Blog

by Steve Risner

Last week I began a brief look at the generation we refer to as Generation Y or Millennials. We discussed that this group, being born between the early 1980s and the mid to late 1990s, is the most medicated (primarily for depression, anxiety, or behavioral disorders), the most depressed/stressed, and the most suicidal generation in our nation's history, as well as the least religious and least dedicated to a political ideology or even to patriotism.

Many have speculated as to why this generation is so depressed or anxious (which, of course, can lead to suicide). Some suggest it's their financial stress—Millennials commonly believe they've been dealt a bad hand. Some say it's that they're perfectionists and that standard is too hard to live up to. Some say they're not getting married, or married as early, or having children and this plays a role. Others even say maybe it's because careers have forced many of them to be on the road a lot, moving frequently so they don't have time to develop roots in a community. Still others say that technology is a major part. Millennials spend a great deal of time (like many others but they seem to be winning the prize for this) with their faces glued to a screen. Studies show that more time with electronic devices actually increases social anxiety and feelings of isolation. Screen time is also related to activities that teens feel are actually less fun or less happy. Still, we all search for our time to spend checking social media or playing some mindless game. You can see there are a host of reasons many have suggested for Millennials' depression and feelings of hopelessness or anxiety and their increased suicides compared to other age groups.

However, that being said, I don't believe financial stress or any of these other reasons are the real cause of the Millennials' unhappiness. There are many things contributing, but the primary reason I've eluded to above and more so last week. It's not that Millennials tend to be perfectionists, or they move a lot, or anything like that which has been suggested. There are a number of contributors, but the biggest overall is the fact that they have, in general, rejected their Creator and Savior. Is anyone surprised that the generation that rejects God the most also experiences the most anxiety and depression? It doesn't shock me at all.

One issue with Millennials, and for that matter more people these days, is that they've bought into postmodernism. Postmodernism asserts that reality is unknowable and meaningless. As a result of attempting to overthrow morality and traditional values, postmodernism rejects objective truth and transcendent truth that allows people to see reality for what it is and know how to function in it. Not surprisingly, postmodernists view the world of people as two separate classes: victims and oppressors. Have you heard of the victim mentality? Have you heard of people who feel entitled? These are symptoms of postmodernism.

Surveys seem to indicate that Millennials tend to have a lower opinion of truth or right and wrong. Fewer than half believe right and wrong do not change, meaning the majority of people under age 35 do not believe in objective morality. Only 4% of Millennials have a Biblical worldview. The consequences of this are all around us. As a Biblical creationist, I as well as others have said this for a long time: if you teach children that they are smart apes, how can you be surprised that they begin to act like an ape? If universities are teaching the postmodernist worldview where right and wrong don't exist, morality is an illusion, and reality is unknowable, how can we be surprised if people have no sense of right and wrong and depression and suicide run rampant? This belief—this worldview—is one of hopelessness and despair and it's painfully clear that it has no grounding in logic or reason.

There is hope, however, that the generation known as “Y” or Millennials will turn around in their thought processes. As they age, hopefully, like previous generations, they will see how obvious the existence of God is and how philosophies and worldviews based on other ideas rather than the Bible are irrational and internally inconsistent.

That's the crux of it: no worldview actually even makes sense or be consistent except the worldview based on the Bible. God's Word is a perfect manual for right living, and most importantly for eternal living. If you find yourself struggling with anxiety or depression, or if you're sure that feeling dissatisfied with life or feeling hopeless is a normal part of aging, please talk to an authentic disciple of Christ who can point you to Him. It's certainly possible for a believer in Christ to still deal with these things, but it's a far smaller percentage and generally to a lesser degree.

It's easy for older or even younger generations to criticize Millennials for their issues, but let's face it: we all have issues and every generation has problems. However, our society, and more closely parents, have made this generation what they are to a great degree. We can't just point a finger at them and complain about their problems. We've invented these problems. We should, instead, try to help them heal by showing them the love of the Lover of their souls—Jesus Christ. We should patiently and respectfully train them up in the ways of the Bible. There's hope for us all! Thank you for reading.

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