Gen Y: Narcissism vs. Altruism Generation Y is the first generation to be raised on technology, and with that, naturally comes a sense of detachment from the, “real world.” It seems to be a commonly received notion that Generation Y has had their brains rot by pop culture, technology, and is doomed by this. While on the other hand, the internet and technology, such as the iPhone, allows for the immediate reception of news on current events that ultimately allows the individual to be more conscious of the world outside of their immediate sphere. This double-edged sword creates a generation that is tremendously misunderstood by everyone including themselves. With the instant access to a plethora of information and the reach of social media,…show more content… Social media is a mixed blessing because it dissolves the human touch from communication but also allows you to communicate with millions of people from all walks of life and all parts of the world. This fact has allowed the cries of Sandra Bland, Eric Garner and other casualties of the broken policing system in America to be heard and influence many more people than a television broadcast or newspaper article can. The flip side of social media is that many people use it to stroke their egos and correspondingly, will create a false image of themselves as an activist since that is what is trendy with today’s youth. Nonetheless, their narcissistic intentions are not without positive repercussions, since awareness is awareness regardless of how you achieved the knowledge, it will change…show more content… Since birth, the youth of Generation Y has had a phone in their hand and eyes glued to the television set. The constant stimulation by electronics has replaced common practices of the youth such as playing with friends outside until the sun goes down or knocking on someone’s door to see if they’re home with spending time inside playing video games or shooting a text to see what they’re doing. These changes are causing Generation Y to think practically because it only makes sense to save time and energy by communicating via technology as opposed to face to face interaction, right? According to Barbara Ehrenreich’s article Premature Pragmatism, pragmatism is crippling college campuses where students are more concerned about the financial security of their future rather than living in the moment. Ehrenreich states, “It is almost a requirement of developmental biology that these years be spent in erotic reverie, metaphysical speculation, and schemes for universal peace and justice.” The plague of premature pragmatism strips young adults of finding themselves and learning how the world works outside of a setting that revolves around