We all love to make fun of Millennials. Such intergenerational baiting is easy enough, for sure, with such a generation of apparently spoiled, entitlement-mentality snowflakes. But it should also be borne in mind that the Millennial generation has more than a few problems of their own. Like all young generations, Millennials struggle with unemployment; while this is partly their own fault, due to their extraordinarily high expectations, many of us older generations are well aware of just how tough the job market has become. Perhaps as a consequence, many Millennials have all but given up on home ownership.
But, more than anything, this is a very lonely generation of young people.
The social media generation is the one that feels the most alone.
New data from YouGov finds that Millennials report feeling lonely much more often than their Gen X and Baby Boomer counterparts. While 30 percent of Millennials say they always or often feel lonely, just one in five (20%) members of Generation X says the same. Even fewer Baby Boomers (15%) report feeling lonely with the same frequency.
Millennials are also more likely than older generations to report that they have no acquaintances (25% of Millennials say this is the case), no friends (22%), no close friends (27%), and no best friends (30%).
There’s at least some good news, though.
However, a majority (70%) of Millennials do report that they have at least one best friend. Nearly half (49%) say that they have between one and four “close friends.”
It might be fun to jibe at Millennials, but there is nothing funny about young people who seem to be so isolated. It may also explain at least partly rising mental illness rates.
So, what’s causing this generational loneliness?
YouGov’s research for this survey didn’t directly examine why millennials might be feeling more lonely than older generations, but earlier studies point to social media and the internet as potential influences.
A study from the University of Pennsylvania found a link between social media use and decreased well-being. Speaking about the study she and her team conducted, psychologist Melissa G. Hunt said, “Here’s the bottom line: Using less social media than you normally would leads to significant decreases in both depression and loneliness”…
About three in 10 (31%) Americans say that they find it difficult to make friends. The most common reason: shyness (53%). Another 27 percent of those who find it difficult to make friends say that they “don’t feel like they need friends.” A similar number (26%) say they don’t have any hobbies or interests that can facilitate friendships.
Of course, social media need not be entirely demonised. For young people in isolated rural areas, for instance, especially those with less common interests – the freaks, geeks and nerds – social media can be something of a lifeline. When I interviewed a meet-up of Tasmanian pop-culture fans, for instance, a common response was that “if it wasn’t for the internet, I wouldn’t have any social life at all”.
But in spite of these perceived obstacles, friendships are still being forged. Over four in ten (42%) Americans say they’ve made a new friend within the last six months. Even the loneliest generation — Millennials — is doing well in this regard: 38 percent have made a new friend in the last six months.
Wondering where to make new friends? You might look to your office, your neighborhood, your church or even your children.
today.yougov.com/topics/lifestyle/articles-reports/2019/07/30/loneliness-friendship-new-friends-poll-survey
But, as work increasingly becomes casualised and “in the cloud”, and institutions like church lose their popularity, particularly in increasingly secular countries like Australia and New Zealand, such friendship opportunities are also diminishing. Older generations should also consider that this is a generation of our making. If Millennials are narcissistic, miserable snowflakes, who brought them up that way?
Maybe it’s time to put down the intergenerational cudgels and hug a Millennial today?