On March 10, 2008, The Seattle Times published a provocative article titled Are we grown-up brats? The article explores how expectations shared by our generation are different from those past, and consequently many members of Generations X and Y have embraced a sense of entitlement and narcissism. It further suggests that a culture has emerged that increasingly emphasizes feeling good about oneself and favoring the individual over the group.

Do we expect more? Is a sense of satisfaction more difficult for our generation to obtain?

As referenced in the article, a study is to be published in the Journal of Personality later this year which indicates that narcissism and entitlement among college students has increased since 1979. I question the assertion of narcissism, which according to the dictionary means excessive love or admiration of oneself, or a psychological condition characterized by self-preoccupation, lack of empathy, and unconscious deficits in self-esteem. Narcissism sounds too much like a disease, and less so a description of how many of our generation feel about ourselves and the socio-economic conditions we face today. Asserting narcissism in this absolute fashion places our generation in a box, and restricts the possibility for us to create new ways of thinking and doing.

As for entitlement, when a student commits $50,000 - $150,000 for college, and then graduates with debt galore, and a job paying $15 an hour without healthcare insurance, a sense of frustration may emerge. This doesn't describe all graduates, but more than a few. Regardless, these issues are worthy of further discussion, and while students of 1979 had legitimate concerns of their own, we want ours to be heard. Furthermore, frustration, despite what is noted in the article, does not necessarily lead to aggression. Rather than aggression, frustration can lead to dialogue and advocacy.

Do we want more?

We certainly do, and not just iPods. How about affordable college tuition, limitations on huge credit card fees, or at least acknowledgment of the increasingly more complex economic conditions that make it difficult for our generation to maintain? This is where Qvisory steps in; it opens a space for these types of concerns to be voiced, a place where our generation can network, learn from each other, and collaboratively work towards common goals. Innovation, creativity, and change-making, in its various manifestations, is not very compatible with a sense of “I am okay with how things are.”

My parents are not college educated. They bought a home soon after marriage, and dedicated much of their life to putting me through college. They succeeded. I am married, 26 years old, and need roughly 20% down to buy a home or condo. Good luck - so I am told.

I should also start putting money away for college; not for me, but for the children I don’t have yet. Will I be able to achieve my goals which are not much different than those of generations past? Should I be satisfied with what 7 years of college has provided me? To be honest, I wouldn’t change a thing. I am fortunate to have a full-time job plus a part-time position at Qvisory. Still, I remain concerned about what the future holds for others who are struggling more than myself.

The Seattle Times article referred to a survey that was conducted between 1979 and 2006. Sixteen thousand college students were asked to pick between paired statements, such as “I expect a great deal from other people” or “I like to do things for others,” and “I will never be satisfied until I get all that I deserve” or “I will take my satisfactions as they come.” I have always disliked “choose one answer” questions like these because they don’t account for the different feelings one may have. I expect a great deal from other people and like to do things for other people as well. I am not always satisfied with the ways things are, but I also take my satisfactions as they come.

And let’s not forget, older generations help shape future generations. Generations X and Y are in part reflective of the desires of previous generations and reactions to the issues of their times. Generational differences are real, but generations should remain united, for without a greater understanding of the past, we cannot create a better future.

Some of us may be brats, others not so much. Nevertheless, we have been taught to expect more from ourselves, and each other. Are we entitled to have more? At a minimum, we are entitled to speak our mind, and strive for changes that matter to us.