There is a new application which is making headlines – Sarahah. The Sarahah Application has the feature of anonymous feedback one can receive on it. The Sarahah Application is quite popular now with more than 20 million users. It’s not the app which is relevant to this discussion but what the app does is.

Why would I need an anonymous feedback? An anonymous feedback will have no credibility, good or bad doesn’t matter. I can directly ask my friends, family or parents for comments, feedback anytime. And, even we didn’t need to ask; we get this all the time from our parents, friends.

“Be on time, you used to be late. You have poor dressing sense or a bad sense of humor. You are talkative.” These are usual comments one should be receiving as feedbacks regularly.

The popularity of Sarahah Application suggests that either people are not getting feedback from their peers or they are not seeking just feedback. They are expecting something else.

The popularity of Sarahah Application once again signifies that our youth seeks to replace relationships, human interactions with that of a virtual world.

Who are Millennials?

Millennials are the peoples who were born in the period from the early 1980s to early 2000s. They are also known as generation “Y”. They are the first generation raised with the internet, helicopter parenting. Generally, during most of their childhood, they had seen an economic boom and overbearing parents. They are highly tech-savvy. These characteristics of them might differ across geographic regions.

There are various studies which confirm about anxiety problems, fear of reality. Millennials often found to be complaining about their failing love relationships, career boredom and most importantly a failed society they are living in. Among these entire problems, one factor which is primarily common to all these problems is low awareness of the reality of the world they are in. Though millennials themselves are not responsible for these problems, they have to face them.

Their Lifestyle – Confusion of Real vs. virtual world

They live in a virtual world, which moves as their fingers move on their cell phones, it is still otherwise. Perform their social activities on Facebook, gets in a relationship on tinder, solve their problems on tweeter and remain busy with friends on WhatsApp. They took their photographs three shade lighter & have to give as many updates as possible on social media to prove that they are alive and are having a fun life. Millennials can spend hours on social media but don’t have time to meet friends on weekends. They have hundreds of friends & contacts in their list but still, need apps for feedback. It seems like they are running away from themselves, afraid of reality of their own personality.

They are not able to understand the importance of human interactions both verbal & physical. Many of them see sex as a physical need and not as a part of the relationship, in other words, they are even confused among “sex” & “love making”.

They are not the first one who has faced the corruption, recession, unemployment. But they feel as victims of these problems. They try to solve these problems without being part of them. Millennials show somewhat split personality. At times they show highly individualistic behavior, concerned with their personal gains. At other, they become highly concerned with social problems, shows their anger, frustration in various forms. Because of their virtual world, they have limited understanding of these problems. Thereby limiting their efforts or not getting results they have expected in return for their efforts. This further increases their frustration.

Should we judge

First thing, all these are personal choices & there should not be any restrictions on these choices as such. Every person has the freedom to choose the lifestyle he/she wants. But, there is an assumption here? Freedom comes with a responsibility.  Here comes the second point, does the person who is granted freedom possess the rational thinking to understand the consequences of his choice.

The point here is – Can we discuss the life of Millennials as such? Do we have the rights to judge them on the basis of some reports or their behavior? Should we question the choices they made?

The answer to above question should be left on to the millennials. And, further, they are not children’s of 5 years who can be forced to do the socially correct things.

When they will face reality

The concern which remains here is – When will we accept reality & How? We have increased cases of panic attacks, depression, infertility and even suicide. It becomes extremely difficult for millennials when their virtual world gets shattered & they are forced to accept the real world.

Today, corporates see Millennials as potential market segment only and institutions are reluctant to acknowledge their different needs. At one side, corporations feed them with products which further expand their virtual world. At other neither institutions try to control corporations nor do they try to change themselves according to needs of Millennials.  Over to that, corporations complain about the lack of reality among the youth when it comes to employing them.

Sooner we are able to resolve this problem better will be the future for us.