Curse of Generation M.
 
Well, We were warned by the generations before us.

     Generation labels have well defined age groups since the baby-boomers. Now the baby-boomers are dissapearing and Generation X is giving way to Generation M.

What is the difference?

     "Well, basically the "X" of Generation X referred to the namelessness of a generation that was coming into an awareness of its existence as a separate group while at the same time feeling completely dwarfed and culturally overshadowed by the Baby Boomer generation of which it was ostensibly a part. The generation started with the children of 1960-1980's."
-From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
     Now that generation is giving way to ours. We are generation M!
What is Generation M? Who is Generation M?
People of the Western world between the ages of 8 and 18 are thrown into this catagory. We are the technilogical dream children. We are filled with more knowledge in the first 15 years of our lives than most baby-boomers ever learned in that time (some in their whole lives).
We are bred to do things that even the Generation X'ers never dreamed of, And we do it with out blinking.
 
     The "M" stands for Multitask. Therefore, we have Generation Multitask. That pretty much sums us up does it not? The "M" is also often used to imply that we are media saturated. The truth is we're both!
 
   A recent study found that kids between the ages of 8 and 18 spend more than 44 hours per week plugged into computers, cell phones, music and TV, often simultaneously. Kids' brains are on overdrive, compressing 60 hours of information into only 44. On top of all this, How many times has "Mom" walked by and made some comment about how she JUST DOESN'T UNDERSTAND how we can talk to so many ppl at once.
We just don't understand why everyone thinks it's so hard!
    
      The average teen can watch tv, listen to music, blog/email, and usual chat to their friends on some form of messenger while they are at it. This kind of multitasking is made easy by our new and contantly improving technology. BUT is it really healthy?
 
~~~~~I say YES!
and
I say NO!~~~~~

     The truth is, it's a bit of both. We have to be able to multitask in today's society where everything is expected to be done the moment before you were even told about it. Procrastinaton is no longer optional if you plan to make it in the world. The care free hippy dippy days of peace ,love ,and living on beaches and in van's is over.

      However, on the flip side all the constant over stimulation and high expectations are causing a tramendouse amount of stress in teenagers. The stress expirienced is too often triggering the brain to run on over drive and the gear sticks.
So the conflict of

"sit down and be quiet!"
mixed with

"Why don't you have this done yet?"

 Is causing a great conflict with teens. I have spoken to many of my peers and they all tell me the same thing.

"We can't just sit still. We can't only watch one tv show at a time. As soon as that comercial comes on we flip to another channel."
-John and Kevin, high school students
 
"As soon as there's a lull in a online convo I start doing something else. I am usually talking to 3plus people at a time anyways so i don't get bored."
-Alex, high school graduate

     All the stimulation through out the day makes it hard for our brains to quiet themselves. Therefor resulting in a lack of sleep. As most of you already know, Sleeping is essential to out bodies. During sleep our brains process all the information the we absorbed through out the day. It filters out what it thinks is important. And what isnt. So when we dont sleep, and we stay in hyperdrive... can you even imagine?
 
     Ofcourse you can! You are generation M. So while we're being accused of ADD, ADHD, and other things of that nature, remind your accuser that you were bred and trained for this all your life. How can you be expected to turn off your hyperdrive now?
 
BTW!
 
As it is, i know that the majority of you have either stopped reading already or scrolled through it just getting the high points. It's alright. I understand. It's your breeding.

Good luck Gen M

-Natelle-

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