From social media addiction to entitlement, MTV Australia and Contiki have teamed up to explore the assumptions about Generation Y.
MTV Australia today announced a cross-platform content initiative examining the notion, Are Millennials F*cked?, by exploring common and relatable issues the Millennial generation face as a consequence of their upbringing and environment.
Are Millennials F*cked? launched this morning via a Facebook chat with ethnographer and change activist Simon Sinek, where he discussed with DJ and radio presenter FlexMami his viral video, ‘The Millennial Question’, which has received over 44 million views on MTV Australia’s Facebook page alone.
FlexMami candidly asked Sinek about parts of his Millennial question response that resonated the most with viewers online and nearly broke the internet for a day.
From the exclusive conversation with Sinek, his view is that, “Millennials are way more open-minded than older generations” and that they are “way more accepting of people’s sexuality and gender identities”.
However, Sinek noted that we should be mindful of the technologically-driven world that Millennials were raised in and the generation’s seemingly addictive traits to devices and social media.
“The addiction to social media and cell phones looks very similar to an addiction to gambling. It is very similar to the way it manifests and the behaviours it induces. It is a real thing,” Sinek said.
Millennials often suggest they struggle to form deep connected relationships. On this point, Sinek outlined that relationships and fulfillment take time.
“Finding love takes time and energy and commitment, and effort and sacrifice, and worrying about another person’s feelings and worrying if they’re okay, and not just worrying about yourself,” he said.
“Finding a lifetime of fulfillment from a career doesn’t happen overnight.”
Lack of job satisfaction is not isolated to Millennials, and the generation is actually highlighting an issue older generations avoid.
According to Sinek, “The fact that so many companies struggle with their Millennials is only partially the cultural facts that affect Millennials”.
“The other thing is that they have really crappy corporate cultures where other people struggle too. Except the older generations suffer in silence. God bless Millennials that they speak up and speak out.”
Sinek’s vision is “to live in a world in which the vast majority or people wake up every single morning inspired to go to work, feel safe when they are there, and return home fulfilled at the end of the day”.
His’s belief is that the open-mindedness of Millennials means they are the generation to advance his cause and create positive change.
“The fact that you will build the kinds of businesses that I think will have a positive impact on the world, I can’t wait to work for all of you,” he said.
Are Milleannials F*cked? continues from 27 March as a four-part series fortnightly on air, online and on social series hosted by MTV Australia host and comedian Sam Taunton.
Utilising Viacom’s latest global consumer insights study, Youth In Flux, Taunton will probe the topics and common assumptions about the Millennial generation including social media addiction, ‘ghosting’ in relationships, the comparison between Millennials and previous generations, and the pressure to succeed before 30.
Presented by Contiki, Are Millennials F*cked? will see Taunton tackle the contentious Millennial topics of being labeled entitled, impatient in the workplace, and their overuse and reliance on technology, in a comedic way.
To help delve into these topics, the series will also tap into experts including those from national youth and mental health foundation Headspace.
“According to our research, 93 per cent of youth globally feel that it’s hard being young today,” said Simon Bates, vice president and head of MTV Asia Pacific.
“Millennials and the world they live in are at the centre of everything MTV does, and Are Millennials F*cked? was created to explore and challenge preconceived notions about the world’s largest generation.”
Katrina Barry, managing director of Contiki Australia, added: “At Contiki, we believe that travel makes you a better human. We get young people and provide experiences for them to see the world and to create memories that last a lifetime.
“Our travelers and recent research show us young Aussies are an incredibly open minded bunch of people. They care about the world they live in and are extremely socially aware with gender equality and racism being much higher on the agenda than for any other previous generation. They strive to change the world to a better more equal place. The question is: are we doing enough to create an environment where Millennials can thrive?”
