Culture
The word culture may be used to refer to various aspects of humanity in the way people conduct themselves or have learned to do certain things in their own unique way. The social nature of human beings has led to various cultural groups living in the same universe and who must learn to live with one another (Bucher, 2010). Today’s society is becoming more and more diverse, with people having the freedom of movement and can settle in totally different places. This has been made possible by immigration laws that permit persons to live or study in countries provided they have met certain requirements. It is, therefore, important that this diversity is understood by both parties or by the different cultural groups so that there is no conflict.
This paper examines a culture that has come up mainly from the youthful population all over the world due to the ever-developing technological advancement. Today, there has been an improvement in the information and communications sector that has enabled people to interact across several cultural divides in the various continents of the world. Generation Y has been one of such cultures that have developed because of the gains made in technological advancement.
Generation Y
This is a culture that has been created by individuals born in the period from the early 80’s to the dawn of the new millennium. The major historical influence that has made this group continue to develop is the growing innovation in the area of technology and science. This has made this group develop an open-minded attitude towards creating diversity among them. It is from this that we find a rise in intermarriages between people from diverse origins, races, religions, and different orientations because the information rise created by technological advancement has led to a deeper understanding of the other cultures.
This group has raised the bar of interactions between individuals, and many friendships have been made out of total strangers. This has been significantly facilitated by the uprising of different social media that have come with the development of the World Wide Web or the internet, as referred to by many (Fields, 2008). It is through this that the world has been reduced into a global village, and the group has also had the advantage of bonding and sharing information, thoughts, and concerns.
Another influence on the rise of this group is the relatively advanced parenting that was available to this generation as they grew up. There was improved care given to them, and parents raised them to be successful and knowledgeable individuals in the society. The advanced healthcare in that period also ensured that they had relatively stable health, and therefore they grew up without problems in terms of health.
This generation grew in the most conducive environment and with good parenting and, therefore, have risen to be more responsible and liberals in society. They have learned that strength is through diversity, and we can not afford to discriminate against others because of their race, gender, religion, or even social background.
The norms, rules, roles, and networks of this culture
This culture is distinctively anti-discrimination because it is composed of youthful individuals who are forward-thinking. They want to eradicate the problems they have learned from their elders’ past mistakes and create a harmonious existence in the world we live in. They have continued to participate in charity events and other volunteer activities in the quest to uplift the disadvantaged groups in the society they live in. Some have even taken the initiative of influencing change in their nations as experienced in the revolutions that took place in the Arab nations. The following are some of the characteristics of the group that outline what they value, their part in the society, and how they have interconnected despite being continents apart.
Ambition
First is their quest to achieve in the highest limits and realize their potential in all they do. This culture has encouraged success that comes with good education, innovativeness, and encouraging others through inspiration so that no one is left behind suffering. As a result, more and more youthful individuals have taken up positions of management and leadership in various organizations. Today, some of the world’s richest individuals are still at their young age, and this is a clear manifestation of how ambitious this group is.
Value personal growth
In as much as this is a group, individual growth is much cherished by members. Everyone should always strive to excel in whatever position or profession he or she is in so that there is a constant change from a personal perspective. Stagnation is not desirable here, and individuals should uplift themselves in terms of standards of living, their social status, and other areas of personal growth.
Goal-oriented
This group has learned to set targets that are achievable for them to attain in life. Every member might have their personal targets, but the overall group’s goals are to be over and above achieved so that there is some progress being made by the group even if it may not be visible. It is for this reason that there is always completion by members that can sometimes be mistaken for rivalry. However, this can usually be solved with time when other members have noted that it may be self-destructive to the culture or to the individuals of the group.
Value technology
Sheahan (2005), states that this culture is obsessed with technology in a way. Everyone has a dream of owning the various trending gadgets available in store. This shows the drive that this culture has for modern technology. This is further reflected in what they are likely to purchase, the services they might prefer and the music they may prefer to listen to because of the innovativeness that may vary in such products. They are also highly adaptive to new and advanced technology and, therefore, can perform in a highly integrated environment.
Look up to older generations
Another interesting thing about this group is their tendency to have role models in older generations or historical individuals. They would like to identify with the success of individuals who achieved in developing inventions, talent and inspiration to the society and always want to become like them or even more than they were one day. This has given rise to them having personal icons that they even sometimes have their photos or quotes in their rooms, for instance. They also value and adore their parents even though they can be sometimes complicated in their parents’ side of view.
Extremely casual
This group is surprisingly casual in their looks especially in informal settings. They like dressing loosely or even tightly depending on gender. They like flashy and colorful attires that may look strange, but as they like to call it; it’s fashionable. Their hairstyles are somewhat crazy and that is the word they use for something they like or desire. Their casual nature is further relayed in how they talk to their peers by use of slang or loose forms of the original language.
Appreciate cultural diversity
This group has learnt to appreciate everyone’s cultural background. In fact, most of the members are from a minority group in the society. They know that it is nothing to disregard your fellow human being because of his or her background, which they might not had an influence or choice on. It is by chance that everyone falls in the different cultural backgrounds and, therefore, it is unity of the members of this culture that matters. In fact, the diversity is appreciated because it creates a learning environment or opportunity to be exploited by members.
Able to multi task
This group or culture is likely to get bored quite often than not. It is for this reason that they have adapted to multi tasking to eradicate boredom. You may find a youth reading or practicing mathematics while listening to some soft music. This to other people may sound very impossible but they do it because they do not simply like any form of monotony. Even when you find them relaxing and playing their favorite game, they will still not mind you turning up the volume of that stereo or that television so that they get to hear it.
Use of the internet and cell phones
A major way of networking in this group is through the various internet platforms and through mobile phones. An individual may have several e mail accounts, social media profiles, blogs and websites that he or she uses to interact with other members. Here, they get to express their concerns, feelings, aspiration and other things that they are currently preoccupied with so that no one misses it. The internet is also their number one source of news and entertainment. They are therefore connected in a virtual world through the internet chats and electronic mailing or through instant messaging and calling using mobile phones.
Opportunities and obstacles of being a member
Some of the obstacles or opportunities of being a member of this culture may include:
Technology use
You must be in tandem with the new technology features for you to be an effective member of this group. The main way of connecting by members is through use of the various social network platforms that may have advanced features that require knowledge about them. Since the group is highly advanced in technology, a new member should be able to catch up with the trends or have interest in technology to be able to cope easily.
Language
The group has a casual way of communicating since its members from different regions have developed short forms that require one’s knowledge to be able to understand the message being communicated. It is also important to adapt to language in the context of what is being said so that one is not got wrong or misunderstood as this may lead to conflicts.
Connections
An important benefit or opportunity that arises from the group membership is getting established connections. Networking is an essential tool in today’s society and it is therefore important that you know individuals that might be helpful for your personal growth. Being a member of this group helps you to get the opportunity to meet different personalities, professionals and even experienced experts in various areas of your respective specialization whether academic or career wise.
Opportunities and obstacles that this group faces
Resistance
This group has encountered conservatives who do not like the way this group do things and this has created a clash between them. There are those older generations that feel that the ways of this culture are against the religious beliefs and practices and this has led them despise the group’s existence. There are also those who fear technological advancements and feel that it has created dependency and complacency among the members and they have therefore added to the resistance and discouragement of the group members. Clashing interests may lead to resistance from the other culture in terms of acceptance (Parillo, 2011).
Advancing technology
This is an opportunity for every member. Since technology is ever changing be it in the workplace or at home, being a member of this group allows you to keep up with the dynamism of technological advancement. It is therefore important to be a member of this group because you are likely to be up to date with the skills and knowledge concerning emerging technologies. This is very important to every individual in the society we live in today.
Up to date news
Since news spreads fast, the network established by this culture allows you to get information on a real time basis. For instance, even news channels and television stations have sometimes relied on the social posting sites for information on happenings in the world. It therefore means that being connected to this group allow you to be updated and informed sometimes even on a primary source basis. This is one of the most exciting and significant part of this culture of the generation Y.
Reference List
Bucher, R., D. (2010). Diversity Consciousness: Opening Our Minds to People, Cultures, and Opportunities, 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, Prentice Hall
Fields, B. (2008). Marketing the Generation Y: The Experience Culture. Web.
Parillo, V. (2011). Strangers to these shores: Race and ethnic relations in the United States, 10thed. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Sheahan, P. (2005). Generation Y: Surviving (and Thriving) with Generation Y at Work. Sydney: Hardie Grant Publishing.