Millennial Un-ValuesISSUE No 7 of 10

Millennial values can be both contradictory and oddly pragmatic. Millennials value accomplishment over time logged, inclusion over exclusion, yoga pants over jeans (not literally), and sometimes, pets over kids. Is the value compass for millennials leading them to the same place as their parents or into new territory?

People Pets44% of millennials say they don’t want to have children or haven’t decided yet. The top reasons for opting out of kids are lack of desire and that kids are too limiting to their lifestyle. On the other side, only 27% of millennials don’t want a pet, and 78% of millennial pet owners consider their pets as children.

M I L L E N N I A L S A R E P I C K I N G P E T S O V E R L I T T L E P E O P L E :

78% of millennial pet owners consider their pets as children

44% 27%

Don’t want a petDon’t want children / Haven’t

decided

44% of millennials say they don’t want to have children or haven’t decided yet but only 27% of millennials don’t want a pet

I T ’ S “ E X T R E M E LY I M P O R T A N T T O B E A M E R I C A N :

Patriotism RemixedThe question of patriotism is nuanced for millennials. While older Americans pledge allegiance to their country or its people, millennials pledge allegiance to the American ideals of justice, fairness, and inclusion. Whether the country gets on board with that or not largely determines how patriotic they feel. But in general terms, today’s millennials are less patriotic than their elders, a number that has been steadily declining over the years.

38% MILLENNIALS

GEN XERS47%

62%BOOMERS

Living Local, Thinking Global.More than any other generation, millennials are global citizens. Technology and trade deals connect them to businesses, news, friends, social media, and entertainment from all over the the globe, placing America in the world, not the center of it. Only 38% of millennials say being American is “extremely important,” a much smaller percentage compared to their parents.

P E R C E N T W H O A R E PA T R I O T I C :

MILLENIALS

53%

BOOMERS

73%

GEN XERS

64%Today’s millennials are less patriotic than their elders

38% of millennials say being American is “extremely important,” a much smaller percentage compared to their parents

P E R C E N T S AY I N G T H E G O V E R N M E E N T S H O U L D C A P E X E C U T I V E PAY A T P R I VA T E C O M PA N I E S :

A Trim off the TopLife isn’t fair, but millennials want to equalize the scales a little. Constant news of executives who betray public trust and walk away with millions strikes a nerve with young people struggling to honestly find an upward financial handhold. To them, failing to hold underachievers accountable only punishes overachievers. Nearly 80% of millennials say the government should cap executive pay at private companies, a hard-line view that is growing, but isn’t as pronounced with older generations.

79% MILLENNIALS

GEN XERS67%

58%BOOMERS

A Right to HealthFor the generation least prone to serious medical problems, millennials have a generous view of how our nation should care for the unhealthy.

O F M I L L E N N I A L S B E L I E V E W E A R EE N T I T L E D T O B A S I C H E A L T H C A R E

91%

Nearly 80% of millennials say the government should cap executive pay at private companies

Nickled and Dimed61% of people making minimum wage are millennials living in poverty. Since all their student debt and years of college only served to lead millions of millennials to a barista job and nights sleeping in their childhood bed, many want change.

M I L L E N N I A L S S AY W E A R EE N T I T L E D T O A L I VA B L E WA G E

86%

Long Live RomeDespite America’s problems, millennials have a rosy view of America’s long-term viability as a global superpower. 72% of them think the U.S. will still be a global superpower 20 years from now, a more optimistic stance than boomers.

P E R C E N T S AY I N G T H E U . S . W I L L S T I L L B E A G L O B A L S U P E R P O W E R I N 2 0 Y E A R S :

Divining the Divine77% of millennials believe in God or a universal spirit, but far fewer of them are religiously affiliated. 51% experience feelings of religious peace and well-being (fewer than older generations) but only 27% of them regularly attend religious services. And in the true spirit of millennial confidence, despite being less religious, more of them expect to be received into heaven.

O F M I L L E N N I A L S B E L I E V E I N G O D O R A U N I V E R S A L S P I R I T .

Gen Xers

66%

Boomers

57%Millennials

72%

One LoveMillennials are much more likely to support same-sex marriage than the Generation X and boomer generations. The surge of support from the country at large on this issue was largely driven by passionate millennial influencers on YouTube, Twitter, and in Hollywood.

True Love WaitsMillennials are marrying later (or not at all) for various reasons --financial instability, cohabitation, too busy binge watching Netflix, or raising puppies. But when the stars actually align for marriage and when millennials think is the ideal time to marry may be two different times. Despite helping to bring the national marriage rate down to historic lows, over 80% of millennials say the ideal time to marry is before 30 years old; that’s even more than Gen Xers who got married at younger ages than millennials.

30%

71%

Gen Xers

Gen Xers

24%

79%

Boomers

Boomers

43%

80%

Millennials

Millennials

P E R C E N T T H A T S T R O N G LY S U P P O R T S A M E - S E X M A R R I A G E :

P E R C E N T S AY I N G T H E I D E A L T I M E T O M A R R Y I S B E F O R E 3 0 Y E A R S O L D :