Emily - Thanks very much for your comments!

I'm in complete agreement -- although we may share key characteristics, there is no doubt that we're all unique individuals, some of whom embody certain aspects of the stereotype more than others.

This is such a great article. I really agree with you on all of these things.

I wonder what your thoughts are, though, about the members of our generation who seem truly lost, unmotivated, and defeated by the world they find themselves in after college. I find about half of my Gen Y friends fit this article to the letter. But the other half are... well... I don't even know what they are. Lost, confused, self-entitled, angry, bitter, ?

JRandom42 - That sounds like a nice way to have it all! :)

Jess - Thanks! I'm not sure about the "lost" members of our generation. I think we'll have to see how everything plays out in the next couple of years as the economy recovers. On the other hand, this would likely be the best opportunity for them to do something unique, innovative, and entrepreneurial, given the fact that many are out of work and have loads of free time. I guess we'll just have to see!

Great post Emily. I am a Gen Xer so I like hearing your perspective. I was struck most by this comment "We view this flexibility as a very positive thing as adults, allowing us to learn and grow both personally and professionally.".

I think it's fabulous to have lots of interests and flexibility is good in theory but there can be a huge benefit to picking a lane too. Jack of all trades, master of none - those aren't the people we remember. A lot of people who fail to commit to something (and go for it without excuses and stories) end up scattering their energies so much that nothing has time to stick.

I have way too many interests and in my 20s and early 30s I hopped from job to job, thing to thing and now at almost 40 I wonder what would have happened had I just picked a lane and became really truly great at something.

:) Melani

Melani-

As someone trying hard to redirect myself from the "jack of all trades" path, I really appreciate your thoughts. My goal is to stop hopping. I kind of hate that, because hopping is so much fun! But I think it's time to pick something, because I'm sure there is just as much fun in striving to become really great at something. (I hope.)

I'm increasingly dealing with a lot of Gen Y (I'm a baby boomer). Gen Y is a mixed bag. Veruka Salts exist in spades, they poison the well for all the hard workers I know. It's very demoralizing to be treated so shabbily by so many of them. I'm in a position to do a lot for them. That doesn't mean suck up, it means to come through with a modicum of respect, that which you'd give to anyone on a first approach. Put out what I expect of people my own age if you want the same things they do.

I've thought a lot about this, discussed it extensively on my forum (for fashion entrepreneurs) over the last two days. I truly do not believe it is a matter of being held back in the pack *until you pay your dues*. Really. It's competency. It's wisdom, it's experience. It's the gap btwn education and experience. I deal with fashion designers all. day. long. It takes years to become successful, to learn the craft. But today's kids, they want to be at the same level as leading designers now. Those designers plied their craft for 20 years. It's not paying dues, that sounds punitive. If you're skilled, I don't care if you've paid your dues, you're hired. But many Verukas think they should be able to do the equivalent of plunking down a credit card and "buying" that position now even if they don't have the currency of competency the position demands.

Much of what people are taught in school (in my industry) is useless. I don't need someone to draw pretty pictures, research trends, or create storyboards. Artwork or social media savvy doesn't keep the power grid running. There's a reason it pays poorly -saturation. I need hard skills with seminal judgment that comes with it. I want a partner, not a peon. A colleague, not a clown. I don't want someone I have to monitor to keep on task. Look around, things get done because somebody does them. Before you came, I scrubbed the toilets so if I ask you to share the duties, I'm not asking anything less than what I'm doing myself. Who brings in the revenue? You're not doing as nearly as much as you think. Sure, I could do the drudge work just so Veruka's feelings don't get hurt but if I'm doing that instead of bringing in the money, Veruka's not going to have a job. Like I said, it's wisdom, the whole trail of responsibility and duties. Many young people seem to expect fairies to come in and do the entry level stuff.

When I saw my boss sweeping the floor, I was mortified, horribly embarrassed. I took the broom from her and got her a cup of coffee. I did. It wasn't sucking up, it was shame. She never had to say a word to me. That sums it up right there.

Oh great Chris, so you're saying you're not responsible. We spoiled you. Know the definition of narcissism? One is avoiding responsibility, blaming others for one's short comings.

You know, my dad beat the crap out of me till the day I left home, broke my jaw even. Does that mean I can blame it on him if I became an abuser too? Of course not. Narcissism and avoiding responsibility doesn't get you anywhere outside of a circle jerk or echo chamber.

You have no control over whence you came but you are responsible for where you go. Playing the victim card is a sad sad strategy, you get the wrong side of pity. It ends up sounding like the whole whining thing people also accuse of gen y.