Professor Oz. Almog and his wife, Dr. Tamar Almong believe that Generation Y, or the Israeli “millenials” hold the potential to save the world.
Dr. Almog told the Jerusalem Post:
“Gen Y is disillusioned with capitalism. They seek peace and a new world order. Gen Y works together. They do not want to fight wars. This is true in Islamic countries as well, including Iran. In these lands, Gen Y will overcome the fundamentalists.”
This is very positive news coming from a generation that’s commonly picked apart for its selfishness, laziness, and “selfie-consumed” existence.
The couple is currently working on the title of a soon-to-be-published book on Israeli millenials (those born from 1980-1995), their cultural profiles, and their anticipated effects on Israeli world order. They claim that Gen Y is a “hero” generation, one born during the unraveling of a crisis.
Some pertinent findings from their studies:
MATERIAL GOODS: “Gen Y likes money, likes to live well, like its predecessors,” Oz Almog says. However, he notes, they are less willing to sacrifice or work hard for it.
“They are a generation of pleasure seekers,” Oz Almog notes. “They like to party, to enjoy life. And their parents like to join them sometimes. Of course, Gen Y lets the parents foot the bill.”
Truth; that we do, and that we are.
TECHNOLOGY: “Maybe we should call them Gen I”, Tamar Almog quips. “Everything has an ‘i’ – iPhone, iPad, iPod. Only it should have a capital ‘I’. It’s all about me.”
Another evident truth: i-Narcissism.
SEARCH FOR MEANING: Gen Y members worldwide share a common goal–the search for meaning in their lives. Meaning is the degree to which our lives have purpose, value and impact. An American study by Harris Interactive, conducted in 2011, found that what young adults aged 21-31 want most in a successful career is a “sense of meaning” – the ability to make a difference – much more than financial success. Of the Gen Y members surveyed, three-quarters said meaningful work was among the key factors defining career success.
Well this is really nice. I’d like to think so.
If anyone can do it, Gen Y can!