A Millennial defence
Sir — Carol Hunt’s article, ‘Pipe down, moaning Millennials — you’ve never had it so good’ (Sunday Independent, July 24), has left me, a quietly struggling Millennial, feeling somewhat perturbed. Through her divisive sentiments, Ms Hunt seems intent on widening a generation gap, which in this country is already frighteningly vast.
With the assistance of some statistics from a recent Economic and Social Research Institute report, Ms Hunt leverages the standpoint that all young people are leading lavish, sophisticated lives, yet are seen to be complaining about their situation.
Perhaps she should take note of the various aggressive youth movements which have continuously been displayed across Europe in recent times. Unlike places such as London, France and Ukraine, where young people have been seen restlessly protesting and rioting in defiance, the youth of Ireland continue to sit peacefully in quiet acceptance of the various charades of our ‘leaders’.
In highlighting the numerous obvious comparisons between our generations, Ms Hunt seems to be harbouring some blatant resentment. Resentment which stems from the fact that my generation, through no choice of its own, is growing up in better living conditions than those of preceding decades.
However, it was through no fault of ours that, entirely out of their means, Generation X “bought homes early, saved for years for a deposit and were hit with 18pc interest rates”. Miscalculated moves such as these are what left so many in financial strain and instability.
Thankfully, myself and my peers have been given the platform to avoid making such mistakes. A prospect one might expect a lady who ran as a candidate in the Seanad 2016 election NUI panel to embrace. An entire generation may breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that someone this ignorant and resentful of their ways has failed to acquire such a position of power.
I suppose the best course of action for anyone who found Ms Hunt’s article as unsettling as I did would be to “console themselves by dining out in the many metropolitan restaurants and bars they have to choose from”. Which is one of many luxuries supposedly at the disposal of all Millennials. Andrew McGinley Westport Co Mayo