I think every generation yearns for a voice and wants to express itself. Where past generations may have expressed themselves through music and protest, we're doing it through the Internet. It's the same concept, just a different medium. The business environment is so different from our parents' environment, so we have to do things differently. We have to be a bit more creative, a bit more flexible, and sometimes a bit more proactive. Simply having credentials is no longer enough. We all know that, more so than ever, personal branding is extremely important.

Every young generation is angry at the establishment and wants to be heard. And with all of the social media platforms at our disposable, we know we can be heard if we only give people something to listen to. Some people look down on our generation and pity us, but I think it's an exciting group to be a part of. We can cause some great changes if we do things the right way.

Environmentally conscious but highly mobile? I don't know what that means. I would definitely say gen Y is more acquisitive and in all aspects. You want the jobs, the houses, the lifestyle, the roles your parents have but you want it now. Acquisitive taxes the environment, I don't see any abatement there. Seriously.

If you are taking over, then why do you need to make a statement justifying why we must "let you in"? This presumes we're stupid. Just because you can't read or see us doesn't mean we don't read or see you. We're on the other side of that two-way mirror.

You think like entrepreneurs but value relationships over money. I would definitely disagree and agree with that. How your generation defines a relationship is distinctly different. Gen Y values relationships based on what they get out of it; everything is a circle of influence to market to and make money from. People obsess over "personal branding"; it's insane. If the benefits dry up in a "relationship" (likely because one is not pulling their weight, the entitlement thing again), they just bail and find someone else to develop "a relationship" with. Definitely much less loyalty and more greed with this generation. Everybody wants to start their own business to make a pile. They regale themselves in heroic proportions, not wanting to work for "the man" but only because they want to BE "the man". Gen Y doesn't want to invest long term to earn anything (trust etc). They just want it now, the whole immediacy and acquisitiveness thing again.

You're right. You're perceived as impatient and irrational -which is NOTHING NEW- we were too! These are not esteemed business values. And you wonder why people don't want to promote you to greater positions of influence and responsibility? Capital is a coward. It's human nature, not specific to my generation.

See that's the thing. The only difference I can see btwn us is that we're having this conversation. We were politically active, more so than Gen Y but you all take that for granted, it's history and doesn't mean anything to you. Birth control, abortion, civil rights, women's rights, we did that. What have you accomplished? I became an environmental activist when I was nine years old -that's forty years ago! Your generation doesn't protest politically like we did. We ended the vietnam war that way... where are our counterparts amongst you ending the wars in the middle east? You're too busy becoming a fan of "end the war in Iraq" on Facebook and calling it good than getting out into the streets. If you protest on campus, it's over a commercial disagreement than a political or social one. Your generation just talks a lot about it, some of you do something about it but not as many as we did.

Personally, it rankles that someone like me, a business owner etc, who has made a lifelong commitment to activism and social justice is just swept under the rug. That all the sacrifices and work we did to make your world a better place are discounted and dismissed. You take it for granted. It cost us plenty. Have you ever been shot at over your convictions? I didn't think so. I have. I'm not saying you should walk submissively behind us for our grand sacrifices but don't call us stupid because we don't think you have the skills and wisdom to replace us. You haven't replaced what we did when we were your age so it's only rational to presume you won't replace us anytime soon.