Manilennials stars on the biggest misconception about millennials

Whether on radio or TV, one gets to hear an enormous amount of discussion on millennials, a.k.a. Generation Y. They are usually defined as those who were born between 1981 and 2000 and they are said to be the first generation to be so tech-savvy at an early age.

Millennials have also been called self-centered, arrogant, entitled, selfish, lazy, unmotivated, among others. Isn’t it mind-boggling why there are people who paint this generation with such generalization?

Among the celebrity millennials who oppose the negative views on their age group are Mela Habijan, Ria Atayde and Fifth Solomon. All three know how to speak their minds on what they consider as the biggest misconception about millennials.

“For me, it’s about ‘being entitled’ and very confident,” points out Fifth. “There are entitled, yes, but I’m not among them so I feel it is wrong to generalize. And perhaps, they say we are very confident because we are not afraid to take risks, na kayang makipagsabayan. Well, everyone can be a risk-taker, hindi lang mga millennials.”

Fifth Solomon

Mela has a good explanation why others think that millennials are “magulo at walang direksyon.”

“I’d like to believe that we are in a generation in which there are a lot of options and we want to try them. That’s why I can feel that the bravery is there, the capacity to take risk is there, and at the same time you getting to know who you are is the discovery of what you want to do in life,” declares Mela.

Ria shares the same view and gives a clearer picture of her thoughts on the issue. “I think the common misconception about millennials is (that) we don’t know how to finish what we start. But really, I feel like it’s more of a matter of finding yourself and I think we are at that age where we are trying to develop and to become the people we are meant to be. So, I think that’s wrong framing of it.”

Ria, Mela and Fifth exactly fit into their characters as Missy, Ruth and Kiko, respectively, in Manilennials, another original series now streaming on iWant.

Mela Habijan

Fifth finds Kiko as someone who does not know what he truly wants to achieve in life. Thus, he is quick to decide on leaving his job without knowing what to do next. Kiko is honest with his feelings like Fifth who brushes off rumors that he’s in a relationship, “Single for six years. Walang jowa,” as he puts it.

It is no secret that he and Alex Gonzaga are close friends. “Alex, she’s my happy pill. ‘Pag magkasama kami, tawa lang kami nang tawa, puro kalokohan. And beyond that, she’s full of wisdom because I still have my immaturities and pinagdaanan din ni Alex ‘yun at nakakatuwa na makahanap ng ganung tao na makakaintindi sa ‘yo.”

Equally honest are Ria and Mela who are not afraid to tell the truth on issues concerning love. Ria defends her friend Enchong Dee in regards to the controversy that he’s the reason why JM de Guzman didn’t push through on courting her.

“It’s not true. Enchong has been my best friend even before showbiz. He’s one of my closest friends even before I joined showbiz kaya di totoo talaga. It’s fake news at biktima tayo ng ganyan.”

Mela, on the other hand, admits she fell in love with indie actor Gio Gahol and adds, “Minahal ko s’ya for four years in college. It was not a mutual relationship pero sa kanya ko natutunan na kaya kong maging patient with love.”

It’s nice talking to Ria, Fifth and Mela, all millennials. Perhaps, people will understand better this generation by taking time to thoroughly examine the characteristics of today’s youth because even with, say, certain common traits and behaviors, individuals must be judged on their own intrinsic worth.