The day millennials realize that they haven’t got it figured out is the worst. Time Magazine published Joel Stein’s The Me, Me, Me Generation, as well as Andrea McAlister’s Teaching the Millennial Generation. Both articles depicted millennials’ feelings about that dreaded ‘aha’ moment. Both articles highlight the technological advancements of millennials in both school and private life.

Andrea McAlister, in her article, Teaching the Millennial Generation discusses how teens have become more proficient at multitasking. She also mentions that current educational systems and methods are outdated. Children are able do more but learn less over time. McAlister begins the article by discussing how outdated the educational system is compared to modern society. She argues that because most of the people in our generation “never lived without the internet”, it is counterproductive to use older teaching methods. Modern societies are advancing in terms of technology and culture, and this is affecting the way children learn. McAlister brings up that the children’s brains may still be processing the information even if they don’t retain it. Their work habits may also have caused them to struggle with retaining knowledge. She uses the phrase “Several studies have shown the learning is affected when one tries to process many layers of unrelated material at once” in order to prove that the use of a secondary stimulus is indeed affecting their understanding and retention. McAlister states that these “…children are capable of texting, talking and doing homework while listening music. But that doesn’t mean they can retain the necessary information. Multitasking is a skill that children of the millennial generation have mastered. They can no longer complete homework without an external stimulus. In the end, they will need external stimuli in order to be able recall the information. This information will not stop them from trying their best to balance all of the activities they have planned, including classes, sports and recreational activities. They can also listen to music as part of these activities.

Joel Stein, who wrote The Me, Me, Me Generation, a Times Magazine article, talks about the millennials’ loss of self-advancement, their dependence, and the changes that are being noticed by the baby boomer generation. Baby boomers have more of a “do, don’t do” attitude, while millennials tend to “think before doing”, something that is valued by employers and military recruiters because they are well-prepared for the future. But there’s a second side to this change in behavior. Millennials are now more than three times likely to be diagnosed with a narcissistic character disorder when they reach their 20s, as opposed to the older generation. It is their narcissistic character that causes them to feel entitled, as they believe they should get everything …. without having to do any work. These millennials, despite being narcissistic and spoiled, are more dependent on their parents to provide financial assistance. Stein says that even though he’s “lame”, he also admits to relying on his dad for advice and financial assistance when he first started his career and his life. The millennial generation is increasingly dependent on the parents, both for financial support and housing. This is a common occurrence. Stein’s article explains that you will not grow as a person if your social circle isn’t more mature. Stein claims “17 year olds don’t grow up when they are only around 17-year-olds”. In a few more mentions, Stein attributed this new quality to the constant use by millennials of social media to keep up with others and their peer pressure. In order to avoid feeling left out, millennials use Facebook and Instagram while chatting with friends. This all comes down to the fact that millennials believe they can handle everything.

Joel Stein’s The Me, Me, Me Generation, and Andrea McAlister’s Teaching the Millennial Generation have similar topics, but differ in the tone they use to discuss millennials. They both talk about how millennials don’t help themselves with the things they do and the actions they take. Both authors have shown how the millennials in their lives have grown, whether for better of worse. The millennial is always talking on the phone to others and assimilating with their peers in order for them to be a part of society and have a constant communication source with the rest of it. In this way, they can be seen as a generation that is not able to cope with the world because they are constantly on their phones and trying to accomplish everything. Both articles have a negative tone, but Andrea McAlister’s description of millennials is unambiguous.

Joel Stein, Andrea McAlister and others do an amazing job describing the millennial generation and their multiple viewpoints. The two articles compare the positives and the negatives they have in their lives, as well comparing them to the behavior of previous generations.