Generations identify with shared experiences. This causes them to have specific names. For instance, the oldest generations are The Lost Generation (1883-1901) and The Greatest Generation (1901-1927). The Lost Generation is truly lost. If living, the youngest of that age bracket would be 124. And there are less than 66,000 (1%) still living from The Greatest Generation.
The largest generation living are The Millennials (1981-1996) with nearly 73 million living in the United States. And this is the generation that is being blamed for the eventual disappearance of several things. In my opinion, Mira Silverwood, writing for The Wealthy Boomers, is just being dramatic. I don’t really believe these things are going to disappear. However, I think that Millennials are responsible for some significant changes.
For instance, Silverwood believes cereal is going to disappear thanks to the Millennials healthy notions that have introduced breakfast bars, protein shakes, and energy supplements to the breakfast menu. Cereal has been around for a long time in one form or another. I think there may be a shift coming where the nutritional yuppies are going to get tired of their tasteless morning routines and DEMAND a bowl of Fruit Loops or Lucky Charms!
Cereal isn’t the only food that Millennials are supposedly pushing into extinction. Processed foods, bottled water, and dairy products will supposedly disappear. I don’t think so! We might see a reduction or different packaging but it’s still going to be there.
Silverwood believes Millennials are going to be responsible for the disappearance of business attire. Granted, we definitely have a more casual work culture. Everything has become more casual. However, I wouldn’t throw those suits and ties away just yet. If we’ve learned anything through the years, fashion just makes a big circle. Eventually, those things will come back in style.
Newspapers. Silverwood may be right on this one. Millennials don’t subscribe to newspapers. I’m Gen X and I don’t subscribe to newspapers. We live in a digital, social
media age. By the time you get a newspaper, it’s old news. National news is immediately from a slew of outlets and local news is on Facebook pages. Of course, you only want to go to the reputable sites for your news.
One more thing that Millennials have allegedly caused to disappear is the telephone land lines. I don’t believe that Millennials can be blamed for this. It’s just the advancement of technology. We “cut the cord” over a year ago and there hasn’t been a day that I’ve missed it. Phone books are obsolete, too. Unless you are a business, there’s really no need for a land line. Maybe businesses don’t see the need, either.1
Despite all the changes, Solomon said something that is as true today as it was a few thousand years ago. Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 says, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. (10) Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.”
The Enduring Word Commentary has this observation, quoting Old Testament scholar, Derek Kidner. “The more things change, the more they stay the same. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. “In their new guise the old ways go on. As a race, we never learn.””
The Believer’s Bible Commentary sheds even more light on the verses. “Is it true that there is nothing really new? Yes, in a sense. Even the most modern discoveries are developments of principles that were locked into creation at the beginning. Many of man’s most boasted achievements have their counterparts in nature. Birds flew long before man did, for instance. Even space travel is not new. Enoch and Elijah were transported through space without even having to carry their own oxygen supplies with them! So those who spend their lives searching for novelties are bound to be disappointed. It has already happened in ancient times, long before we were born.”
I don’t think Millennials can be blamed for the disappearance of certain things. It’s just the course those things were on. They were going to disappear or reinvent themselves. They were going to be subject to the ever-changing styles and trends. That’s just the way it works because nothing is new under the sun.
In Word of Life, there was a theme song used for years. The lyrics began with, “If you’re looking for something new, something different but really true.” The song went on to tell us, “Then Word of Life is the place for you so come along and sing our song.” It was a catchy tune but not accurate. However, the Bible does tell us that there will be a day coming soon for believers when there will be something new. I hope you can say that you are longing for the day when Revelation 21:5 is fulfilled. “And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”
1https://thewealthyboomers.com/things-that-will-be-extinct-because-millennials-refuse-to-buy-them/
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