"I am a millennial. Generation Y. Born between the birth of AIDS and 9/11, give or take. They call us the Global Generation. We are known for our entitlement and narcissism. Some say it's because we're the first generation where a kid gets a trophy just for showing up. Others think it's because social media allows us to post every time we fart or have a sandwich for all the world to see. But it seems that our one defining trait is a numbness to the world, an indifference to suffering."
- Madison Montgomery, American Horror Story: Coven.
First off, I love American Horror Story. I have watched it from the very beginning, when it was a seldom heard of show that the guys from Glee produced. AHS has this uncanny ability to delve into social phenomenon in, at times, such a matter of fact manner that it makes the viewer think about what is being said and what message that is conveying (or that could just be me because my literature degree taught me to over analyse everything). That is why this monologue is so fascinating.
I was hesitant about using the word Millennial in the title of my blog. In all honesty, I had tried a dozen different names before finally landing on this one. Millennial, to me, seemed to have so many negative connotations. Narcissistic, entitled, overbearing, over-sharing, lazy, insensitive are just a few things associated with the term, and, whilst they are not completely unfounded, they by no means represent an entire generation. Yes, Generation Y has scored worryingly highly on the Narcissism Scale and yes, I think there is a struggle to differentiate between representation and reality and yes, I do think people show a major lack of sensitivity at times. But we are not all media-centric, zombified hooligans.
I think there are people out there who would empathise with Madison's speech. Although it is a one dimensional way of portraying Millennials, her words pick out some fundamental aspects within society that are related (but not exclusive) to my generation. There is an obsession with social media and the validation it offers us. I know for a fact that if I get over ten likes on a status or photo on Facebook, I feel a smug sense of achievement; it's pathetic, I know, I like to think I would be above that, but, honestly, I'm not. And I'm not alone. Social media gives people a sense of anonymity, where they can say the most cruel things with little care for the consequences or equally portray themselves as a certain persona. People can share offensive material and because the internet is so hard to regulate, it is hard to prevent. But on the flipside the internet exposes us to so much information, which is a fantastic tool to have as we should never stop educating ourselves. However, the speed at which things can be spread means that violent, disturbing or distressing images become old news quickly, resulting in desensitisation over time. This 'indifference to suffering' is part of how we, as a society in general, have been conditioned over time to show a lack of reaction or emotion to even the most shocking of content.
Yet, we are a generation full of contradictions and that's why everyone, including ourselves, cannot quite figure us the fuck out. For all the numbness that supposedly encompasses us, there is also an abundance of emotion in the way we overshare every aspect of our lives; the need to do is because every moment is a defining one to us. We have to constantly reassert ourselves through a 140 character tweet, a selfie on Instagram, a slogan t-shirt, hell, even a tattoo. We are always in search of ways to express ourselves and identify with others. Similarly, the sense of entitlement and self-involvement is balanced out by the fact that we, as a generation, have opened up more areas of discussion than ever before. We are generally more tolerant of others and we are unafraid to confront controversial topics; same sex marriage, mental health, sexism, racism, social hierarchy, the list goes on. We want our voices to be heard and we want to make our mark on the world.
Many have criticised Madison's speech for unfairly attacking us Millennials, but I do not think that is the case. I think the AHS writers are warning us. We could all become numb, cynical and desensitised, like Madison (who, let's face it, turned out to be a cold-hearted, self-centred bitch through and through), if we are not careful. If we do not exercise our humanity then we'll lose it.
In the end I decided that I should not be ashamed of being a Millennial, after all I can hardly deny it and why should I let the media control how I feel about myself anymore than it has done already?! This blog is a platform for me to rant and rave about everything and anything. Some people might read it, most might not. But I believe in the therapy of writing things down. And hey, I wouldn't be a true Millennial if I didn't want to post my thoughts all over the internet. Right?
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