Definition: Generation Y is a term that identifies individuals born between the early 1980s and the late 1990s. It was named this way because it is the generation that came after Generation X.
When Does Generation Y Start?
Generation Y is defined as a segment of the world’s population that was born in the midst of the technological uprising. These individuals have been very exposed to this new age of instant communications and media variety. They are also called “echo boomers” and “Millennials” since they are experiencing in full the impact of new trends that have emerged after the 2000s. Some key elements that identify this particular generation are: An increasing need to communicate their life journey with others, an inclination for impersonal ways of sharing, in-depth knowledge about new technologies, also much more open-minded about controversial issues than the previous generations and also less politically involved.
These “millennials” are used to quick and worry-free solutions to their day-to-day problems and they are also more inclined to experience new activities and explore new destinations and places. They are more knowledgeable about global occurrences and news, due to the vast amount of information they get from social media and the internet.
Here’s an example of this generation.
Example
Todd is a 30 years old programmer that works for a tech company. He was born in 1987 and he is currently single. He lives alone in a small flat in Manhattan. He has a top-of-the-line smart phone that he uses all day to chat with his friend and co-workers, he has a highly active instagram, facebook and twitter account, he watches TV series through Netflix, has a rented car and during his free time he likes to engage in bitcoin trading. He owns a Kindle reading device, he didn’t vote in the last presidential elections but he knows all about the current middle-east situation. Which of these characteristic define Todd as a Generation Y individual?
According to our concept, many of these elements fit our description of a “millennial”. For example, Todd communicates regularly with other people through his smart phone, he’s not interested in politics at all (didn’t vote), he is tech-savy (owns different tech devices) and he’s well informed about global situations (like the middle-east thing). Adding all this, we can state that Todd is a Generation Y individual.
