I came across this opinion piece about the differences among the generations and about change in general. It got me thinking about the classic animosity Gen x-ers have towards us Boomers and how the same just isn't true about the Millennials starting to become adults and entering the workforce. The writer mentions talking to someone about a recent study:

The fellow said some experts predict there will be tension in the U.S. economy as the Boomers begin retiring in the tens and hundreds of thousands. Many of their jobs will be filled by Millennials. According to the study -- which like all massive studies only applies in general terms -- Millennials are more capable, brighter and more optimistic than either of the two generations that preceded them.

Well of course they're capable, bright, and optimistic--some of those front-end Millennials are our kids!

I work with and go to church with a number of first wave Millennials, and I agree with the optimistic characterization. The flip side is a strong aversion to reality. If a problem requires effort to solve (i.e. can't be fixed instantly), they have a tendency to pretend it doesn't exist. This is most evident in our church group, where one gets a little deeper into the lives of ones friends. A lot of them have to be coached into facing that without the protective shield of their parents, yes, life will throw one curveballs that have to be tackled head on. Because they've been shielded from so much, they're behind when it comes to dealing with difficulties, and low on patience. The few who seem to be able to leverage their optimism to persist and overcome will surely be at an advantage, and poised for happiness. Yet it seems to me this is the result of unlearning typically millennial habits, much the same way Gen-Xers may need to work to unlearn pessimism and cynicism.