AIBU to ask you your opinion on 9/11 and millennials?

[CorianderDestroysFamilies]

I read a tweet this weekend that went - why do millennials complain all the time and the answer is basically because we saw 2000 die on tv when we were 10 and the world has got worse ever since.
Reading the following tweets made me realise that actually it must have had a massive effect for the mindset of that group, myself included, and I’ve never really thought about it - obviously more so for those in the US but even in the UK I remember seeing it happen and then it does feel like everything has just got worse. The war in Iraq, the demonisation of Muslims, so so many mass shootings and terrorist attacks, it sometimes feels like we’re sitting on the edge of the abyss. I know a lot of this is to do with non stop news and how small the world has become but it just struck a nerve with me.
One thing I read that I’d never heard about before was that Nick Jr and PBS in the US played cartoons all day to basically distract the kids whilst the adults took in what had just happened and that alone made me want to cry.
Anyway I’m not putting it very well but hopefully it’s makes sense as I just wondered what other people thought because I can lose myself in MN debates and there’s always angles that I’ve not thought about.

@Chakano you are so right, the older generations tend to make ridiculous comments about tin foil hats because we aren't sheep. Only a fool would believe everything they are told.

Gen X here... London adventures as a teenager in the 80s with IRA threats was scary, AIDS, Chernobyl, Cold War, famine in Ethiopia-we had it all too. Agree some Millenials therefore have no sense of history.

Gen X here... London adventures as a teenager in the 80s with IRA threats was scary, AIDS, Chernobyl, Cold War, famine in Ethiopia-we had it all too. Agree some Millenials therefore have no sense of history.

Gen X here... London adventures as a teenager in the 80s with IRA threats was scary, AIDS, Chernobyl, Cold War, famine in Ethiopia-we had it all too. Agree some Millenials therefore have no sense of history.

Apologies for triple post

I don’t think Millenials have it any worse then other generations tbh. I grew up with leaflets being shoved through the door telling us what to do in the event of nuclear attack, watched the Falklands War pan out on TV, the IRA bombing London, waved my then BF off to Kuwait. Same as everyone else I watched the 2996 people die in the twin towers horrified at what war would unfold next because of it. We all have witnessed horrors within every single generation, we all are on social media seeing violence and hate it affects us all.

well i like millennials the best and have lots of sympathy for them! but that 9/11 idea is a load of toss.

find out a bit more about modern history maybe?

@IvanaPee and @Yabbers. I’ve not read the whole thread, but I don’t think that’s really true. There have been posters who both agreed and disagreed with the op and other posters, but I don’t think there have been many who’ve called a whole generation twats. There’s also a difference between the shared experience of a generation and shared characteristics. If I’m mistaken and there have been scores of posts slating millennials - then they’re ignorant too.

Personally I think it's finding excuses for the entitled behaviour of the Millennials. Remember that children actually experienced thousands dying in real life not on TV during the Second World war and whilst I'm sure it left dreadful scars on their minds, no-one has used it as an excuse for their subsequent behaviour problems.

Any of us that lost someone because of 9/11 or it’s aftermath don’t have options, just grief

I was in my home country at the time. I've seen the events on live news and read the news on the web after. But if I had children surely I wouldn't have watched it over and over...
seriously... schools were showing this to kids???

Sonjadog has it in the post at 16.14. All generations have experienced their '9/11'. However I do agree with the OP in that everything is more graphic now - in 9/11 we saw things 'as they were happening' which didn't happen in the wars or the IRA bombings. Unless you were directly involved, you saw the aftermath in newspapers or heard it on the radio/tv. I'm glad my ds never saw that footage as it was truly horrific and I still shudder as I remember that day so clearly.

There's an interesting and heartwarming musical on in the West End called 'Come From Away' which explores how our feelings and attitudes changed after 9/11.

I hate to bring Brexit into the discussions too, but race and our attitudes to other cultures has been clouded by the events of 9/11 and the swing to right wing, protectionist attitudes across the U.K , EU and the US. Just as things were starting to seem a little more harmonious...

I am hopeful attitudes will change again with this new generation who are far more interested in protecting the planet. How it will pan out will be 'interesting '.

Sonjadog has it in the post at 16.14. All generations have experienced their '9/11'. However I do agree with the OP in that everything is more graphic now - in 9/11 we saw things 'as they were happening' which didn't happen in the wars or the IRA bombings. Unless you were directly involved, you saw the aftermath in newspapers or heard it on the radio/tv. I'm glad my ds never saw that footage as it was truly horrific and I still shudder as I remember that day so clearly.

There's an interesting and heartwarming musical on in the West End called 'Come From Away' which explores how our feelings and attitudes changed after 9/11.

I hate to bring Brexit into the discussions too, but race and our attitudes to other cultures has been clouded by the events of 9/11 and the swing to right wing, protectionist attitudes across the U.K , EU and the US. Just as things were starting to seem a little more harmonious...

I am hopeful attitudes will change again with this new generation who are far more interested in protecting the planet. How it will pan out will be 'interesting '.

Sonjadog has it in the post at 16.14. All generations have experienced their '9/11'. However I do agree with the OP in that everything is more graphic now - in 9/11 we saw things 'as they were happening' which didn't happen in the wars or the IRA bombings. Unless you were directly involved, you saw the aftermath in newspapers or heard it on the radio/tv. I'm glad my ds never saw that footage as it was truly horrific and I still shudder as I remember that day so clearly.

There's an interesting and heartwarming musical on in the West End called 'Come From Away' which explores how our feelings and attitudes changed after 9/11.

I hate to bring Brexit into the discussions too, but race and our attitudes to other cultures has been clouded by the events of 9/11 and the swing to right wing, protectionist attitudes across the U.K , EU and the US. Just as things were starting to seem a little more harmonious...

I am hopeful attitudes will change again with this new generation who are far more interested in protecting the planet. How it will pan out will be 'interesting '.

Sonjadog has it in the post at 16.14. All generations have experienced their '9/11'. However I do agree with the OP in that everything is more graphic now - in 9/11 we saw things 'as they were happening' which didn't happen in the wars or the IRA bombings. Unless you were directly involved, you saw the aftermath in newspapers or heard it on the radio/tv. I'm glad my ds never saw that footage as it was truly horrific and I still shudder as I remember that day so clearly.

There's an interesting and heartwarming musical on in the West End called 'Come From Away' which explores how our feelings and attitudes changed after 9/11.

I hate to bring Brexit into the discussions too, but race and our attitudes to other cultures has been clouded by the events of 9/11 and the swing to right wing, protectionist attitudes across the U.K , EU and the US. Just as things were starting to seem a little more harmonious...

I am hopeful attitudes will change again with this new generation who are far more interested in protecting the planet. How it will pan out will be 'interesting '.

I grew up in the 70s and 80s and I remember being terrified of the bomb dropping. It kept me awake at night.
The big difference was though that this was before 24 hour news, the internet and social media.

People who were children at the time of 9/11 watched it happen.
DH worked in a tv provider call centre in those days. It was all over the screens. He had no choice but to watch it again and again. It profoundly effected him.
If it did that to a grown man what effect would it have on a 10 year old?

I used to work with a young woman who was about 11 at the time. She asked me about my experience of seeing it as an adult. She said that as a teen her and her friends had become almost obsessed with 9/11 wanting to read about it and watching documentaries.

Sorry bit of a glitch there! Post not showing as loaded but it had!

Thinking about it 7/7 did really scare me. I think because I used the tube daily & also because so many people died (I believe it was the worst after Lockerbie). Manchester Arena probably affected me the most even though I have no link at all, it’s the fact that children were targeted.

Each generation has had to grow up surrounded by societal horrors, possibly far, far worse than those faced today.

I don't imagine being a teenager sent off to the front in the First World War was much fun either; or facing an unplanned pregnancy before the '70's or all manner of horrors previous generations dealt with without too much complaint.

I think the kids have it worse post Ww2. The internet has really shitty side effects. 9/11 was a loss of innocence for everyone. Every terrorist incident on or near home soil since rams that home. All the things I used to tell myself such as terrorism doesn't happen here, wars are for good reason and leaders won't allow a nuclear incident don't follow anymore. Pensions are shit. Competitive schooling. Lack of university places. Fees and loans. Automation removing jobs at an increasing rate. Insidious love island and beautician culture. Climate change.

Of course there's massive improvements too with the information exchange of the the internet, more inclusion, medical improvements , but overall I think the kids have got a harder gig.

I think the kids have it worse post Ww2. The internet has really shitty side effects. 9/11 was a loss of innocence for everyone. Every terrorist incident on or near home soil since rams that home. All the things I used to tell myself such as terrorism doesn't happen here, wars are for good reason and leaders won't allow a nuclear incident don't follow anymore. Pensions are shit. Competitive schooling. Lack of university places. Fees and loans. Automation removing jobs at an increasing rate. Insidious love island and beautician culture. Climate change.

Of course there's massive improvements too with the information exchange of the the internet, more inclusion, medical improvements , but overall I think the kids have got a harder gig.

I think the kids have it worse post Ww2. The internet has really shitty side effects. 9/11 was a loss of innocence for everyone. Every terrorist incident on or near home soil since rams that home. All the things I used to tell myself such as terrorism doesn't happen here, wars are for good reason and leaders won't allow a nuclear incident don't follow anymore. Pensions are shit. Competitive schooling. Lack of university places. Fees and loans. Automation removing jobs at an increasing rate. Insidious love island and beautician culture. Climate change.

Of course there's massive improvements too with the information exchange of the the internet, more inclusion, medical improvements , but overall I think the kids have got a harder gig.

Actually, I am not sure I am sad or shocked by the level of selective memory or media manipulation going on that 9/11 dominates to such an extent given that there were such horrendous and tragic events not so long before, like the horrendous bombing/killings in Norway a few months before. One of the saddest terror attacks was in I think 2004 with the Beslan school siege in Russia. This was in no way less haunting due to the many small children involved. Not even considering the thousands and thousands killed in Iraq, Pakistan or for example Afghanistan. I was very young but was so utterly scared for and felt so sorry for these traumatised survivors in Russia. Guess the difference was that we did not just was British or Us news channels.

I don't think being exposed to media outlets constantly 24/7 from all angles has helped.
You literally can't escape the news.

That said, I grew up in 1980's Belfast and was exposed to some horrendous stories. I witnessed quite a number of incidents and was often caught up in commotion on way home from school / whilst shopping etc.

Not one single person I grew up with are in any way snow flakey.

I work with quite a few millennials and have a chunk of them reporting into me.
They never fail to astound me with the reasons the use to take off sick. Some examples include:

• I'm overwhelmed. Yes mate so am I, every day, but guess what? I still go to work.
• I've got a sore stomach and the doctor wants me to have blood tests. Really?
• I need some time to myself. This person lived at home and has no responsibilities. 🙄
• another took off sick for 8 months when he couldn't get authorisation for the compressed hours he applied for. He used the time off to set up a design business. Advertising all over local media and on social media. Because his fit note cited stress and the design work was considered therapeutic, there wasn't a single thing I could do about it.

When I'm knocking my pan in every day it's hard to watch others come and go when they 'don't feel like it'

I don't think being exposed to media outlets constantly 24/7 from all angles has helped.
You literally can't escape the news.

That said, I grew up in 1980's Belfast and was exposed to some horrendous stories. I witnessed quite a number of incidents and was often caught up in commotion on way home from school / whilst shopping etc.

Not one single person I grew up with are in any way snow flakey.

I work with quite a few millennials and have a chunk of them reporting into me.
They never fail to astound me with the reasons the use to take off sick. Some examples include:

• I'm overwhelmed. Yes mate so am I, every day, but guess what? I still go to work.
• I've got a sore stomach and the doctor wants me to have blood tests. Really?
• I need some time to myself. This person lived at home and has no responsibilities. 🙄
• another took off sick for 8 months when he couldn't get authorisation for the compressed hours he applied for. He used the time off to set up a design business. Advertising all over local media and on social media. Because his fit note cited stress and the design work was considered therapeutic, there wasn't a single thing I could do about it.

When I'm knocking my pan in every day it's hard to watch others come and go when they 'don't feel like it'