Our society can be broken down into Social Generations, people with a common place in history, a shared life experience, with attitudes and behaviour shaped by the forces in their world. These generations are given names. Here are the ones mostly still alive today:
The Silent Generation, born approximately 1925 until 1942. Fought in WW2, Korea, Vietnam. Used to being bombed, killing and seeing many friends killed. Grew up in very hard economic times. Tough and worldly wise it was their bitter experiences and hard fought freedoms that shaped the modern world. We owe them everything.
The Baby Boomers, born approximately 1946 until 1964. The products of the post WW2 population explosion. The last generation to experience any genuine hardship and austerity. The best educated generation in history. These people grafted hard and created our modern society, putting in far more than they can ever take out.
Generation X, born approximately 1960s until the early 1980s. A much smaller generation brought up in a socially fragmented world of divorce, recreational drugs, latch key childhoods and MTV as their main cultural influence. Self involved, reluctant to grow up, cynical. Creators of our online world.
And now we have Generation Snowflake (also known as Millennials) born early 1980s until around 2000 who have the following characteristics:
- Most of their relationships are online so they have great difficulty relating to real people in the real world.
- Zero experience of genuine hardship or austerity. Privation to them is having to use Android instead of iPhone.
- Incredible emotional immaturity. They seem to be stuck into behaving permanently like spoilt 12 year olds.
- Little or no respect for, or understanding of, other people.
- Being brought up in the sure knowledge that tantrums work. Their emotional reaction to being told “no” is to misbehave till they get their own way. All through life their parents and “educators” have caved in.
- Entitlement. They believe that the world owes them, without them making any contribution.
- Utterly self centred. This is the Me, Me, Me generation. Narcissistic.
- Badly educated. Progressive education, dumbing down and liberal attitudes mean that degrees are the new A levels, at best. And education systems now tell them what to think instead of how to think, so PhD graduates are incapable of the key academic skill of critical thinking. Also there is a proliferation of “liberal arts” degrees which are pretty much hobby subjects, with no relevance to real jobs in the real world. In fact they can make the student unemployable by filling their brains with all the wrong attitudes.
- Very confused sexuality. Their sex education has been online pornography which seems to have caused a lot of emotional harm.
- Embracing the dogma of leftism, totally ignoring all the empirical evidence that this can never work and always causes real harm. They describe all non lefties as “extreme right wing” in a constant demonstration of utter political incomprehension.
- Lack of tolerance for views other than their own often misguided doctrine. They are easily brainwashed, so they usually are. Then they seek to censor those who are not likewise brainwashed.
- Lack of respect for the basic human rights of others, such as free speech. This is incredibly dangerous and ignorant. Orwellian.
- Taking offence at all ideas, attitudes and thoughts other than their own misguided narrow world view. This shows how intellectually crippled they are.
- Brought up to never be allowed to fail, no matter how badly they have done. Everyone now gets lots of worthless GCSEs and A levels, for instance. Their self esteem is constantly, falsely massaged. They are overprotected. This makes them fragile, self centred and filled with entitlement.
- Safe spaces. They demand to be detached from criticism and reality. They are not emotionally or intellectually equipped to face the world.
- Victimhood. The most coddled and spoiled generation in all history always think that they are badly done by. They blame everybody except for themselves. They take no responsibilty for themselves or the consequences of their actions.
- Virtue Gesturing. Some token sign or social media comment to show their commitment to the latest political correctness fad. Such as wearing a safety pin. They never actually try to help anyone who genuinely needs help.
- Cognitive dissonance, confirmation bias and Dunning Kruger are their main intellectual tools.
- Emotional fragility. A loud noise would make them poo their pants. They cry when they don’t get their own way.
- Extreme political correctness. This reveals their lack of education, as explained here (click to open article).
- Giving huge support to issues that they don’t understand and haven’t bothered to learn the facts about. Anti fracking, anti wealth creators, anti British, anti white, anti male, anti heterosexual. Complete absence of critical thinking.
- Never having to do what they are told. Bad parenting and bad education mean the first time they have to be obedient is when they get a job. No wonder there is so much youth unemployment.
- Amazing ignorant hypocrisy. They expect to bask in the fruits of capitalism whilst denouncing it continuously.
- They are the products of and the consequence of the immense malign power of Common Purpose in our institutions and of the malevolent, pernicious and all pervading social conditioning of the BBC. But they do not realise this.
Watch this, it is brilliant:
And, to prove that there is some sense left in the world, read this erudite and considered letter:
Permalink
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, you write some terrible drivel sometimes but this has too be one of the stupidest things I have ever read. The best thing is that all this applies to you as well. Social media echo chamber, cognitive dissonance, Dunning-Kruger, petty and intolerant of other views. You just don’t see it though because as you would like to say, you’re a dogmatic extremist so sure of your delusions that you think that random internet meme, clichés and your own generalising and ill-informed misconceptions constitute evidence. Also I know you might accuse me of being a nasty name-calling leftard or something like that but it doesn’t stop what you write being absolute bullshit.
Permalink
Spot on! Irrespective of whatever political belief, or personal belief, Bruce repeatedly seeks to offend through the lowest form of debate; peddling his own incredibly limited perspective that is reenforced only through his insistence in retweeting only similar content, following only similar minded people and blocking or attacking or both, those that he deems to be wrong. Leon Festinger could literally write a book on you Bruce!
Permalink
Bruce did not simply conger up these ideas on his own ….he simply sistens to what “REAL” Americans are saying. Liberals live in an echo chamber where they pat each other on the back. You guys haven’t lived in the fly-over States, or lived near the U.S. border, or even in a coal town. Therefore, you are out of touch with the subjects that you claim to be knowledgeable of. You know nothing. I have lived in every type place I just mentioned. BTW, you’re here, so Bruce didnt block you as you claim. lol Too funny, thanks for the laugh.
Permalink
Ha,ha. This reply is the biggest joke of all. Hopefully you are joking, right?
Permalink
Yes, I concur. You’re a “nasty name-calling leftard or something like that.”
Permalink
Ok snowflake.
01455 883300 <— call this number to arrange a psychologist who deals with extreme trauma. Your comment proves his point in that it doesn't fit your myopic narrative.
Go cry to someone who gets paid to listen to your are tarded ness
Permalink
Wow. Whoever needs to attack young people (who are actually shown by statistics to be less ego-centrical and more open-minded than previous generations, perhaps thanks to being brought up in the era of open information and fast communication) should maybe get checked with a psychologist to discuss possible issues around self-acceptance and ageing-related stress.
Permalink
anne,
Look how you fail on the pyramid of intellect:
Permalink
Oh yes. Posting shitty memes makes you so intelligent doesn’t it Bruce?
Permalink
My god, so many right wing psychos getting triggered and bitching online about socialism and equality. Can you spell weak? Can you spell thin skin? Shitty memes which make you look like an obnoxious cunt really don’t do much for society. Bruce, you seem especially triggered, as you’ve replied to various comments on here, simply with abuse. You’re pathetic.
Permalink
He is not attacking young people, He is showing examples of a certain attitude that is being condoned and encouraged.
Permalink
Wow Bruce, what happened in your life to make you so resentful towards young people? I presume you haven’t actually met or spoken to many. Maybe you need to get out of your safe space and go and talk to real people instead of basing your views some memes your saw on the Internet. You say people from the early 80s, what does that make the oldest? 34ish? You think the majority of these people have most of their relationships online? That statement sounds like it fits you quite nicely if anything.
Why do present such a personal attack on a whole generation? You are making a lot of generalisations here. Why do you seek to insight such hatred instead of using the wisdom you have gained in life to try and lead and educate the next generation who you write off so quickly. Maybe they’ve failed in your eyes because you’ve failed them.
I pity you Bruce.
Permalink
Yo haven’t mentioned the pointless video games that have fried their minds
Permalink
At least video games are better than these “news” sources that people like you get their information from…..
Permalink
Hey there Bruce. This article gave me some good giggles but I was amazed at all these derogatory comments that followed it. You have the Snowflake generation down to a Tee.
I met a young friend of mine in a pub in another town not far from the town where we live. He was with his girlfriend and her parents. They were going to get a Taxi back, so I offered to bring them back. My car is a 5 seater so there would be no problem. I used the fastest route I knew me being a lorry driver. When I stopped at her parents house to drop them off. I didn’t expect any payment, but her dad gave me a tenner so I said thanks but there was no need but he shoved it in my hand. I said thanks and set off to take my friend(mit girlfriend) to his house. His girlfriend was crying when I dropped them off at his house. I asked him why that was, he said because her dad had given me a tenner for bringing them back. I told him I hadn’t expected any cash for the lift, he told me not to bother about it. Both I and her parents are the older generation. My young friend and his girl are of the Snowflake generation. But still very mysterious…
Permalink
What a yarn, you do know how to tell em.
Permalink
Honestly cannot tell if this article is supposed to be satire or not.
Permalink
For the first time in history those joining the workforce are less well educated than those retiring.
It shows.
Permalink
Please provide some kind of evidence that back up this claim
Permalink
It is true that young people are hurtful these days, more so than I or my friends were in the eighties. It’s hard to put one’s finger in it. I feel that if they are working behind some counter and I walk in they just want me to leave; not that they just feel I owe them something, but they want me to go away.
Maybe they are too caught up in technology to take a real interest in people- but people of all ages seem to be this way these days, which seems to prove somewhat that we as a whole aren’t fully ready- as a society, a planet- for all this technology.
Communication is the best thing in the world, especially face to face. Face to face we have love and respect and we understand body language.
These wars between people sadden me. Yet I can’t deny that I have perceived myself to be treated as utterly unimportant and undesired by the youth in offices and stores where they work. I smile and it isn’t enough. They really just want me to F off- I guess I’m interrupting their texting. Society- even offline- is in sad shape right now. When will we all be friends again?
Permalink
After reading that, i can assure you people of all generations would want you to F off
Permalink
Omg. Best article I’ve read regarding the snowflake emergence. I, my opinion and theory only, theorize the gap generation of snowflakes are the “children” (not young adults they should have been) as those between the ages of 20-26 (+,- a yr or two) My reason for this theory is due to the fact that my son is 18 and, including the majority of his peers at this age, are not crying whining forever 6 yr olds trapped in a 20-26 year old body. They have respect and have minds of their own with the same disgust for the gap snowflakes just as I (late 30s) and anyone else my age (includes slightly younger than myself and everyone above my age). People I know above 26, for the majority have same or lower disgust with the snowflakes and their Marxist attitudes filled with hypocrisy. I commend you for this absolutely awesome article. I even laughed hysterically at the attempted comment attacks the gap snowflakes threw at you. I say attempted because to try and comprehend what they said is mentally exhausting and yet 100% comical. I’m sharing this with my 18 year old son and my 14 year old son. They will definitely make this viral. So as for my 14 year old and his younger step-sister, they just may be the last hope (quoting Star Wars) for society.
Permalink
snowflakes in the comments: detected
Permalink
So, which generation brought up generation snowflake??
Permalink
I am only on this website because I wanted to know what this term “snowflake” meant. I am 28 years old. I am a doctor. I was raised by a single mother with 2 brothers in a lower middle-class family. Nothing was handed to me. I worked my ass off to get to the point that I am today, taking out over 250K of student loans to pay for my education. You call everyone in my generation snowflakes because it fits the narrative in your head that makes you feel the best about yourself and justifies what you say. Sure there are people in my generation that feel entitled that fit your description but if you looked hard enough you would see that sense of entitlement in every generation just in different forms. It’s so easy to find the flaws in others without ever considering the flaws in yourself. I am sorry that you feel so negatively about such a large group of people, maybe if you looked hard enough you would see plenty of hard-working young Americans like myself that would change your mind. But maybe that doesn’t fit the narrative you want to share.
All the best.
Permalink
I was born in 82″ not a snowflake by any means. Bruce you have part if it right. Bit I believe society has alot to do with it. I grew up on working hard for what you want. Snowflakes 18-27yrs old want the world to think like them. They need to accept their election loss and move on. I have many friends who think different then me and I don’t hate them for it. They have a right to their opinion. And if most of you people(aka snowflakes) don’t get this is an editorial. In other words opinion and yet you ask for facts. Well look at the quote protest that turned into riots. Proof enough.
Permalink
Like JLand, I’m only here because I was looking up the meaning of snowflake. I work with high school kids from vocational schools in southeastern Mass. It’s obvious that Bruce has never met the kids I work with,or their parents. Then I looked him up. The guy shills video games…he sells useless pap to the people he purports to despise. The irony abounds.
Permalink
Mike Fink,
Two things. Firstly the generation after the Snowflakes, Generation Z, are starting to become adults just now. They seem to be a lot better adjusted and mostly somewhat embarrassed by the generation ahead of them.
Secondly you don’t seem to have the faintest idea about who plays video games. Or how important the creative arts are in our society.
Permalink
How important creative arts are In our Society ???? Wow. Obviously you don’t see the problems Video games have played on the players. Well if that’s how you make your money or if that’s also your hobbie than of course you don’t see the problem.
Permalink
Last time I checked, our generation (millenials) fought two wars without having to be drafted into it, unlike the so-called “greatest generation.”
Fucking Vietnam draft dodgers bitching about young people is both enraging and hilarious.
Permalink
i guess people with not alot of money have to be uneducated than becuase its “fair” that they cant go to school… besides its called “free speech” protesting isnt breaking any laws.
Permalink
Best article ever! Sharing with everyone!
Permalink
Enjoyed the article & I agree, have witnessed this time & time again. Of course not every millennial is a snowflake but their existence is previlant in millennial generation. If others haven’t noticed, they haven’t been paying attention. Thank you
Permalink
It’s like the leftover hippees from the 60’s did such a “magnificent” job of parenting that their kids turned out to be so incredibly dependent and stupid
Permalink
This is so hilarious and accurate it’s bound to trigger a few snowflakes!
Permalink
The most important thing to remember is that these snowflakey little libtard morons will not win in the end… The reality of life in the real world will crush them. Have no fear.
Permalink
I love the 19 year old Kurdish soldier meme. That heroic young woman is probably dead now thanks to your God, Donald Trump.
Permalink
Stay mad, boomer.
Permalink
Pretty good post.I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts.
https://blog.mindvalley.com/snowflake-generation/