News

Boomer says ‘bright’ Millennials could teach his cohort about life and money

Oct 10, 2018

A financial planner says Millennials are to credit for making life easier. Source: Getty.

It’s no secret that Baby Boomers and Millennials come from two different worlds, with the former being brought up in a far simpler time, where children spent their days outdoors and there was no such thing as a mobile phone, while the latter has enjoyed an endless stream of technological development.

However, instead of embracing their clear differences, the generations are often pitted against each other, with many Boomers sharing the belief that those born between 1981 and 1996 are lazy, while Millennials often point the finger at older generations for making life worse, due to issues such as debt and decreasing wages.

Now one Baby Boomer has spoken out in defence of “bright and energetic” Millennials, claiming his generation could learn a thing or two about life from the youngsters of today.

Writing for Forbes magazine, Financial Planner Michael Kay said: “If you’re a Boomer, like me, don’t be afraid to ask this bright, energetic, and creative group how they might attack a problem”.

He added: “Give them a seat at the table, promote their access to experience and decision-making, and share their enthusiasm for finding new ways to make life better. You never know what you might learn.”

Kay went on to say that, while no generation is good or bad, Millennials have overcome massive obstacles such as high levels of student debt and a declining jobs market to create their own career paths, which allow them to have their chosen lifestyle.

He added: “These are big obstacles; hurdles significant in the path to creating alternatives to a ‘mainstream’ career path. So what did this young, bright, energetic, and slightly pissed off group do? They took matters into their own hands.

“They created careers that worked with the lifestyle they valued. They created startup companies, freelance alliances, co-working spaces, and creative pools of talent to uncover problems that need solving.”

The accountant said that, thanks to the creativity of Millennials, the way we navigate life has changed, citing examples such as rideshare app Uber, accommodation website Airbnb and food ordering apps such as Deliveroo.

He said that, despite Boomers “not making room for younger generations at the table”, Millennials have made it easier for Boomers to spend their time doing things they love, rather than wasting time carrying out mundane life tasks like they used to do, such as visiting several bank branches to find the best mortgage deal or depositing cheques in person.

“The creative force lives and prospers in this group who is not afraid to thumb its collective noses at the Boomers that are not making room for them at the table. They have, in many ways, recreated life and how we go about navigating our way.

“The idea that Millennials have brought us, if you’re paying attention, is that you can save time on mundane activities and use that time to be creative, enjoy your family, community, help others, or do something you value rather than spending time on these life logistics.”