In Chapter 3 of Generation Me, “You Can Be Anything You Want to Be,” the idea of the self-centeredness of this current generation is addressed. According to Twenge, the current timbre of American culture promotes a sense of individuality over a sense of collectivity and societal cohesion: “Even when schools, parents, and the media are not specifically targeting self-esteem, they promote the equally powerful concepts of socially sanctioned self-focus, the unquestioned importance of the individual, and an unfettered optimisim about young people's future prospects” (72). To that end, Twenge notes a decided increase in focus on cultivating children’s ability to do whatever they want, perhaps to their detriment. The idea of excessive individualism and entitlement is presented as a flaw, and one that is specifically problematic to today’s generation.
Twenge notes in this chapter that the American sense of individualism is unique to that culture; when other cultures were to look at American children and parenting, they would perceive it as permissive and overly coddling. The chapter cites Michele Borba, an educational psychologist, who claims that “too many parents subscribe to the myth that if you discipline children, you're going to break their spirit,” stating that “The 'Me Generation' is raising the 'Me-Me-Me Generation’” (76). Other things, including the delayed onset of real adulthood and responsibilities and the increasing personalization of hobbies, has led to a society that caters to what it wants without regard to what anyone else wants. This has brought about an increase in consumerism as well, as everyone needs to have their own clothing, music, and cars that befit their own personality. To that end, Twenge notes that this generation is particular in insulating ourselves in our own egos and interests to this unique degree.
Responding to the claims put forth in this chapter, while I agree that our generation is absolutely focused on the self, this is neither an incredibly bad thing or exclusive to our generation. Twenge often mentions the uses of technology that bring about this added sense of individuality, e.g. iPod playlists on our headphones instead of listening to the radio, etc. I would argue that this individualism has come about partly as a result of the technology and its availability, rather than anything intrinsic to this particular generation. The selflessness and sense of communal spirit that previous generations pride themselves on and enjoyed (to what extent is not covered by nostalgia) was a result of not having these opportunities for self-esteem and individuality that current generations now enjoy. For example, previous generations listened to the radio together because that was their only choice, and would have opted for individual iPod playlists if they had been given the choice.
It is my sincere belief that many of the complaints about the ‘selfishness’ of the current generation boil down to a combination of whitewashing/sugarcoating the past, and holding resentment towards the young. It has been my experience that many of the previous generations are just as self-centered as today’s young adults; they just had fewer opportunities to express and cultivate it. Many of us like to think more fondly of our pasts than we did while we lived them; it seems unlikely that previous generations did not think of themselves just as much as current generations did, and fell into socialized patterns as a result of their parentage in the same way. To that end, false equivalences are being made between what our parents did as opposed to what we do – it is not possible to really compare the two due to differing levels of technology and societal progress. Furthermore, there is a recurring pattern among intergenerational relationships and perception that the new generation is ungrateful and lazy, and much more selfish than the last; the current generation is not a significant leap forward. The children of the 1950s nuclear families grew up to resent the hippies of the 60s and 70s, who then became the corporate ‘greed is good’ Reaganites of the 1980s, turning into the post-Internet hipster millenials. Each new generation has reasons to resent the next, which often has a psychological basis in acknowledging one’s spent youth and the disappointments of adulthood.
Twenge’s thesis has the tenor of resentment at the younger generation for ostensibly having more freedom than they do. It boils down to a grumpy “kids these days” narrative that only serves to poke holes at the greater individuality and opportunities of the younger generation, under the guise of protecting them from a nonspecific kind of misery (which evidently is not part of growing up and dealing with life, but an epidemic specifically affecting Generation Me). The chapter paints struggle and community life as something that is missing from this generation, despite the incredible interconnectivity of the Internet providing greater access to each other than we previously imagined. Because of these contradictions, Twenge’s argument seems to be somewhat spurious and presumptive, seemingly borne out of fear for what might befall them if their dreams are crushed.
Works Cited
Twenge, Jean. E. Generation Me: Why Today’s Young Americans Are More Confident,
Assertive, Entitled – And More Miserable Than Ever Before. Simon & Schuster, 2006.
