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Millennials: The Me Generation: Rhetorical Analysis

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In May 2013, Time Magazine journalist Joel Stein, his work usually found within the comedy section, wrote a popular article on millennials. This well-structured article was statistically supported, while incorporating his opinion and usual humor. His article “Millennials: The Me Me Me Generation” is comedic while explaining how the millennials, despite their flaws, will benefit us. Millennials are the youngest generation living, known for their self-confidence and codependency. He mentioned some of their major flaws: entitlement, lack of respect towards authority figures, and they’re self-absorbed. Despite this, he concluded his essay by mentioning that they’re “not a new species” and have been heavily influenced by the baby-boomers, also known as the “Me Generation” (Stein Millennials: The Me Me Me Generation). The redeeming qualities for millennials surprisingly springs from their flaws: he points out that their lack of respect towards authority means they haven’t learned to resent it, and their self-confident edge allows them to “negotiate” for things such as “better contracts.” (Stein …show more content…

In this generation, “narcissistic personality disorder” reaching new levels, with “nearly three times” (Stein Millennials: The Me Me Me Generation) the number of millennials diagnosed than their parents’ generation, the baby-boomers. The millennials are also the first generation to have so many similarities with their age groups in other countries. Globalization has caused millennials found in multiple countries to be “overconfident and self-involved,” what used to be known as “rich kid problems” are now causing millennials to strive for “ghetto-fabulous” (Stein Millennials: The Me Me Me Generation) lives. The baby-boomer attempted to build up their children's self-esteem in hopes that it would improve their future, in the end their “honest mistake” ended up creating the narcissistic generation that we have

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An excerpt from “CQ Researcher” wrote a summary that focuses on how Millennials is one of the most diverse generations of America 's, leading them to possibly reshape our country in their image. The first time I read this, I thought that young adults may not have what it takes to change America’s society. That they didn’t know how, but then you have Millennials vote for President Obama which in fact were most hispanic people, we may have a shot. According to the “CQ Researcher” “ Millennials launch into successful adulthood, causing many to delay getting married, starting families and purchasing a home. This is good because setting back with marriage and families, gives enough time for an individual to understand our country and what is the

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An opinion may be appealing to the ear; however, appealingness does not make a statement accurate. In Joel Stein's article, “The New Greatest Generation,” his overall message is generalized to the idea of what effect do millennials have on society. In the first portion of his writing, Stein criticizes millennials’ ways of life using statistical data and stereotypes the entire generation as indolent and self­centered. The second portion of Stein’s article is a counterargument that millennials are not a fruitless generation, and that their way of life may be beneficial to all. Stein creates a compelling argument, however his counter argument is entirely opinionated making his writing an unreliable source.

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Selina Raymond English 102 Mrs. Hildebrand 2 February 2018 Rhetorical Analysis of “The New Greatest Generation” Words that most resonate with Millennials are narcissistic, lazy, and entitled which many people feel to be true. Author Joel Stein, Wrote “The New Greatest Generation,” published in 2013, and he argues that while the data he provides proves Milliennials may be narcissistic, lazy, and entitled, they are not defined by it; they are defined by how they respond to real life situations. Stein begins to strengthen his purpose by using a sarcastic tone while providing the facts and statistics, successfully making the readers question whether the evidence is valid; another way stein successfully furthers his purpose by using an order of

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In the essay, “The Beat Up Generation”, by Abby Ellin (2014), within several discussions she explores and discusses the division and differences among generations that differ by age group starting with the baby boomers to the GenXers leading up to the generation today, the millennials. She uses factual evidence, examples, studies, and stereotypes to show how millennials are highly criticized by the older generations although they are better to adapt and needed in the changing world. The purpose of the essay is to point out these differences and criticism amongst the generations, how predecessor generations misunderstand the millennial generation. The intended audience refers to any individual that falls into the each generation.

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“The Beat (Up) Generation: Millennials’ Attitudes about Work” is an article written by Abby Ellin and published in Psychology Today. It talks about the generation born between 1982 and 2004, how they react to working around the older generation and why they are hated by the older generation. The millennial generation was born during the rise of technology. They can do a lot of work remotely and not have to work as hard because of all the technology they have access to and the boomer generation doesn’t understand it they equate working hard with time and physical work. The boomers feel that millennials are just lazy and have no respect.

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The article “The Me Me Me Generation” by Joel Stein mentions how Millennials are a self-centred generation who have been raised with many participation awards and parents who mistakenly believed that strengthening their self-esteem was they key to success rather than focusing more on strengthening up their character and skills. Stein mentions that the younger generation lives mostly through screens, whether those on phones, iPad’s, or computers, and believes someway that it is entitled to success without experiencing the rough situations in lifetime. Stein also presented studies showing that the incidence of narcissistic personality disorder among Millennials is massive. Stein concludes the article by mentioning that this has not taken him by surprise, because this began with their parents’ generation, the Baby Boomers, or known as the “Me Generation.” Millennials seek to make their own mark on the world.

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