nation’s top news source for those interested in nonprofit development and grant-making, millennials are becoming increasingly aware of the political capital housed in their financial capital. In fact, $1 in every $6 of professionally-managed assets are invested using sustainable and impact investing strategies.

As government continues to express blatant disregard for its constituents’ wishes, young people opening retirement accounts and inheriting money are acting to shape the private sector instead. Instead of donating to political campaigns, they are seeing better results in buying according to their values.

Conscientious consumerism, as with all political capital, is narrowed down to a very simple formula: the more you put in, the more you get out. How does one become a caring capitalist? It can be as simple as buying a reusable shopping bag. I break it down into four basic actions:

1. Boycotting- this is a classic, a very powerful tactic. I personally boycott any product tested on animals or clothing made with fur. Given the right publicity and right-sized mobilization, these methods can see significant results very quickly (I think back to the Montgomery Bus Boycott).

2. Buycotting- the opposite of a boycott. This tactic is responsible for the increase in availability of organic foods in supermarkets. It’s as simple as supply and demand. When we demonstrate demand for a certain product, businesses scramble to supply it.

3. Socially Responsible Investing- While I understand that it is nearly impossible to convince a twenty-somebody to open a retirement account, once you do, make sure you know the companies you are supporting with those dollars. Many asset managers have funds designated “socially responsible,” and the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible investment keeps track of these funds while monitoring performance.  

4. Donating to charity- though this tactic won't render a direct return, it is still a vital component to a healthy financial life. According to Giving USA's 2013 report on charitable giving, 72% of charitable contributions come from individuals. Personal giving is the single most important determinate of a thriving nonprofit sector, and there are even ways to be conscientious about charitable giving, with organizations like CharityNavigator.org and CharityWatch.org can help you maximize the power of your donation.    

Is asking for special treatment really the new feminism?

I don't usually get this political, but I am a bit protective of the feminist movement, and when I see it being threatened, I get a little angry. Today the topic is paid menstrual leave. Seriously. The world of work may be the high school lunch room, but that doesn't mean it should also be gym class.


How is this threatening to feminism, you may ask....

You want pay equity? Stop being so expensive to hire! Competitive pay comes from being competitive in the workforce. Government can't force that on business (see the American Disabilities Act of 1990 that actually increased unemployment among the disabled).

And before you try to make the argument that women will be more productive overall with menstrual leave, let me tell you that no one can make up for three days of missed work by simply being happier with their job.  

This is infuriating. I have insane cramps and hot flashes. I know what this feels like. But I dealt with it, because my strength doesn't come from being treated differently. I hope no one ever makes an exception for me because I am a women. This just opens up feminism up for reactionary sexism.

I think the fourth wave of feminism should be characterized by the fight for equality among the sexes with a healthy appreciation of the differences between women and men. When we try to ignore our differences (e.g. how carrying children and motherhood is part of the female experience that cannot be duplicated for men), our arguments fall apart. However, when we try to use these differences to ask for special privileges, we ask for society to care for us.

The fight for economic equality is fought in the workforce, when we ask for privileges like paid menstrual leave, we step off the field, even if it's for a couple of days a week. Women become less competitive and more expensive to employers. 

During the fight for suffrage, it took fifty years to convince society that women should be equal to men in the public sphere, let's not set back that argument by proving them wrong.