I am the punchline of the baby boomers’ favorite joke
the one they told “you have to get your education”
the one they laugh at for changing my views and beliefs
the one who “went out and got an education”
who now is wrong and will eventually learn
as if I didn’t “have a good head on my shoulders” when I agreed with them.
I am the reason my parents get sympathy
because their daughter went off and became a liberal hippie
but don’t worry, she’ll learn.
I am the one who knew there were no jobs in my home town
who just doesn’t understand what us leaving did to the economy there
who was too good to stay or to ever move back
back to no job, no prospects, and no access to resources
I am the one who doesn’t understand the real world
even though I’m the one that follows and researches issues
who pays attention to multiple sources for a less biased view.
who is trying to help the impoverished, ignored, and beat down
I am the dreamer who doesn’t get what’s actually happening
even though I’m the one who is looking beyond what i’m told
and is going out and helping those that are “too lazy to work”
because I knows that the “too lazy” are rarely too lazy
I am the dreamer who will eventually find reality
even though they’re all safe only worrying about what impacts them
and where their taxes will go and if those’ll make others lazier
and if they can keep their religion as a governing force for everyone
I am part of the entitled generation
even though I have been paying my own way since I moved out
who never expected to be handed anything because that’d be selfish
who rearranged the entire plan set out for me
because it was the only way I could afford to survive
who is judged for not being able to do it all fast enough
who owes more money by doing what was expected then any generation before
who will pay money into a social security system that I will never have
who has to pay more in taxes compared to my income
who is willing to pay more if we could better the education system
or give those in need more support
I am part of the self centered generation
the ones who are trying to fight inequalities and injustices
who are trying to bring awareness and get people to pay attention
who is trying to figure out what happens if my parents retirement runs out
who can’t sleep at night worrying about their future
who wants everybody to be able to afford to live
who wants basic rights for everybody
who understands how deeply the injustices go
who can’t even talk about my concerns without an eye roll and getting ignored
and if I disagree with them I am argumentative and causing trouble
who doesn’t even bother talking about my interests to the baby boomers anymore
because they are deemed childish and unworthy
I am part of the technology dependent generation
who knows that my chances of getting a job without technology is slim
who is expected to be reached at any time on any technology
who needs to have that technology to effectively do my non-technology based job
who is ridiculed for not immediately knowing what to do on all forms of technology
I am part of the drama generation
who just wants to get through my day unscathed
who doesn’t want to deal with the older women at work talking bad about everybody and passing judgement
who is told I don’t know what I am doing because I’m young and inexperienced
who has more experience then most of my coworkers
who is polite, friendly, and would never be mean to the cashier because I’m having a bad day
who can easily be perceived as being rude if i’m not overly friendly
who is then labeled fake or ditsy
I am in “the best years of my life”
while just trying to pay my bills
and deal with the stress of that “best time”
who knows full well most people are happiest at 40
who is expected to be respectful to everyone
even those that are incredibly disrespectful to me
who has to listen to the boomers tell me all the ways I’m wrong
because it’s their God given right to be heard
and they have more experience and are older so they must be right
the just barely surviving
We are not the “Entitled Generation”
We are the “keeping our heads above water” generation
