To say that Millennials have received a bad rap over the last few years is more than evident. You can see it in multiple articles, videos, rants and even a song or two.  Lazy, Weak, Spoiled, Selfish, Entitled.  The list of negative connotations goes on and on.

Are they simply just misunderstood?

You would think after hundreds of years of oppression, dissension and racial madness we would be more open to those who look differently or think differently. You would think we would become more open-minded about views and concepts that are different than our own. But the minuscule steps we seem to have taken are just laced with smoke and mirrors.

We have before us an insanely intelligent class of individuals who are shaping the world as we know it.  Millennials. But what is more threatening, the idea that they are doing things differently or that they are doing it independent of us. As the ‘older’ generation, we don’t want to be forgotten or feel insignificant.

We’ve created and handed them every imaginable tool ( and then some) and they have soared.  They’ve reached heights higher and faster than we could have ever dreamed.  But at the same time – living in this advanced technology age they have seen, with ever-present clarity, the effects of terrorism, recession, natural disasters and shootings.  And they have not just witnessed them once or twice, it’s a 24/7/365 world of constant screens, monitors, tweets and videos ever playing in their minds.

We have built a world that they are skeptical of and have questions of which we are failing to produce the answers for. But instead of turning away, this should be a time of open arms and understanding.  It’s time to develop a new way of communication that bridges both sides of the conversation – and the generations. It’s time to collectively solve the problems that are present in the world of those who will be shaping our tomorrows. It’s not just determining madness or genius – as I discuss in this article, it’s learning how to create a cohesive world that betters us all.

Working together for a better future is where we will witness greatness.

Millennials may showcase an introvert nature which may come across as lackadaisical but this cannot be confused with the mask it is. A defense mechanism that we have shown them as a way to handle the unanswered crisis they face. Instead of patting them on the head with a condescending “go play with your toys” attitude we should invite them into the conversation.

The future is always uncertain. But the confidence of facing that future, knowing that the answers lie within each one of them is something that has to be taught. We open our arms and our minds with the answer “I don’t know, but together, we will come up with a great solution.”