THE WORST OF THE WORST
Go to Google.com, type in millennial traits, and any number of lists will pop up. Researchers generously define anyone born between 1981 and 2000 (what happened to separating us to Generation Y and Generation Z?), as a millennial, and common traits/contributions to the greater good include: risk-taking, chasing passions instead of salary, spontaneity, Snapchat, constant career changes, brunch seven days a week, impatience, leggings instead of pants, pumpkin spice… everything, self-diagnosing through WebMD, taking a long time to find themselves, a need for naps, self-obsession, selfies and selfie sticks, constant quest for instant gratification and listicles instead of articles (including “15 Ways You Know You’re a Millenial”).
An Internet search for “millennial” will also produce at least one person: Martin Shkreli. The 32-year-old New York entrepreneur was arrested last week on securities fraud charges. He’s also known for astronomically raising pharmaceutical prices, one pill from $13.50 to $750 overnight. And in addition to his extravagant spending habits (a reported $2 million for a rare Wu-Tang Clan album), it’s also come to light that he spent hours in front of his computer, recording himself doing just about whatever he wanted on Youtube, assuming the world was interested enough to watch. What’s even more bizarre are his recorded conversations with high school students at his alma mater. Let me remind you he’s 32 and graduated high school a decade ago.
The Atlantic says “We all know millennials are the worst,” which probably isn’t true. But we can probably agree that Shkreli really is the worst.
THAT SHOULD GET OUR POLITICIANS’ ATTENTION
As a final note from the COP21 climate talks in Paris, we would like to point out to our elected officials that a whole lot of people think that climate change is a really important issue.
Consider this bit of information from a recent Earth Guardians press release:
“Earth Guardians joined former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and leadership from Climate Reality Project, 350.org, Avaaz, Climate Action Network International, Earth Day Network, Greenpeace, and Sierra Club to deliver more than 6.2 million signatures to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon demanding climate action. Our crews in over 400 cities and communities on six continents mobilized and recruited their peers willing to take the pledge to be a climate leader. The pledge is to join the global movement for healthy solutions to our time’s most pressing crisis.”
As trends go, what this should mean to all elected officials, and those hoping to be elected in the future, is that it is going to be increasingly difficult to impossible to attain elected office while remaining in the pockets of the oil and gas and coal industries. The days when politicos like Hickenlooper, Bennet, Gardner, Obama and the Clintons can talk out of both sides of their mouths on fossil fuel usage and climate change are rapidly coming to an end. No longer will they be able to take oil and gas industry campaign money in exchange for doing little to nothing about global warming (“talking” aka “lying” doesn’t count). Young voters will not trade their future so old men and Hillary can live comfortably in their twilight, basking in the warm glow of the planet they destroyed for their own gain.
