Dear Paul Carr,
On Monday, TechCrunch published a rather unsurprising story, which itself was based on a rather unsurprising idea: let’s bitch and moan about Millennials.
My astonishment (squared) came not from the subject of the piece, you understand, but rather from two other realizations. First, that you think “how much Generation Y sucks” is an interesting and worthy topic for a story.
Yeah, the article from the Times may be stupid, but at least it’s the first time I’ve read about Millennials preference for WiFi over coffee.
My second astonished realization was that, using the same Wakefield Research study you insult, you so definitively set yourself apart from a generational group. That’s an interesting strategy, Mr. Carr – disparaging research before trying to use it to your advantage. Whatever. You found an arbitrary date that will, hopefully, allow you to sleep better at night.
Let’s face it, you’re totally right – your life experience is much different than those who were born mere months later. God forbid, you share traits with some of us.
After all, based on all the available evidence, the generation you chose to associate yourself with is made up of hopeless, cynical, unmotivated slackers that never wash their clothes and listen to grunge music in their parents’ basements (ahem, Gen X). Right?
Isn’t broadly stereotyping a generation fun, Mr. Carr? You are clearly hopeless and cynical, and while I can’t be certain about the other claims, I can assume that they also apply to you.
To your credit, you do a fantastic job of twisting words to your advantage. Take, for example, how you vilify my (and really, your) generation from the CBS 60 Minutes piece you reference. When did the willingness to adapt and try new things become a bad trait? If that’s the case, I’m screwed. Please allow me to apologize on behalf of my generation and allow us to regress to the tried-n-true method of doing things, which has clearly put this country in such a great position.
You also left some parts out, such as this quote about Millennials from an ad agency executive:
“Some of them are the greatest generation. They’re more hardworking. They have these tools to get things done,” she explains. “They are enormously clever and resourceful.”
See? I can play ball, too. While you and CBS are busy blaming us, the people over at Fast Company see that the structure your generation set for us is at fault. Furthermore, they see an opportunity, not a shortcoming.
“The very same characteristics that are frequently maligned are the very qualities that make millennials awesome employees. The trick, of course, is to know how to exploit them.”
Moving on. When it comes to Maslow’s self-actualization needs, PSFK tells us that Millennials ”want to be appreciated and understood.” Is this really a trait specific to Millennials? Or is that human nature? I’ll side with the latter, but feel free to disagree. I would appreciate it.
Furthermore, Mr. Carr, allow me to call “bullshit!” on your usage of Paul Harvey’s research (and, again, how you spin words). You preface your argument with, “Millennials as a whole…,” while Harvey’s research never specifies a sample demographic within Generation Y. Additionally, did you actually read the “coping strategies” Harvey suggests?
He suggests older, experienced (read: Generation X) workers should ” document and collect evidence that may be useful in establishing who is responsible for positive and negative results” when encountered with an “entitled” Millennial. Whoa! Imagine wanting to be appreciated and understood! No way should someone at the bottom of the ladder demand credit for their work without being thought of as being “whiny.”
It sounds a lot like the bureaucratic bullshit we associate with a 9-to-5 job. This is the same bureaucratic bullshit that leads us away from wanting those jobs. Again, allow me to apologize on behalf of my generation for wanting to change the organizational structures that got us into this current economic clusterfuck.
Your message is clear: you think you’re superior to us because you were born months prior to us.
Instead of proposing anything of actual substance, you just whine about Millennials (irony of ironies). You are cynical of our abilities and work ethic, hopeless about our future, and unmotivated to write something truly unique.
What could be more Generation X than that?
Sincerely,
Colby Gergen
Editor’s Note: If you agree, leave a comment with your name as your virtual signature. Let’s let Mr. Carr know he can’t get away with this kind of unsubstantiated bashing.
ALEX PEARLMAN.
Andreana Drencheva
Tom Miesen
what a load of narrow minded stereotyping ageist bullshit
Caitlin Tremblay
Jennifer Schmidt
Carr’s a moron and not even very funny to laugh at.
Jeff Shattuck
Nick Lucido.
Alex, I’m assuming your artistic prowess is behind that picture.
Well done.
Yes, it was me! Best thing I did at work today. Much fun to use my vast artistic talents
Like on Facebook, Alex…
… and real life.
Prefer not to attach my name, but very well put.
McKenzie Lawton.
Great piece, Colby. (Though see my conclusion at the end of this comment.) First, the Times piece made little sense. Everyone wants wifi. In fact, 75–85 percent of all campgrounds in the US have wifi. Why? Because it’s the number one thing that campers (no doubt old boomers and older in their Winnegagos) ask for. Even demand. Secondly, Paul Carr, while a somewhat accomplished journalist sounds pissed. Liek really pissed. Maybe he had his heart broken by a Gen Yer. Or maybe he’s just threatened by some up and comer. Who knows. Many of his pieces are quite good. Anyway it just seems to be the thing to bash whatever generation is up and coming. Boomers got slammed for being entitled, long-haired and unkempt. (Plus we listened to loud music.) And it’s easy to jump on the stereotype bandwagon. No doubt there are plenty of Gen Yers like the ones he describes, and in some cases the generation is its own worst enemy with some of the public comments it makes. But, I personally have found the following to be true.
–Incredibly hard working generation with a great work ethic and a desire to taker responsibility way before most other generations.
–Multi-faceted and talented. Sometimes a drawback when it comes to focus, but an asset in terms of absorbing ideas and content from a broad perspective.
–Willing to learn and take direction.
–Overly confident and assertive in many ways, but if you’re someone who likes people like that it’s fine.
–Sometimes confuses its technological know how for true wisdom and judgment, but that’s OK, too as the former brings value to many in the workplace.
–Comfortable expressing its opinions. Again, some may not like that, but if you work in an environment that welcomes opinions, it’s an asset.
I work with and around lots of Gen Yers. They’re all different. Some are morons. Some are brilliant. Carr’s piece is a little extreme. This piece is pretty good, but just as aggressive.
Whether that aggressiveness is the best way to approach this, I’m not sure. A higher road with a more subtle jab and win may have proven your point even better.
You still rock the lengthy hair quite well, Edward. And thank you.
The aggression was a style choice on the part of the writer, and by no means reflects the editorial staff or proprietors of this site. While I agree that there are certainly instances where this is not effective or warranted, I felt like this situation called for a knockout punch instead of jabs. That might be because that’s how I am in general.
When structuring this piece, I chose to meet Carr on his level of aggression to make it clear that I won’t stand for the broad, unsubstantiated and unproductive bashing of anyone, much less a group I consider myself a member of.
I certainly could have written this with some cheeky wordplay and clever quips, but in this situation, that just reinforces the belief that Millennials can’t stand on their own two feet. That style of writing usually suggests a “dancing” around the issue, as opposed to confronting it head on. While this is an open letter and anyone is welcome to cosign, I take full responsibility for, and accept all criticism of, it’s content.
This topic has had plenty of people fly like a butterfly around it. I wanted to sting like a bee.
Well said, I buy your argument.
When I saw the title of this piece, I was worried about what might follow. However, it looks like you’ve really done some good research on this topic, Colby Gergen. Good work! I hope viewers don’t dismiss this piece without reading because of the headline.
Thank you!
Apologies if the title is misleading. It was an editorial choice and in no way means to reflect that Paul Carr, as a human being, sucks. It’s this specific instance that I take issue with.
Derek Anderson
Kyle Harty
Get em Colby!
-Kyle Harty
Bravo, Colby.
Angela Stefano
Colby, you make me proud to be your section editor.
Oh, and:
Sincerely,
Kayla Brown
[...] terrified, so they’re lashing out and trying to discredit us. There have already been some quality posts in defense of Gen Y, but I think it’s time to throw my hat in the ring. It’s time to stick up [...]
I’m a baby boomer, with little or no hair to speak of. I find that Gen Y is generally hard working, decent and motivated. I teach students of Gen Y, and to be quite honest I don’t think they are any better or worse than any other generation.
[...] there have been a lot of those – Paul Carr’s Tech Crunch rant and thenextgreatgeneration.com rebuttal from Colby Gergen offer a more interesting [...]
[...] Dear Paul Carr, You Suck. [...]
Colby great retort. I think the folks at Tech Crunch are a bit upset about being in the AOL umbrella. Just my opinion. While it’s a different company the name is so 90′s. And I recently read a blog post by Michael Arrington that was a bit of a hissy fit. But as I tweeted you Gen X does not want Paul Carr. Since I speak for all of Gen-X its a done deal. What do we do with him besides maybe give him a pacifier?
I agree with Edward Boches comment on tact (aggressiveness) as much as I buy your response. Trust me, I am way too aggro when people are idiots than I should be. And sometimes come across as pushy or know it all (even if I do its not always the best style when trying to win a point). Just ask Edward he has to deal with me stalking his blog LOL
Cheers
Michelle Sargent
Great work. Choke-full of the snarky comments I’ve come to expect from you, Mr. Gergen!
Lisa DeCanio
Abso-fucking-lutely.
Speaking as an advertising agency executive, I’ll place my bet on Millennials every time. Creative. Resourceful. Multicultural. Open.
Here’s a link to a piece I wrote that was published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune: “Why Millennials Will Save Madison Avenue.” http://www.wikibranding.net/2010/08/why-millennials-will-save-madison.html
[...] there have been a lot of those – Paul Carr’s Tech Crunch rant and thenextgreatgeneration.com rebuttal from Colby Gergen offer a more interesting [...]
I just signed up to your blogs rss feed. Will you post more on this subject?
[...] Colby. “Dear Paul Carr, You Suck.” The Next Great Generation. October 11, [...]