If you think about it, all these thinkpieces about how Millenials are “killing” various industries reveal a pretty colossal sense of entitlement.
Under normal circumstances, if a given industry finds itself unable to sell products to a given market demographic, we’d say it’s that industry’s fault for failing to offer products that that demographic is interested in buying.
It only makes sense to blame the target demographic itself is if we’re assuming that the established industries have some intrinsic right to that demographic’s disposable income that’s being denied - which is clearly nonsense.
And I thought Millennials were supposed to be the entitled ones?
Thank you for putting into words one of the factors that has rubbed me the wrong way about the litany of articles and quotes about how Millennials are Ruining Everything ™.
Like, I have worked very hard to put out real, genuine quality stuff. The best that I can make while offering it at a reasonable price, because a business transaction should be fair; you get a good product, the business makes some profit, everyone walks away happy. I am not even that old, and I have already seen a significant decline in the quality, craftsmanship, materials and labor sources in almost all of my purchases compares to the items that my family bought when I was growing up- and I’m talking the expensive stuff, too! We have bought two Dysons from Costco in the last two years (returned both, thank god for Costco’s return policy!) and neither one functioned as well as Megan’s old parent’s Dyson that was made in the 80′s. My grandmother has an old metal sewing machine that has been kicking longer than I have but I’ve been through about four sewing machines in my lifetime, each one managed to last twoish years. And these are the things off the top of my head, and it goes all the way down. Like how they started manufacturing secretly-smaller containers for things with the bubble on the bottom so you don’t notice there’s less product inside, or how Charmin made their rolls ‘shorter’ than they used to be but they are still technically the same number of ‘sheets’- I mean, I know I sound a little crazy, but if you’re Charmin and you reduce the amount of paper material per-roll by even a single penny, even a fraction of a penny, it would add up to much bigger profits; and a bigger expense passed on to the consumer, who won’t notice that the rolls are an inch shorter (except me because I’m weird that way)
I see companies constantly finding ways to cut corners, pay employees less, and put out crappier merchandise, and then go “Why won’t anyone buy this stuff?!” and I just don’t get why they’re confused.
I’m resurrecting an ancient post, because nothing here has changed in the intervening time. The recent post about “tech hoarding” because people aren’t buying new phones on a regular schedule reminded me.
The companies definitely now feel entitled to profit and business, rather than earning it.
See now: “how dare Gen z not buy alcohol”
I’m sorry you priced people out of your product. That’s your fault, though.
