Ever wonder what our generation will be known for in the decades to come? I ponder the question regularly.
There are so many great things we could be remembered for, but if history has taught us anything, it’s the negative that tends to last the test of time, not the positive.
My greatest worry is our generation will be looked at as the generation that gave up on love. We date for the sake of dating. The generation that forgot how to love — which is ridiculous. Most people have never had a good understanding of love, just a poor interpretation of it.
Generation-Y seems to be the first generation moving away from conventional takes on romantic, loving relationships.
The only question that remains is whether we’ll be remembered for being the first generation to accept a more logical and rational take on love or the generation that gave up on it altogether.
I guess you’ll be the one to decide.
1. We care more about instant gratification than we do anything else.
The most common trend amongst Generation-Yers is our need for instant gratification. We grew up and continue to thrive in a culture that allows us instant access to just about anything.
If we want food, we have it delivered with the click of a few buttons or we walk a block or two and grab dinner. If we are bored, we have endless distractions in the form of phone apps. If we need directions or a question answered, it only takes us a couple of seconds.
Such convenience is entirely a modern-day perk — previous generations never experienced anything even remotely close to it.
The problem is instant gratification is addicting and often becomes a habit, a habit that tends to seep into our love lives.
Love isn’t meant to be experienced in an instance, but in a lifetime.
2. We’ve built a culture driven by drugs and booze.
This goes hand in hand with our culture’s need for instant gratification. Drugs and booze are the most common form of self-medication.
When we feel sad or unhappy, we go out for drinks. When we’re stressed or unable to handle our lives, we may turn to more intense substances. Of course, not everyone drinks alcohol and/or does drugs, but it is a trend among our generation.
Drugs and alcohol often end up being love’s worst enemy. These substances give us the illusion of an alternate reality — a reality in which our emotions are heightened, and the love we experience becomes exponentially intense.
Unfortunately, all this does is confuse us, making us believe love is little more than the feelings we experience. Nothing could be further from the truth.