These days, it seems like if something goes wrong, there’s only one group to blame—millennials.
Millennials have destroyed marriage.
Millennials have destroyed office life.
Millennials have destroyed the paper napkin industry.
If these claims sound ridiculous to you, that’s because they are. From the rising costs of living they face today to watching their parents struggle through complete economic turmoil growing up, it’s not hard to figure out why millennials are living life to suit their own means and needs.
However, instead of focusing on how their choices give life to other industries and products, Millennials are cast into a negative light, one that casts them as a villain focused on destroying everything their elders hold dear. Get ready, because the list is long—here are
Hotels
While it’s true that the millennial generation opts for a hotel room less and less, it’s a bit of a stretch to say that it’s ruining the industry as a whole. The claim comes from disgruntled (presumably older) guests who say that hotels are changing to accommodate millennials and completely throwing their needs to the wind by removing things like bathtubs, closets, and full desks.
“When you are 25 all is well and you can roll up
We get why certain travelers might not appreciate a room without these things—particularly a business traveler—but millennials didn’t ask hotels to make these changes. If anything, blame Airbnb—in most major cities, you can rent someone’s entire home or apartment for less than a single hotel room.
Marriage
Yes, millennials aren’t getting married at the rate their parents did, or at the same age. Is it because they want to ruin everything the generation before them holds dear? Of course not—there are a lot of reasons.
For one thing, an estimated 15 percent of Americans now use dating websites or apps, which have helped to perpetuate a “hookup culture” among millennials. However, that doesn’t mean none of them want to get married—although that’s a perfectly valid desire to have. Those who do want to get married just can’t always afford it.
With the marriage industry being as large as it is, we have to wonder if people want to see more millennial marriages for the sake of love or money.
Cereal
Yes, in a recent study, researchers found that 40 percent of millennials who participated don’t find cereal a great breakfast option because of the cleanup. While you might automatically think of them as lazy for this reason, consider this—maybe they just prefer something that not only has no clean-up but is also convenient.
“I love a good bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios or Frosted Mini Wheats, but my mornings are so busy that I usually don’t get a chance to eat breakfast before leaving the house,” said Kayla
Don’t trick yourself into thinking this is a new phenomenon, though—cereal sales have been declining since 2010.
Paper Napkins
The list of nice things we can’t have because of millennials grows and now it includes paper napkins. Why? Because they’re using paper towels instead—a recent study found that, within the last six months, only 56 percent of participants bought paper napkins, while 86 percent bought paper towels.
We’re at a loss as to why people don’t think this makes sense, though, because why buy two things when one can function as both? Not to mention that you get free napkins at any casual restaurant you go to, and you can even use cloth napkins and never buy another paper one again.
Light Yogurt
We’re taking it there—light yogurt ruined itself by secretly being terrible for you, effectively acting as an edible wolf in sheep’s clothing. It’s usually full of junky ingredients, it doesn’t keep you full, and it’s often filled with sugar. In fact, low-fat yogurts have been found to contain up to 60 percent of someone’s daily sugar intake in a single serving, and those that contain artificial sweeteners are just as bad for their own reasons.
“Consumers of traditional light yogurts that buy yogurts in this segments are pivoting away from this segment to products that provide more satiety, like Greek yogurts,” said Ken Powell, General Mills CEO.
Vacations
Has anyone considered that maybe millennials want to take lavish vacations just like everyone else, but maybe they can’t afford to do it?
One study recently found that half of all millennials surveyed fall into the category of the “workplace martyr,” someone who doesn’t take time off because of workplace pressure or because they want to appear more dedicated to their jobs. With how difficult it can be for even the most qualified person to find a job, perhaps it’s not millennials turning up their noses at vacations—it’s that they’re afraid of losing what they have, and don’t want to spend the money anyway.
Or, perhaps their desire to prove themselves at work comes from the constant narrative that they’re lazy and unmotivated—just a thought.
Bar Soap
If you can’t remember the last time you even saw a bar of soap, congratulations—you’re probably one of those selfish millennials who
These people also tend to think that there’s nothing grimy about picking up a bar of soap, but they’re wrong, and it’s a big reason why more people choose to switch to the liquid stuff. Not only is it more convenient, but it’s less likely to contain and spread germs, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.
Home Depot
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First of all, even when Millennials can afford to buy a home, they don’t get the chance because the market is so competitive. Many of them can’t even consider the option, though—one study found that 32 percent of millennials surveyed might owe between $10,000 and upwards of $50,000 in student loan debt, which makes it pretty terrifying to think of taking on three times that amount of debt.
We also know that they tend to get married and have children later in life, which delays their need for such a large space early on. Aside from the random Home Depot run with Mom and Dad, they’re not going there because they really have no need to.
Gyms
As of 2014, smaller, boutique-style fitness studios represented 42 percent of the gym market. It is, in large part, due to the fact that a growing number of people, millennials included, tend to prefer more specialized instruction and classes for things like yoga, cycling, and CrossFit.
Gen-Xers, however, still prefer the humble treadmill or elliptical for their workouts. It’s not that millennials are picky or too fancy—they just don’t to run in the same spot for an hour. “They want camaraderie, to feel like they’re part of a neighborhood,” said Michelle Ryan, the chief marketing officer of New York Sports Club.
They also gravitate towards paying only for the time they spend there, which is why many millennials don’t mind paying the same amount for 10 fitness classes as they would for an entire month at a gym.