Millennials Overtake Baby Boomers as Population Majority
It finally happened: Baby Boomers are no longer the population majority of the United States. Instead, they have been surpassed by the up and coming millennial generation. With this upsurge of Millennials, the cultural and economic projections of the United States are likely in for a less traditional approach than many have seen before.
The Baby Boomer generation came along after the end of the Second World War. According to the PEW Research Center the era of Baby Boomers ranges from 1946-1964. During this time Boomer’s would grow up in an era of war and social change. From the Korean War to Civil Rights, Baby Boomers would have to adapt to the ever changing world around them. Many of the Boomer generation were eager to marry young and were full of optimism for the future. The generation would thrive with the success of the emerging middle class. Experts agree that Baby Boomers have long had an outsized presence compared with other generations. They were the largest generation and peaked at 78.8 million in 1999. Recently, their numbers have started to decline with increased mortality rates.
Millennials are of a slightly different sort, as they are experiencing population growth through immigration. The era of Millennials ranges from 1981-1997. Millennials were born to a time period impacted by all of the social and cultural change of the last century, and are unique in that they do not share most of the traditional characteristics of previous generations. Experts state that the Millennial generation is the most educated, but a majority are still undereducated. Many are getting married later in life, they are usually more diverse in their social and cultural opinions, and are made up of a more ethnically diverse group of people.
Why is it important that the Millennials are the population majority? The population majority becomes the driving force of the social and economic aspects of society. Millennials and Baby Boomers have both thrived in the world during times of economic crisis. Therefore, they have different ideals about spending, and this can affect economic growth. The Millennial influence might also bring about more awareness of social issues that in the past would have been overlooked. It is important to remember that this group is made up of diverse people from a variety of backgrounds. The mindsets and ideals of the millennial generation are likely going to be varied and somewhat radical in the eyes of older generations.
Overall, the influence of the Millennial and their population dominance is an exciting time for all involved, as the leading generation can bring about change never seen before. This change of command could bring out the solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems and drive science and medicine to new heights, as the Baby Boomers provided to the generations before them. Millennials are often full of optimism for the future, even if it might seem uncertain at times. The Baby Boomers have achieved great feats in their time, and it is exciting to see how society will progress as the reigns are passed to new leaders. In doing so, new thought process are put in action and positive impacting change can hopefully occur.
