my generation is ambitious, ethical, cause-oriented, and truthful
My generation is the beginning of a new generation that succeeds millennials. Popular media and researchers commonly refer to this generation being born between mid-to-late 1990s up to the early 2010s. My generation is more familiar with social media and internet usage. My generation has profoundly influenced behavior and trends, and their influence as the first generation of digital natives is radiating outwards. Technology has enabled young people to have an unlimited connectivity degree with themselves and with others. Technological trends have shifted quickly as much as the shifts in consumption and behavioral changes by my generation. The consumption tendencies of the new generation have increased, and in China, consumption in 2016 was 64.7% of the GDP compared to a lower 44.9% in 2010. My generation generations are enormous consumers and not savers. They are focused on the present and live in the moment. However, my generation is ambitious, ethical, cause-oriented, and truthful in consumption tendencies.
Consumption has been disrupted by my generation who perceive consumption as access and not a possession. My generation has access to a wide range of information about purchases, thus having an opportunity to perform an in-depth analysis and understanding of the products. Consumption has been redefined where my generation views consumption as a means of gaining access to the services and products and not owning them. The new style of consumption as access has provided unlimited availability to the services and goods such as subscriptions and video streaming. Value has been created in consumption, and products have been converted to services that connect consumers. Collaborative consumption has gained popularity due to the connection of consumers, and people have begun to view it as an additional income generating method. For example, for the car manufacturers, instead of selling 1000 cars they produce, they one car 1000 times. Companies have needed to enhance platforms that aggregate customers to their brands in delivering better products, experiences, and services. Value creation is an essential aspect in designing the products in having a direct relationship with the customers and creating new channels in distribution.
My generation expresses in various ways and experiment various ways of becoming their authentic selves and define their unique identity over time.My generation requires a diversified career paths and maintain a work-life balance. My generation believes that an individual should test and experiment and perform changes where necessary. Having an accounting job while pursuing other interests such as writing or designing is a common phenomenon in my generation.
Consumption has been used as a tool for my generation to express their identity. Individual identity plays a core role for my generation, and thus consumption has been used as a drive to self-expression. For the previous generations, the individuals wore and purchased brands to fit into the set norms in the groups, which is not the case for my generation. My generation is more eager to access more personalized products and are more willing to pay for premium products that express their individuality. Consumers have the will to pay product premiums for the brands that are willing to embrace the causes that the that resonate with the consumers. Brands that create items not classified on gender basis have gained value and traction among the consumers. The consumers are highly prepared in accessing products and services regardless of the place or time converging the online and offline worlds. Marketing and sales define a new level to reach the consumers, and information possessed by companies about the consumers has become strategically valuable. The companies collect and interpret information on individual customers and ensure that data privacy protection exists. In the past, businesses have gained profits through the utilization of economies of scale. Today they have to change to mass and scale consumption while adhering to the customization of products for specific consumer groups. Businesses need to be more flexible and agile in their entire processes of the supply chain, manufacturing, and marketing to create personalized, inclusive products.
Ethics has played an anchorage role in consumption for my geconsumers expect brands to take stand in choosing the specific causes that resonate with the brand and its consumers and have a clear statement on the particular issues. The stand is not based on a position of political correctness but covers a wide range of topics. My generation expects the companies to match their actions with their ideals, which should be across the entire stakeholder system of partners and suppliers. My generation is well educated on the realities behind brands due to the readily available information. When a company advertises diversity but doesn’t have a diversified community within its ranks, it is easily identified, creating a conflict of ethics. My generation is more willing to purchase services and products from brands that are considered ethical. When purchasing an item, the individuals are vital in understanding the entire process of where it was made, what and who made it, and how it was created. The consumers have integrated marketing and work ethics, and thus businesses should take positions and ensure that everyone in the entire value chain adheres to the position.
My generation is always connected and evaluate an unmatched amount of influences and information continually. They are connected to different truths and, thus, very inclusive. The extensive use of the internet and social media has integrated both online and physical world friends into the same entity and, therefore, no definite distinction. They experience a constant flow of communities that promote their ideas and beliefs by conquering high levels of mobilization created by technology. The online community is highly valued by my generation that enables people with similar interests and causes to connect. The communities are not based on economic or educational backgrounds but exclusively on interests and purposes. The individuals are generally fluid in groups and believe that it is natural for people to belong to different groups, and there is no issue in moving from one group to another.
I agree with the expert opinions on the characteristics of my generation. A song by Buyi Mao, “If one day I become rich,” expresses the value my generation has on money and reflecting on the characteristics of my generation as individualistic and ambitious. According to the song, the artists stipulates what he could do if he would ever get rich. The artist states that he would not use his money to save humanity but to express his emotions to a girl. Instead of traveling the world, he would sit on expensive sofas and spend his time eating and not being worried about tomorrow. This resonates with the expert opinion that this generation is great consumers and not savers. The song explores the value the younger generation has on money, which is to spend it today and eliminate their troubles and frustrations. The artist shows his ecstasy in getting access to products that he can consume today to satisfy his interests and have fun. Consumption in my generation is depicted as a tool to access an unlimited amount of happiness and not as a vehicle to achieve possessions. The experiences that money and consumption brings is essential than possessing wealth.
My generation can be defined as more realistic in realizing the truth behind everything. My generation has been exposed to a tremendous amount of information and thus more analytical and realistic in the decision-making process than the previous generations. My generation values what is happening around them, and taking control of the circumstances is vital. According to the song, my generation sees the world as a place where wealthy people pretend that they don’t appreciate money, yet they waste a lot of time creating it. The song stipulates that instead of pretending that money can’t buy you happiness, he would purchase items that would make him happy. The artist wouldn’t be worried about the future and would enjoy every day as it comes. The view of the world by the young generation is that they believe that money is a tool that should be used in pursuit of self-expression. Creating meaning for what one purchases are essential in ensuring that the money serves self-interests and causes. The consumption purposes have been redefined, and an increase in consumption is highly probable.
Individualism and diversity are dominant in the song showing that despite the artist searching for personal pleasures, he has cause to ensure that the evil people have no say in the society, and the poor children are happy. The writer is not necessarily concerned with saving humanity with his money, but due to his ethics, he would put smiles on the poor children. The value of committing to a particular cause in my generation is prominent and is not necessarily related to what the entire world is doing. My generation is not concerned with fulfilling what the world view humanitarian acts but fulfilling what they desire and believe is right. Even though the interests of my generations match with those of other generations in making the world a better place, my generation is clear and concise in pursuit of personal causes. They have driven in takin a particular and individual position which they aspire to achieve. As my generation creates a new meaning to life, they are careful to include others in their pursuits and satisfactions.
Ambition is a dominant characteristic of my generation. In the song, the artist shows that he is willing to do whatever it takes to become rich. He is ready to undergo every challenge to ensure that he becomes rich in meeting his aspirations and desires. The goals of what he would do when he gets rich are clearly stated and are augmented towards happiness and living a truthful and happier life. In my experience, my parents and older friends have always asked me why I try out various things around me, such as training on the basics of coding, learning theatrical experiences, and learning how to cook. I always answer them by saying that in this age of technology, our generation has been provided with a platform that other generations didn’t have. My generation has access to a wide range of information, and it is only sensible to use the tools to increase my knowledge base and skills. I am ambitious in gaining the necessary skills that I can train myself and become an expert. I have a connection with people I have never met who we have remained in touch over a few years. The relationship between my online and offline friends is quite similar as we share a connection through communication.
My generation is ambitious, ethical, cause-oriented, and truthful in consumption tendencies. My generation has been primarily affected by technology, which has made a connection to people more comfortable and providing relevant information. For example, it is easy to learn about other countries’ lifestyle or culture today than it was in the past. My generation has taken the opportunity and tried to synthesized and understand the information available to make more informed decisions about life.
Works Cited
Doctoroff, Tom. “China’s Post ’90s Generation: New Minds, Old World.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 11 August 2016, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/chinas-post-90s-generatio_b_7970884 Accessed 25 March 2020
Noi, Goh Sui. “Spenders, Not Savers, Post-90s Chinese Drive Consumption Growth in China.” The Straits Times, 27 November 2017, https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/spenders-not-savers-post-90s-chinese-drive-consumption-growth-in-china
Accessed 25 March 2020
Wang, Kuan. “The Post-90s Generation Poising to Take Center Stage.” The Post-90s Generation Poising to Take the Center Stage, 2018, http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/ctenglish/2018/sl/201806/t20180604_800131539.html
Accessed 25 March 2020