Meet the Generation iY (Part 2)

In his book "Generation iY: Our Last Chance to Save Their Future", author Tim Elmore refers the Generation iY as the group of younger Millenials, born after 1990, who resemble their Gen Y predecessors in many ways, but stand in stark contrast in volumes of other ways. This younger population has been predominantly defined by technology (iPod, iBook, iPhone, iPad), thus the name Generation iY.

Tim Elmore's research concluded that the reality of this generation can be described by these 4 words:

1. An Overwhelmed Generation
• 94% of students reported feeling overwhelmed by their lifestyles.
• 44% said they felt so depressed it was almost difficult to function.
• Almost 10% had considered suicide in the past year.
• They face a lot of stress which come from both internal (from their self-imposed belief that they are the best) and external (pressure from parents and society to perform) sources.
2. An Overconnected Generation
• They often get lost in a virtual world of online fantasy video games or social world of texting, Facebook and Twitter.
• They strive to be a "superkid" by going online to perform.
• So much of their life is connected by technology that they fail to develop face-to-face people skills.
• They can't live without their cell phones and PCs.
3. An Overprotected Generation
• They grew up with overprotective parenting and education methods.
• Many of them struggle with obesity, nearsightedness, depression, difficult to fulfil commitments, find life hard to cope with after leaving home.
4. An Overserved Generation
• They have developed a very strong self-esteem and believe they are very important people.
• They feel entitled to special treatment as they enter the adult world.
• They are often impatient, demanding, self-centered and short-tempered, with a poor work ethic and minimal sense of long-term commitment.
• They are both slackers and activists - they desire to change the world; but don't have what it takes to accomplish their lofty dreams.

The Generation iY is the product of the people from the earlier generations. It is only by acknowledging the major role we play in producing this group of Generation iYs, that we would start to recognize the importance of understanding them better and save their future.