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Jason Dorsey, a researcher and expert on Gen Y and Z, told VICE that this is in part because as a birth cohort, we exhibit behaviors that are largely consistent, regardless of our wealth and geographical location—and many of these behaviors are financial ones. "Millennials are frequently reaching for what we call small luxuries and experiences, such as breaks away and concerts. They are having kids and getting married later," he said. "But really all we're saying—or should be saying—when we're talking about millennials is, here's a generation of people who are coming of age at the same time." Obviously if this were really the case, we'd be talking about the third of millennials living in poverty in the UK.In the very act of using the millennial struggle to talk about how we're being fucked over, those who aren't class-privileged are being fucked over a second time
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In reality, the wealth gap between the working class and middle class has never been wider than it is with our generation. The McKinsey global millennial study found that the highest-earning 20 percent of millennials in America make eight times more than the other 80 percent. Dorsey says this is mirrored globally, and the disparity is unprecedented when compared to previous generations, who slowly built that gap over their lifetime. In short, inequality isn't ending with us. It's getting far worse. The surface-level similarities of a sneaker-wearing, snapchatting age group also feeds into a false narrative of social mobility unique to our generation. It's the new American dream: a limitless fountain of millennial opportunity. All you need is to be is online. Any of us—poor, living in a small village, say, or wealthy, residing in a creative hub—can potentially launch a successful business or YouTube channel regardless of proximity to cities or access. It's all about personal branding and self-promotion. But just as simply existing in America with a work ethic wasn't the magical formula for wealth if you never had wealth to begin with. Neither is simply being born in the 80 or 90s. The internet is no great leveler.The surface-level similarities of a sneaker-wearing, Snapchatting age group also feeds into a false narrative of social mobility unique to our generation
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Eventually middle class millennials will outgrow the great millennial struggle, leaving the worse off far behind them
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