NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

Greenberg Millennial Survey: How "Generation WE" Are Taking Over America and Changing the World

According to a new 2007/2008 Gerstein | Agne Strategic Communications research study, sponsored by entrepreneur Eric H. Greenberg, the Millennials_- - those born between 1978 and 2000, currently including 95 million young people up to 30 years of age -- are very different from the Baby Boomers (78 million by comparison) and Gen-Xers and are already creating a new politics and social dynamic in America. Politics as usual is not an option for Generation WE, who project to be 100 million strong by 2015.

Millennials are post-ideological because they are uninterested in learning about and defending the "conservative" or "liberal" approaches to the problems our country faces. However, although they reject both traditional ideological labels, they are shifting decisively away from conservatism. In 2002, Millennials voted Democratic by a 49-47 margin. Since then, their progressive tilt has steadily increased. Their votes made the 2004 presidential race close and decisively tipped the 2006 Congressional elections, with 18-29 year olds favoring Democrats 60-38.

The in-depth national survey of 2,000 individuals aged 18 to 29 along with a series of twelve focus groups offers a revealing snapshot into the values and attitudes of the Millennials. The worldview of the Millennial generation is shaped by two unique dynamics. The first is a commitment to the greater good over individual gain, an ethos that reaches across traditional divisions such as race, ideology, and partisanship.

Because of this commitment, Millennials are highly involved in community and national life, as shown by the increase in the under-30 electoral turnout. In the 2004 election, Census data indicate that the 18-24 year old group, completely composed of Millennials, increased their turnout 11 points to 47 percent of citizens in that age group, while 18-29 year olds -- dominated for the first time by Millennials -- increased their turnout 9 points to 49 percent. These increases were far, far higher than among any other age group.

In 2006, Millennials also increased their turnout levels relative to the last congressional election. Census data show that 18-29 year olds (almost all Millennials at this point) increased their turnout from 23 percent to 26 percent of citizen-eligible voters, a 3 point gain relative to 2002. This gain was once again higher than among any other age group. Voting trends in the recent primaries indicate an even higher under-30 turnout should be experienced in the 2008 presidential election.

"The political leaders who act first to join Generation WE in their quest for a new era of American freedom, security, and prosperity will become generational heroes and benefit spectacularly from the epochal political realignment that has already begun," said Eric. H. Greenberg.

The second important dynamic characteristic of the Millennials is their across-the-board rejection of the country's current leadership and dominant institutions. Whether it's Congress, the federal government, major corporations, or organized religion, these young Americans believe the large institutions that dominate modern society have failed, placing narrow self-interests ahead of the welfare of the country as a whole.

Despite their harsh assessment of the current state of affairs and leadership, Millennials are not pessimistic about the future and have a clear sense of generational identity. Ninety percent of the survey's respondents agreed that their generation "shares specific beliefs, attitudes, and experiences" that set them apart from generations that have come before them. They also feel a very strong kinship with young adults of their generation abroad (70 percent), which contrasts with the connection they have with generations of older Americans.

They also believe that new leadership can transform government and corporations. Millennials have the entrepreneurial belief that they can innovate themselves out of the troubled world they're inheriting and the future challenges they face. That task begins with the unique role of technology has had in shaping this generation and the confidence it has given them in the power of innovation to fundamentally change the world.

When asked what events or trends for their importance in shaping the attitudes and beliefs of their generation, nearly 50% of the survey's Millennial respondents cited "the rise of the Internet, cell phones, text messaging, e-mail, and similar advances in personal technology," as the primary influence. Technology as an integral part of their lives was the most influential factor of fourteen tested in the research shaping the generation.

With the issues at hand facing a generation seeking change and who possess a willingness to get things done, what is the Generation WE change agenda? One item proposed in the survey was Project FREE: To create an Apollo or Manhattan-like project to invent new sources of non-fossil fuel energy free from carbon emissions based on hydrogen, fusion, or other means. The Project FREE concept earned overwhelming (70 percent) support from the Millennials who participated in the research. Other items of importance on the Millennial agenda include restoring and protecting the environment, providing quality nutrition and health care for all, modernizing and equalizing our educational system, among others.

The full survey, the focus group transcripts, and detailed demographic and psychographic analysis will be available on a newly-launched web site GEN- WE.com on Monday August 25, 2008. The site is the premier online destination for Millennial content and a digital launch pad for the Generation WE movement.

In addition to the Millennial survey, Mr. Greenberg has co-written a book with New York Times-bestselling author Karl Weber entitled, Generation We: How Millennial Youth Are Taking Over America and Changing Our World Forever, (Pachatusan; Available mid-October; Order Now through Book Masters; $19.95; ISBN 978-0-9820931-0-8; paperback). The book explores the emerging power of the Millennial generation, describes the positive changes they are ready to drive, and shows how the Millennials (and their supporters from other generations) are poised to change our nation and the world for the better.

"In my travels around the world, I have been very impressed by today's young people. They are smart, caring, creative, and generous. I share the hope expressed by Greenberg and Weber that this new generation will help re-orient our planet and conquer the problems of poverty, war, and pollution that currently plague it," said Muhammad Yunus, Founder of Grameen Bank and Co-Winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.

The self-published book is based on the Millennial driven information model of transparency. It, and all of the research and analysis conducted to write it, will be available in PDF form for free on the Generation WE web site on September 8, 2008. For those interested in a physical copy of the graphically rich, four-color book composed by award winning designers, it will be available in paperback on Amazon.com and at select bookstores nationally by mid-October.

SOURCE Generation WE