Boomerang Kids

“Hi Mom, I’m Home!”

Dear Damon Casarez,

Millenials catch a lot of flack. We’re told that we lack focus. We’re overly heuristic and lazy. We think success is just going to fall in our laps and if it did, we wouldn’t recognize it because nothing is good enough for us. We’re special (so we were told growing up). As a result we end up living with our parents and suffering the social consequences. Well 1 in 5 of us do according to the NYT Magazine article.

I lived with my parents for a solid 6 months after college. I chose to look for the right job (which turned out to be the wrong job) rather than make the rent while underemployed. It was comfortable and only slightly embarrassing. Plus refrigerator stayed full (still does).

As we redefine what it means to be a young adult in America, I have to ask myself whether the Great Recession is to blame or if we have drastically different morals than previous generations. Maybe the concept of independence from our parents isn’t as necessary because we have the ability craft our own digital identity. Someone’s place of residence does not define them as strictly as it once did. Facebook friend’s don’t know you live with your parents, they just see pictures of you drinking at a bar or dressed up for a wedding.

Overall, I don’t see “boomeranging” back to our parents house after college as such a bad thing. I think we should be thankful to have parents who love us enough to welcome us home, even after they payed for college (if you’re lucky). Plus, we’re going to live longer than any generation ever has, so we’re just taking a few extra years to figure things out.

At least I hope so.

Catching a Buzz

Dear Jonah Peretti (Founder) and Jon Steinberg (President),

I am a millennial. I’m part of the “fast-forward generation.” The Attention Deficit Disorder generation. The participation award generation. Millenials have acquired lots of titles, few of which are flattering (haters). Many of these stem from the way we consume media. As journalism continues to evolve, some would say die, BuzzFeed is stacking up the likes and shares with your list-centric, easily digestible content. Many say that Buzzfeed is another nail in the coffin of journalism, a once proud and honorable industry. In reading the fine print of your ‘about’ section, Buzzfeed doesn’t claim to be the next New York Times, to quote:

“BuzzFeed is the social news and entertainment company. BuzzFeed is redefining online advertising with its social, content-driven publishing technology. BuzzFeed provides the most shareable breaking news, original reporting, entertainment and video across the social web to its global audience of 100M.”

For the most part, I would agree with this statement though “original reporting” might be a stretch. But you’re not out there trying to bring social issues to light or a break the story of the decade (or year, or month). You want views, click-thrus, and shares because it makes money. A wise man once said “cash rules everything around me,” so I can’t hate.

I know how much you like lists so here are the top 7 things that Buzzfeed achieves in my opinion.

7. Creating shareable, topical lists (obviously)

6. Cluttering my Facebook newsfeed

5. Distracting me at work, thanks (seriously)

4. Aggregating the backwash of the internet

3. Capturing the zeitgeist of the social media generation

2. A snicker here and there

1. Combating Smarm

I’m interested to watch the progression of Buzzfeed. As long as there are pictures of puppies and kittens on the internet you’ll be just fine.

Sincerely, Hayden