Teen Calls Out Her Parent for This ‘Millennial Flex'—Is She Right?
Generational differences are often the center of debate. Whether it's the resistant-to-change baby boomers, the gentle parenting of millennials, Gen Z's aversion to reading, or how Gen Alpha is skipping the awkward phase, characteristics of generations are studied and scrutinized.
A parent on Reddit is bringing attention to this in a relatable and funny post that had a lot of people weighing in.
The poster shared a photo of an open fridge stocked with a bunch of refreshments. Nothing too unusual there. But the controversy is all in the caption, which reads, 'My teenager says that garage drink fridges are such a millennial flex. That's not a thing limited just to us right? Surely she can't be serious…'
Is a garage fridge really a "flex" for millennial parents? Commenters had a lot to say, and many of them highlighted an often uncontrollable difference between generations: financial insecurity. Let's break it down.
It's no secret that the children of millennials are growing up in a very different world, with advances in technology being a stark contrast. Social media is changing the way young people communicate and even the things they are into, like skincare—think "Sephora tweens."
So, millennial parents are unlikely to be surprised that this teen honed in on something like a garage fridge to compare the differences.
Yet, many commenters share that this teen has it all wrong since boomers (and those before them) are actually the ones who started the trend of garage fridges.
"Boomers have been doing garage fridges for beers and chest freezers for meat joints since forever," writes one commenter, adding, "It makes perfect sense if you've got the space."
Another says, "Tons of boomers had these, and its standard for Gen X to have them."
But as many others commenters point out, the real "flex" is living in a house with this perk. "The garage is the flex nowadays, not what is in it," shares one commenter. Another agrees, writing, "Having a garage at all is a flex to us."
So, while meant to be a playful take on generational differences (which it totally nails, by the way), this Reddit thread also brings up the financial issues younger generations are dealing with today. With recent graduates struggling to find work, about one-third of Gen Z unable to pay rent, and Americans deciding not to have kids because of the cost, this teen may be right about the "flex" part.
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