Information Age Changes Attitude

By Fernando Castillo

With advances in technology and a wider spectrum of global knowledge available to the Millennial Generation, it is not surprising that their views on life are becoming more progressive than those before them.

According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, those between the ages of 18 to 33 tend to describe themselves as being politically independent and many see themselves as leaning more to the left than previous generations.

Santa Ana College student Marcos Salazar said that though his father tends to be politically conservative and his mother tends to “steer a bit more to the left,” he added, “I’m probably close to a socialist, if you ask me.”

When asked about political affiliations, 50 percent of Millennials described themselves as independents, while 27 percent are self-described Democrats, and only 17 percent are Republicans.

Young adults also tend to turn away from their parents’ traditions by sticking to the single life. Roughly only one out of four Millennials have married by the same age as their parents.

According to the study, almost two thirds of Millennials consider themselves nonreligious. Brenda Vera, 18, said that though she has mixed feelings about religion, “in the end I personally don’t agree with it, but I do still attend church a lot because my grandma forces me too.”

If the Pew study is any indication, it suggests that generational gaps will continue along with changes in technology and society.