Millennials Care Most About Money, Self-Image, Study Says

Young people don’t seem to care about anyone but themselves, a new study reports.
Millennials, also known as the generation born after 1982, tend to favor money, fame and self-image over innate values like self-acceptance, affiliation, and community, according to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
“The results generally support the ‘Generation Me’ view of generational differences rather than the ‘Generation We,'” the study writes.
The study is called “Generational Differences in Young Adults’ Life Goals, Concern for Others, and Civic Orientation.” It compares the traits of baby boomers and Gen Xers when they were younger to the traits of those young people currently in high school or entering college.
In 1971, college students ranked being rich as No. 8 among their life goals; however, since 1989, they have placed it as their first objective.
Though Millennials care a lot about money, they could care less about the environment. A mere 51 percent of this generations said they tried to conserve energy. In comparison, 68 percent of Baby Boomers said that they had made the effort to conserve energy, while 60 percent of Gen Xers said the same thing.
The study also found that this generation wants little to do with politics, has little trust in the government and doesn’t value a job that benefits society.
Lead author and a professor at San Diego State University, Jean M. Twenge, said that the Millennial generation places emphasis on the self and less focus on society and community.
“The aphorisms have shifted to ‘believe in yourself’ and ‘you’re special,'” she said. “It emphasizes individualism, and this gets reflected in personality traits and attitudes.”
What do you think Millennials? Are we as selfish as this study would have one think? Please give us your thoughts on society, the environment and how important money is to you.
Via The Chronicle