Nonstop on the 24-7 Millennial Train

Apologies in advance to Millennials from a diehard and secretly envious Boomer who is firmly planted on the other side of the generational divide.

Hmmm, what happens if the 24-7 Millennial train hits a curve too fast and goes off the tracks?

We hear a lot about the multiple generations in society today – Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y Aka Millennials and Gen Z – and the distinct differences between them. Today I read that Millennials (18 – 34 year olds) are twice as likely as Boomers to cite “availability 24-7” as the most important thing that brands can do to engage them.

I am not surprised by that fact. Millennials often appear to be attached at the hip to their wireless devices. I envision them going into severe withdrawal (convulsions, hyperventilating, eyes rolling back in their heads) if their devices fail and they have no back up. Even I, a reluctant digital immigrant, get hot under the collar when my internet connection drops.

But I wonder about the implications of willfully living in a 24-7 world. Personally speaking, with every passing day I need more off-line, unplugged, in my own little world stretches of time. My brain needs to shift into neutral and regenerate in order for me to face the rat race another day.

(Truth be told, I needed a generous helping of down time even when I was in the 18 to 34 age bracket. But that is a true confession for another day.)

I can accept that the Millennial brain is wired radically differently than mine. Evolution dictates that our mind and body adapt to the circumstances of our environment. We either evolve or perish. Living in an always-connected world means that the Millennial brain must be hyperlinked, so to speak, in an infinite variety of ways.

But I fear that at some point the 24-7 Millennial train will hit a curve too fast and derail in spectacular fashion. It will be akin to the internet crashing worldwide – a coast to coast, continent to continent, cerebral blackout.

Admittedly, my concern may be rooted in the fear that there will be no digital natives available to resuscitate my computer when a virus or malware program renders it unusable.

The 24-7 nonstop train may be the defining metaphor for the Millennial generation. But it seems to me that it is a double-edged metaphor that will eventually demand payment – and the price will indeed be steep.

~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of “Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel” – double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog .

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