Life
Here's What Millennials Are Like In Other Countries Around The World
We all know how millennials are frequently painted in the media in the U.S. — entitled, immune to hard work, obsessed with avocado toast. While millennials are frequently an unfairly maligned generation, the tropes have nonetheless stuck — apparently so much so that it inspired a recent Reddit thread, where people outside of the U.S. described what millennials are like in other countries as a basis of comparison. What resulted was a fascinating glimpse at how our generation views themselves — and how they are consequently viewed by other generations — around the world.
Because the truth is, all too often we get so wrapped up in our own narratives and the way we are reflected in the society that immediately surrounds us. But millennials — defined as the generation between 1981 and 1996 by Pew Research — have vastly different experiences across the globe, with their own unique advantages, disadvantages, and cultural assumptions. So while American millennials may be feeling the heat of older generations on their backs, that might not be the case for millennials everywhere else. Given the well-known tension between American millennials and other generations, here's what people in other countries had to say on a viral Reddit thread talking about millennial experiences beyond our own.
1India
Plenty of engineers, not enough jobs. Difficulty finding employment? That's definitely something American millennials can relate to. Although to be fair, we can find jobs — just not jobs that pay enough.
2Spain
If you've ever seen the long list of things that millennials have "killed" in the U.S., you'll recognize the narrative this redditor in Spain is referring to a little TOO well.
3Indonesia
There is quite a difference in culture here, although challenges when it comes to affording a decent place of your own are definitely obstacles American millennials can understand.
4The Netherlands
I'm sorry — this exists? This is real life? Can we all move to the Netherlands? I pinkie promise we'll leave behind the $1.48 trillion in student loan debt Student Loan Hero says we owe. We never liked it anyway.
5Ireland
Hey Ireland, you OK? There's a lot going on over there. It sounds like the country is quite divided, although possibly without the level of animosity toward millennials you might find elsewhere. They must not be spending as much money on smashed avocado.
7England
It's not entirely surprising that millennials in England are viewed the same way millennials here are, considering how closely-related a lot of the media we consume has been both for our generations and the generations preceding us.
8Italy
Don't you love it when the cost of living goes up but your paycheck stays exactly the same month after month, year after year? This problem is certainly a widespread one for millennials.
9Dominican Republic
It seems like there is definitely pressure on millennials regardless of the country or the culture, manifesting in different ways. But if this Reddit thread shows us anything, it's that every millennial's experience is unique — from person to person, from family to family, and from country to country. You can view the rest of the thread in its entirety here.
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