A Tentative Study Of The Millennial Generation

The Millennial Generation, born between 1982 and 2002, is the largest and probably the most diverse generation in American history. An in-depth analysis of this new generation is not only helpful for a good understanding of the present-day America, but also useful for a fair appreciation of the direction of the U.S. in the future. Based on primary and secondary sources, including academic papers, news reports, business or political surveys and national statistics, the present study probes into the Millennial Generation from a variety of aspects, tracing the social backgrounds during their formative years, examining their lifestyles, and analyzing their deep-rooted values and political orientation. The thesis argues that Millennials'unique collective personae are formed by the interaction of the specific economic and social backgrounds in which they were born and raised up and their deep-rooted values; and that their distinctive responses to the major social, moral and political issues are good reflections of their unique value orientations and political ideas. This thesis concludes that in comparison with the earlier generations, Millennials are more treasured and valued by their parents and American society; endure more pressures to success; are exposed to more strict school rules and have to face more financial burdens. They are digital-native, socially-conscious, color-blind, tolerant of the time-old moral issues and politically progressive. Since this generation are still coming of age, it is possible that their lifestyles and values may undergo big changes when their social background alters. The conclusions reached by this thesis are based on the current sources and statistics available, and are good interpretations of Millennials current features. The present thesis may also serve as a reliable reference for the prediction of Millennials'future development.