NEWSWIRE: 11/27/17
- Dr. Christian Jarrett debunks the widely held perception that Millennials are entitled narcissists. Millennial-bashers to the contrary, it may not be true that Narcissistic Personality Inventory scores have been rising among young adults—and in any event the substantial decline in impulsive, risk-seeking behavior among youth (from crime and drinking to fast cars and consumer debt) seems to point to a decline rather than a rise in narcissism. (BBC)
- NH: The leader of the Millennial-bashers is Jean Twenge, psychologist at San Diego State, whose many studies and books (the best known are Generation Me and The Narcissism Epidemic) explain how the self-esteem movement has ruined this generation. Jarrett sums up the growing number of critics who argue that the data simply don't back Twenge up. I've long been crossing swords with Twenge and yes I do welcome this gathering of allies! One critic is Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, who (in "The Evidence for Generation We and Against Generation Me") explains how Twenge deliberately misinterprets the NPI score and ignores abundant behavior data showing that Millennials are, if anything, more sociable that older generations were at the same age. Another team of critics, Kali H. Trzesniewski and M. Brent Donnellan, have long argued that comprehensive high school surveys (from "Monitoring the Future") show, if anything, declining narcissism. See also this brand-new takedown of Twenge by E. Wetzel et al., whose own analysis of raw NPI scores since 1992 among college students in Illinois and California show (again) declining narcissism.
- Columnist Maria Puente links the growing outrage over sexual harassment in Hollywood to generational change. She contends that, while many Boomer victims viewed this behavior as part of the business, Xers and (to a greater extent) Millennials have been taught to expect gender equality in the workplace—and to speak out if things go awry. (USA Today)
- NH: The Harvey Weinstein scandal promises to constitute a major watershed moment in acceptable gender-role behavior and may cause significant damage to the Hollywood brand. Most of the victims--not just of Weinstein, but of all the other exposed celebrities both before and after the Weinstein affair--have in fact been Gen-X women in interactions dating back to the 1980s. Yes, Millennial women have been more likely to speak up and receive a sympathetic public hearing. Puente is right about this. What's more, according to Pew Research, Millennial women are the least satisfied of all generations (the elder Silent are the most satisfied) about how America "these days" is making life easier for women (as opposed to men). Little of this has to do with pay or promotion in the workplace; instead, it has to so with broader social changes that demand more from them than from like-aged men. (Not surprisingly, Millennial men disagree--and by a wider margin than older generations.)
- Amazon is selling its first-party devices (including Echos and Kindles) inside of five Whole Foods locations this holiday season through the use of pop-up stores. The company is proving that its Whole Foods acquisition was about more than simply beefing up its grocery business. (SFGate)
- As part of a new special, reporter Melissa Riopka shares her experience as a member of the “sandwich generation.” Like many Xers, Riopka’s task of caring for her own children as well as her (grand)parents leaves her feeling emotionally drained, short on time, and—occasionally—rewarded. (WHNT.com)
- Columnist Bruce Feiler notes the ways in which Millennial parents (“parennials”) stand apart from their predecessors. Whether they are rejecting traditional gender roles in favor of “co-parenting” or asking their Boomer parents to be live-in child care, Millennials are putting their own twist on parenting. (The New York Times)
- NH: Great overview of what's new about Millennial parenting. There's the constant recourse to apps and Web resources to become instant experts on how to raise kids. Millennials are shedding explicit "mom" and "dad" roles in favor of more interchangeable co-parenting tasks (though this could change as they grow older). Choices about religious affiliation for their kids are being deferred. And they are much more dependent on their own moms and dads for housing, babysitting, advice, and (yes) financial support.
- On November 18, young adults nationwide celebrated “Friendsgiving,” a pre-Thanksgiving get-together that Millennials have turned into a time-honored tradition. The pseudo-holiday is a natural fit for a generation that loves to socialize and is largely unattached. (The News Journal)
- NH: Apparently, the first Friendsgiving occurred in 2007--making this the tenth anniversary thereof. (No, it didn't start during the Gen-X sitcom "Friends.") For Millennials marrying and having kids ever later, this is a nifty innovation enabling them to stay socially tight with each other outside the family context of the traditional "Thanksgiving."
- Mattel introduced a hijab-wearing Barbie in honor of Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad. This is a smart move: Ever-inclusive Millennial parents were raised in a pro-girl power world, and intend to pass down the same mindset to their young Homelander children. (The Washington Post)
- NH: Amid a declining secular demand trend for toys, Mattel is battling two challenges--first, the culture wars of parents who find so much to loathe about Barbie dolls (too thin or too fat, too cute or too ugly, too "white" or too "diverse"), and second, the age compression of childhood, especially for girls. The latter refers to the tendency of girls to outgrow dolls at ever-earlier ages. There was a time when girls would play with Barbies until age 8 or 10. Now they're throwing them aside at age 5 or 6. Will hijabs and self-empowerment among Islamic young women make Barbies more interesting for older girls? We will see.
- Gen-X CEO John Barrows figured out a unique way to stay on top of his game: hiring a 24-year-old to serve as “Director of Execution and Evolution.” In true Millennial fashion, Barrows’ new consultant has steered him away from using outmoded technology and anecdotes—and toward offering individualized learning for every employee. (Harvard Business Review)
- Wells Fargo has launched a hybrid robo-advising service aimed at Millennials. Notwithstanding the company’s recent cross-selling scandal, offering Millennial customers a digital advising service that also features live customer support when needed is a winning move. (MarketWatch)
- NH: One more large financial institution is moving toward low-cost algorithms to attract Millennials, who understand that simple diversification and asset allocation choices don't need costly discussion in person or on the phone. Yes, Millennials would benefit from advice requiring lots of personal interaction--but for much more complex problems, like health insurance, taxes, marriage, bequests, buying v. renting a home, and so forth. Problem is, few financial advisors are trained to provide such advice. Physicians may soon face a similar redefinition: Online AI plus nurses and back-up remote experts, a package being pioneered by Teladoc, may soon handle all the simple stuff. Which will require doctors to focus more on either complex cases (House-like diagnostic specialists) or deep personal (concierge or wellness) interaction.
- Among heterosexual, dual-income married couples, women carry about 65% of the family’s child care responsibilities—roughly unchanged over the past decade. This uneven division of labor takes a major emotional toll on today’s working women, and may even send the message to children that Dad’s time is worth more. (The Washington Post)
DID YOU KNOW?
Streaming Killed the Radio Star. Thanks to the dramatic rise of streaming services, old-school radio DJs have lost their power as hit makers. Increasingly, radio stations rely on what’s popular on Spotify and Apple Music instead of breaking new music. This shift has created a new star in the music industry: the “playlist professional.” One of the world’s most powerful is Tuma Basa, global head of hip-hop at Spotify. (The company currently employs 150 playlist curators that oversee 4,500 playlists.) These industry gatekeepers are charged with balancing today’s top hits with a sprinkling of new and upcoming talent. Today, the biggest music labels compete to get their stars on heavy rotation at Spotify rather than at the local radio station. The power bestowed on the industry’s top playlist professionals is massive: According to music industry lawyer David Jacobs, “We’re consolidating 60 years of regional tastemakers, spread around dozens of markets around the country and the world, into one system. Basically, three or four people.”
