Reddit reviews Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation

It is very interesting, two guys (Neil Howe and William Strauss) using their research based on generation cycles correctly predicted in 1997 that some kind of event between 2005 and 2008 would happen that would be the catalyst to fundamentally change America. Low and behold, what happened in 2008? We had a economic crash and a financial crisis. Here is a 35 min video of them on CSPAN from 1997 talking about their generational theory and research:

Neil Howe and William Strauss on The Fourth Turning in 1997 CSpan

The Fourth Turning is the first book they wrote detailing their research. (William Strauss passed away in 2007).

Strauss-Howe Generational Theory

To give you some perspective, the Millennial Generation is what they call a "Hero Generation". The most recent example of a "Hero Generation" is the generation that grew up during the Great Depression and fought in WW2 (which that generation is virtually gone now).

>Hero generations are born after an Awakening, during a time of individual pragmatism, self-reliance, and laissez faire (hmm that sounds kind of like our last 30 years). Heroes grow up as increasingly protected post-Awakening children, come of age as team-oriented young optimists during a Crisis, emerge as energetic, overly-confident midlifers, and age into politically powerful elders attacked by another Awakening. Their main societal contributions are in the area of community, affluence, and technology. Their best-known historical leaders include Cotton Mather, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John F. Kennedy. These have been vigorous and rational institution builders. In midlife, all have been aggressive advocates of economic prosperity and public optimism, and all have maintained a reputation for civic energy and competence in old age.

If you have any interest in this kind of stuff, I highly recommend reading their book:

The Fourth Turning: What the Cycles of History Tell Us About America’s Next Rendezvous with Destiny(1997)

Neil Howe also published a book in 2000:

Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation

To quote one of the reviews:

>Still, the book is engrossing reading. It was actually recommended to me by a distinguished U.S. Army officer who suggested that the book could give military leaders insights into the wave of young people currently entering the armed services. I believe that many other professionals could also benefit from a critical reading of this book.


The recent research conducted today about the Millennial Generation largely supports Neil Howe and William Strauss generational theory.

Those two guy should be given some kind of recognition for their work.

At least according to the dude who coined the term, the first millennials were the high school class of 2000 (hence the name), so people born in 1982. The endpoint is a little fuzzier, but certainly by 2001 we'd moved onto 'Gen Z'.

Doesn't change the reality of the situation. Millennials as a group are moralistic and judgmental, with strong aversion to hypocrisy and inauthenticity. We were raised to be that way, and so it's unlikely to ever just go away. We have enormous untapped power. Either use it or lose it.

There's a great study of Millennials that was put out by William Strauss and Neil Howe back in the early '00s that lays out a ton of great evidence and analysis regarding generational values based on how we were raised, educated, and protected by society. You should check it out, lots of useful insights.

Remember when people were writing about millenials and they meant us? Since we were graduating and turning 18 around the millennium. Those were the days.

Now I see these outraged articles about all these irresponsible millennials on their snaptalk and selfie sprees and I'm like, hmm maybe I'm Gen X? Did I get kicked out and no one told me?

Relating to/Sympathizing with something is different from positively affirming it as the only truth, and shouldn't be mistaken for a claim. After all, they are only my personal feelings.

If you are seeking answers, I will redirect you to better sources than my feelings
https://www.amazon.com/Millennials-Rising-Next-Great-Generation/dp/0375707190