Are younger generations more insistent on instant gratification? An interesting question where, in a blog post from Social Media Today, Kristen Dziadul had an opinion. We thought it was worth sharing. Millennials, an abbreviation for millennial generation, is a term used by demographers to describe a segment of the population born between 1980 and 2000 (approximately). Sometimes referred to in the media as “Generation Y,” millennials are the children of the post-WWII baby boomer generation. There are considered by many to be the first generation to grow up on digital technology from birth. Here’s what Kristen had to say:
Why is it that Millennials demand instant gratification?? If you put yourself in our shoes, though, can you blame us?
We grew up on technology. I used a computer for the first time in the fourth grade, primarily for computer games, and grew up as the Internet evolved. We are extremely technologically savvy and love exploring the web.
We desire instant gratification in other ways as well: When we turned 16, we expected to get our license and a car. When we hear a song we like, we want to download it instantly. When we took a test or wrote a paper, we wanted results quickly. When we send an e-mail, we expect a message immediately saying it was sent. When we call someone, we expect them to pick up.
Now what is it about technology that everyone loves? Instant access. Confirmation that an action was received. Quick responses. The ability to compute things fast. Since us Millennials grew up on computers and the Internet, and the above four components are major benefits of fast computers, that explains our need for a quick reward from every action. It is almost an innate instinct of ours to receive instant feedback from something we do, not because we are greedy, careless, or selfish, but because we great up that way.
Many people criticize our age cohort because we are this way, but consider how you would respond to things if you grew up experiencing feedback or rewards after everything you did. At Virtual Incentives, we provide reward and incentive solutions for employers, market research companies and agencies that are secure, customizable, work where recipients spend more and more of their time, online, and is easy to set up and execute. Do you agree with Kristen?