Chicago, IL - There's no denying it, times are tough for Americans these days. Unemployment is is up, Obamacare is failing, Mother Earth is angry, and Wall Street has raw-dogged the metaphorical asshole of the middle class so badly that many families have had to undergo drastic changes just to make ends meet. But with many parents unable to pay their mortgages, and senior citizens screwed out of retirement, the American Psychological Association is reporting that it is America's youngest of adults that are actually struggling the most with regards to mental health.
On Friday, the APA released the surprising results of a recent poll showing that Millenials, or adults ages 18 to 34, are undergoing more stress than their parents' or grandparents' generations. "The statistics speak for themselves," said APA medical editor Tonya Leberman. "6.8% of 18 to 34 year olds reported a heightened level of anxiety while performing day to day activities, and 5.9% reported having trouble sleeping at night. These numbers are extremely high when compared with the Baby Boomers', of whom reported 4.1% and 3.5%, respectively."
While everyone generally agrees that "Millenials" is probably the lamest excuse for a generational label since "Indians", one thing the APA cannot seem to understand is why this particular generation is reporting levels of stress so much higher than their preceding generations', given that all three groups listed economic factors as the root of their emotional distress.
For a deeper understanding, NBC reached Andrew Cavenough, a 23 year old poll participant working in ad sales in Chicago's River North area.
"For me, personally," Cavenaugh explained, "The problem is that the economy won't allow a large percentage of my generation to afford the lifestyles we were promised growing up." Cavenough continued to discuss how modern societal pressures contribute to his daily anxiety. "For example, I work in advertising sales, but do you think I want to work in ad sales? Hell no. I was supposed to be VP of my dad's consulting company. But what happened? The company downsized, of course. Now look at me."
For an opposing perspective, NBC reached out to Thaddeus McArner, who also participated in the poll. McArner, a 73 year old manufacturing assistant, struggled to comprehend the hardship described by Cavenaugh.
"I don't really see what the problem is," said McArner from his home in the city's Pullman neighborhood. "He seems like he's got a decent 9 to 5, he's got to make enough to at least keep the lights on, right?"
When asked for a response to McArner's comments, Cavenaugh quickly became dismissive. "That's exactly the kind of thing someone from his generation would say. See for old farts like him, things were much simpler growing up, because the cycle was the same for everyone. You grow up on Main Street, go to war, come home, get a job at a department store, have 2.5 kids, and that's it. Life was just that easy.
'Do you have any idea how competitive my generation is? I couldn't just go to college, I had to go to a better college than anyone else my age. I can't just get a job, I have to have a job in an office with a view better than my friends have. I should show you my buddy, Todd's, instagram account. The guy just posted a pic of his new Infinite Q50. And my buddy Marco, he just tweeted at me from his vacation spot in Miami. Do you have any idea how much overtime I had to put in just to be able to afford bottle service at Underground last new years eve? I guarantee you that geezer McArner doesn't."
Refusing to allow the debate go any further, McArner closed with an admittance that he had no idea what the hell Cavenaugh was talking about. "I guess he could be right," said McArner. "Maybe things are a little bit more stressful for his generation."
McArner was then shown an updated status from Cavenaugh's Facebook page, which read "Another Friday night stuck at the office" with an accompanying picture of his desk, overlooking the downtown city skyline.
"Then again," added McArner, "Maybe his generation's just 2.7% more likely to bitch about it."
- Ian Swanson
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