The time has come. The Baby Boomer generation is no longer the largest generation in the U.S. As the NY Times just reported, last year 22 years olds represented the largest age group in the country, with 23 and 21 year olds close behind. Of course we all knew this was coming, hence all the many articles and studies pondering attitudes and behaviors of the latest 'it' generation. It seems that everyone in the consumer insights industry has become quite obsessed with Millennials, and for good reason. After all, understanding the largest age group in the nation is helpful when your job consists of trying to appeal to their every whim. But with everything that's been said about this group, have you ever taken a second to think how closely your own attitudes and behaviors might echo theirs?
I could argue that we're all influencing each other to some extent. Today's world moves at a much faster pace than yesteryear. Technology is everywhere, all the time, and because of that we're able to stay connected and catch a glimpse into everyone's lives. It definitely seems possible. What do you think? Are there some attitudes and behaviors that Millennials are known for that you relate to as well?
Well, never fear because Pew Research, the nonprofit think tank has created a fun quiz to answer that question! As part of their Millennial Project, they constructed a 14 question online quiz to see how closely you might resemble a Millennial based on your values, attitudes and opinions. Technically, since I was born in 1980, I'm on the bubble between being a Gen X'er and a Millennial. Of course, I used to always claim to be a Gen X'er, but now that the dust has settled I would say I'm a little bit of both, given my experiences growing up, coupled with my early adopter attitudes towards tech. I was a “latch-key” kid (Gen X). I prefer text and email over talking on the phone (Mills). Even my parents would say I'm independent and resourceful (Gen X) but, there was that time when I boomeranged back to my parents house after graduating college for a few months (Mills). After taking this quiz (a few times) on any given day my score ranges between a 94 and 96 out of 100. So, maybe I'm more Millennial than I think?
Try it for yourself. Maybe you're more Millennial than you think. Take the quiz and let us know if you agree or disagree.
