Millennial Changes: What Some Are Glad They ‘Ended’ or ‘Ruined’
Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, as defined by the Pew Research Center, bear the brunt of a lot of scrutiny. They are faulted for various reasons, from their perceived role in significant economic shifts due to lower home-buying rates to their everyday choices, such as the popularization of avocado toast.
One example of criticism involves millennials allegedly affecting the napkin industry. A study highlighted by the Washington Post found that only 56 percent of respondents had purchased napkins in the previous six months, while 86 percent had bought paper towels.
Between 2012 and 2017, mayonnaise sales experienced a 6.7 percent decline, with a viral article in Philadelphia Magazine attributing this trend to changing tastes among millennials.
While not scientifically validated, a viral Tweet, accumulating over 126,000 retweets and nearly 600,000 likes, suggested that millennials killed off the use of doorbells. Instead, they tend to text the word “here” instead of ringing doorbells.
Now some people are taking to social media to talk about things that they appreciate millennials for influencing or changing. On a Reddit thread, user BigCuppaCoff33 posed the question, “What are you proud of that millennials have actually ‘ended’ or ‘ruined?’”
A mix of serious and fun responses.
One person on Reddit had some thoughts about how work is changing nowadays. They’re glad there seems to be a shift away from what they perceive as “abusive employer-employee relationships.” They claim that this idea was established by previous generations. “That whole ‘loyalty to the workplace’ ‘work is the most important thing.’ Don’t go above and beyond, act your wage and pay me what I’m worth,” they wrote.
Another Redditor highlighted a shift in parenting attitudes. They praised millennial dads for making fatherhood trendy and challenging the stereotype of absent fathers. Additionally, the discussion touched on millennials being credited with addressing stigmas. Those related to mental health, depression, and anxiety. Also mentioned is working towards reducing biases against the LGBT+ community.
On a lighter note, some contributors humorously expressed appreciation for what they see as a move away from “crappy” chain restaurants. They specifically mention Hooters. Others expressed relief that millennials are leaning towards a more minimalistic approach. This includes fewer knick-knacks, even when it comes to expensive items like fine China.
Check out the full thread here.
