Huffington Post Article on Gen Y’s as GYPSYs: A Limited Viewpoint

You may have seen the viral article published in the Huffington Post claiming that Gen Y’s are full of self importance and because of the gap between their expectations and reality they are unhappy. The article labelled them as “GYPSY’s” to read the article go here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wait-but-why/generation-y-unhappy_b_3930620.html

I have trouble with the tone of this article and the one sided view from which it was written.

Of course the article pokes fun at the Gen Y’s and states the Gen Y’s are self important, entitled and adverse to hard work. The authors seem to get a perverse pleasure out of making it seem that Gen Y’s are the creators of the current ‘reality’.

Here’s my list of what I think was missing from the article’s message:

Gen Y’s have inherited the current job reality created by their predecessors Traditionalists, Baby Boomers and Gen X .

Gen Y’s believe they are special because not only have their parents told them so but so has the media and social media- the article proposes to have them stop thinking they are so special.

I wonder if Mark Zuckerberg (Gen Y Facebook CEO) or Lena Dunham (Gen Y Writer/Actor for HBO “Girls”)  would have become  successful if they did not have parents or mentors who helped them harness their ‘specialness’ to achieve their success.

Gen Y’s are not happy when working for a Baby Boomer who wants to impose unneeded rules and flout time on job  as markers for success- they would rather live at home and start their own business than suffer under arrogant leadership.

Gen Y’s are not buying that the only way to success is through ‘time’ they believe in competence, performance and using technology to create solutions.

In my opinion Gen Y’s ARE special and here is why:

They are innately creative and there are many Gen Y’s who are doing amazing things in the workplace, for the planet and for the environment.

They are socially connected through technology in a way that helps to create solutions for business and for the planet.

They are willing to work hard when they are inspired to do so, they do not see the value in following in the path of tired, jaded and cynical baby boomers.

I found the Huffington Post article as taking a shot at Gen Y’s and it might have been helpful to give advice that would actually help a Gen Y succeed in today’s competitive work market rather than tell them to ‘stop thinking they are so special’.