Baby boomers vs millennials: what they think of each other

While there, she discovered how the generation known as millennials differ from the so-called baby boomers.

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Millennials are those in the generation born between the early 1980s and late 1990s.

Baby boomers were born in the early 1940s to mid-1960s.

At the Rotary Club of Newton meeting the members discussed how global Rotary clubs can attract more millennials.

According to van Zyl, the topic is a priority for Rotary International.

“Baby boomers have this idea that millennials are selfish, they seek instant gratification and they are entitled, which is an incorrect assumption,” she said.

She said millennials are “actually very caring”.

“They might want to see immediate results, but this is the case in everything they do – like when they do good things,” she explained.

She admitted that millennials can be seen as being arrogant at times, but said the two generations need to find mutual understanding.

“The baby boomer wants respect for their seniority, but the millennial has the mindset of ‘I will not respect you if you do not respect me’,” she explained.

She also said millennials want mentorship and are not afraid of change.

“Baby boomers do not like change and they are trying to force their ways on millennials,” she admitted.

Another challenge Rotary faces, according to van Zyl, is that the clubs have their year planned well in advance where millennials tend to be “more on the fly”.

“If a millennial comes to you with an idea, you can’t implement it because the year is already planned,” she said and advised that these are the types of things that need to change to accommodate younger and different members in all Rotary clubs.

She also said millennials are more prone to do things than to give things.

“Millennials don’t just want to give the paint to someone who needs it; they want to physically paint what they need painted,” van Zyl said, using the example to explain that millennials are hands-on and do not have extra money to give to the less fortunate.

Van Zyl’s initial reason for her visit to the United States was to sell embroidery work of the women who live in the Tsakane township.

She is a Trustee of the Kopanang Community Trust that supports women affected or infected by HIV/Aids.

“The stuff they make is exquisite and I took a lady from the town with me,” said van Zyl.

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