Liberal, Secular, Millennial
The current generation now entering adulthood has been
recognized as identifying more with liberal political and social beliefs while
becoming less and less religious. I
believe this cultural shift in our generation, the millennials, is occurring for
a variety of reasons. Values and beliefs
of the past are slowly being replaced with more contemporary views that
contradict those of our parents and grandparents. First and foremost, the proliferation of the
information age is transforming the world’s knowledge base and challenging many
previously revered institutions. In the
U.S., many churches are struggling to retain members and many have been
shuttered altogether. Through my
personal experiences, I can say that very few of the people I know attend
religious services on a regular basis. While
that is merely anecdotal, studies have shown that attendance at many churches
is down. I would argue that the advances
and discoveries in science have led many young adults to question their
religious faith or stop practicing altogether.
The number of people identifying as atheist or agnostic has been steadily
increasing for some time. This includes
older adults who are no longer passing on religious traditions to their
children which will likely continue down the line. While many in poor or developing countries
may continue to be religious, millennials in the Western world no longer feel
religion is a relevant or needed aspect of their life. Many religious values and practices are no
longer relevant in modern society, and some would be downright illegal. Rather than cling to traditional ideals, many
youth seem to be adopting a simpler approach to living an ethical and moral
life. Concepts like humanism seem to be
gaining traction and provide many with a sense of spirituality without the
deity and other baggage.
The internet has connected nearly all parts of the world and
has given many the opportunities to informally experience different cultures
from all parts the world. This is a
relatively new phenomenon but I believe that it has led to an increased level
of respect towards other cultures. The
level of diversity in America and the ability of new immigrants to assimilate are
making cross cultural interaction easier and easier. As a result, this younger generation has
learned to be receptive towards diversity and keep an open mind to cultural
differences. Unfortunately, many conservatives
oppose embracing the traits and values of other cultures because they often
fear it may threaten their way of life. Unsurprisingly,
conservatives tend to be older than liberals.
The average age of the viewers of Fox News is 68, eight years older than
MSNBC. Millennials are growing up in a
much different world compared to that of the past and we are being exposed to
things much earlier. Another reason for
this liberalization of young people is the harsh economic realities that our
country has been facing for some time now.
With soaring college tuition and meager job prospects, conditions are difficult
for those attending and finished with college.
The American dream is more difficult to achieve and as a result young
people are looking to the government for assistance. The left has traditionally been more willing
to take chances and establishing programs which help to ease financial burdens
and millennials have seen this and started showing support. Whether positive or not, I believe millennials
will continue to become less religious and more liberal for the time being. In the end, I am confident that millennials
will find themselves in positions of power and be successful in their
endeavors.
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