Travel Generation

Times are changing: the idea of work and home for life is over! We need to move, discover, evolve... and travel. We are called Millennials, Generation Y... Generation Travel?

Traveling is a much bigger part of our lives than that of previous generations. For many, it's become a trend, a necessity, a phase.

Articles supporting this trend are multiplying:

Even science is getting involved. You can discover titles like > or even >.

But who is this Generation Y? And what connection do they have with travel? These are all the questions I propose to explore in this article.

If we were meant to stay in one place, we would have roots instead of feet. (unknown author)

Note before we go further: This article is ethnocentric, written by a Westerner and based on studies conducted among Western populations. The very notion of Generation Y is a concept rooted in Western cultures.

We talk a lot about young adults of Generation Y. But who are they? Generation Y was born in the 1980s and 90s. I belong to this generation and, given my readership, so do most of you. So I will summarize the key points that define this generation without going into too much detail, because... you don't need me to define your own generation!

Generation Y distinguishes itself from the previous one notably in its relationship with new technologies. Young adults today grew up with them: computers and the internet are part of their daily lives. Americans even refer to this generation as >, >, or >. The primary sources of influence for adults of this generation are the internet and their peers, through > relationships (in real life) or social media, more than the knowledge passed down from previous generations. This concept of Generation Y has mainly been used by businesses and the workforce... But I will get back to that in a few lines.

Several theories exist behind the name Generation Y. For some, it comes from the shape of the headphones that go from the ears to the player. For others, it's simply an alphabetical evolution: after Generation X, it's time for Y.

Another more widespread theory is based on English phonetics, where Y is pronounced > (why). A subtle reminder of the questioning attitude that characterizes this generation. In addition to the importance of new technologies in their lives, this generation has not experienced war (world wars, cold war) at home. Institutions such as religion, the military, or family no longer have the same influence in the lives of these young people.

The disconnection, if not cultural shock, is therefore significant between the expectations and needs of Y on one side and the workforce and society in general on the other.

New words and concepts revolve around this Generation Y. We talk about Peter Pan generation, Tanguy, adultescents... The transition to adulthood no longer seems as clear as it once was in the past. Are we adults because we reach the age of majority, which varies by country? Are we adults because we can behave as such at all levels of our lives: legal (driving a car, drinking alcohol, working), social (being independent), and familial (being in a couple, getting married, becoming a parent)? Defining adulthood in this way relies solely on external criteria: criteria of having and doing. Not of being. This does not answer the big question:

Answering this question would help find leads to understand the fairly widespread social phenomenon that tends to label > of Generation Y as overgrown adolescents, adults who are slow to take responsibility... Understand that it means entering the mold of the previous generation.

Y tends to define > more through personal values than through external events, traditionally related to a rite of passage: like graduation, work, or marriage.

Y is often perceived by their elders as difficult. Stubborn, refusing authority, narcissistic, lazy... they prioritize personal skills and creativity over seniority, tradition, authority, and hierarchy. They no longer fit into the framework that shaped previous generations... Perhaps because the reality underpinning this framework has evolved. Nowadays, no one enters a company expecting to stay there for their entire life. Retirement is in another life... if we ever make it there, and if it even exists!

Thus, for this generation, work is no longer the center of life. They prefer to prioritize work-life balance, even putting more emphasis on their personal life (well-being, rest, leisure), social, and familial aspects.

And professional success (subjective) is less linked to hierarchical position and salary than to the fulfillment and meaning it can provide. The Holy Grail is no longer a secure position as a senior executive in a company but a job aligned with one's potential and values, a job where we can have an impact.

In the article Generation Burnout, it depicts a generation of adults who have pursued long studies, becoming hyper-specialized, poorly adapted to both the job market and the corporate world. Paying the price of salary systems in a traditional pyramid structure, this generation is described as out of breath, tired of a system that does not suit them. New technologies provide some solutions, with new jobs to create, self-taught profiles, and multipotentiality.

Burnout and depression seem to be the ailments of the century, particularly affecting our generation. According to a study on the mental health of Belgians aged 18 to 30 (shared on the excellent site Mr Mondialisation), the outlook for this generation is rather pessimistic.

The climate of precariousness and instability in the workforce influences how we view the world, our values, and our plans. Since career is no longer paramount for our happiness, our close relationships have a much more decisive influence on our level of happiness and well-being.

Yet, despite the importance placed on the social pillar of their lives, many young adults feel lonely and unsupported. Alongside issues like depression and burnout, words like stress, anxiety, and fear are increasingly present in our environment. These issues might find a response precisely in a denser and more supportive social fabric.

And adding to the insecurity in the workplace is the insecurity related to climate change. The planet is in trouble, we are constantly reminded. And the deterministic fatalism accompanying these statements adds a dose of stress, anxiety, and even depression to young adults who may feel powerless in the face of the magnitude of the disaster that our little planet faces.

The vast majority of young people, according to this study, feel marginalized by the system, whether in a position of rejection, a desire for radical change, or a disillusioned and discouraged feeling. The moral is: society is not designed to make us happy.

More and more, the absurdity of how our society operates strikes us: overconsumption, a model of infinite growth in a world with finite resources, social/racial/geographical/sexist/speciesist inequalities... Drowned in paradoxical messages relayed by the media and the well-meaning, our brains are exploding.

In this particular context, what response can we choose... or invent? There is no longer a unique model to conform to. All these dissonant messages can plunge some into depression, disgust, confusion. But this plunge into murky waters can be just a step, a necessary awakening and retreat to move on. Moving to a different way of thinking, outside of the framework that we thought limited our life, our vision of society and the world.

The world and > truth are far too large to be reduced to a single sentence. If there is not just one way to live and think, why limit ourselves to this societal model that does not correspond to us? A question that pushes some to take a different path than expected, away from the classic > to embrace the routine of work/life never-ending.

It can be entrepreneurship for some, with the ability to work outside of often suffocating corporate frameworks for our generation. An opportunity for them to express their creativity and multipotentiality. For some, this may mean wanting to establish a different way of life by returning to their roots. Intentional simplicity, self-sufficient living, permaculture, tiny houses, veganism, zero waste... Personal initiatives from those who want to embody the change they wish to see in the world. Others embrace social movements, become activists or advocates, demanding change and recognition of their values and interests, like the Indignados (a movement that began in Spain in 2011).

And for others, it can be travel. Travel as a parenthesis or as a new way of life. One becomes, for a length of time, a traveler. A modern nomad. According to the study > (a documentary series aired on France 2 in 2013), more than a quarter of young adults desire to settle abroad in the near future, and half are considering it. The elsewhere seems to open up other possibilities and offer a second chance, a new beginning.

On one hand, a search for balance between private and professional life, as well as the concern for well-being. On the other hand, the democratization of travel coupled with the ease of moving from one country to another around the world. Together, these two trends have led to the normalization of travel. Soaking up the sun, taking a break, recharging, getting away from it all, seeing the world... All excuses are good for leaving home, whether near or far.

It must be said that the way we travel and move has evolved significantly over the past decades. With the democratization of plane tickets, the internet facilitating both research and reservations, opportunities within educational programs like Erasmus, or internships abroad... going to see other places has become much simpler.

Some studies talk about >: our perspective is no longer limited to our region or our country. Whether for inspiration, information, or for creating and participating in movements, young adults have access to information from all over the world and are connecting with people from all corners of the globe.

(...) when the student revolution of May 1968 stopped at the borders of France, the same generational aspirations are found in movements around the globe like Anonymous, Occupy Wall Street, or Podemos. (Excerpt from an article in Le Monde: When Generation Y Imposes Its Codes at Work)

In this context of global openness and ease of exchange, it's no surprise that we are more aware of the vastness of our planet and increasingly curious to explore it.

Leaving can also be a way to escape the vicious circle of excessive consumption. To no longer search for possession but for experience, through movement, and ultimately to exist, through the serenity and self-reflection that travel can bring.

Of course, travel itself can fall into the trap of mass consumption and overconsumption. Consuming landscapes, >, and visas in the passport. Yet, deep down, we all have...

Escaping this consumption and this vicious cycle is entirely possible. Many travelers from our generation no longer want to see their dreams co-opted by marketing campaigns. They no longer want artificial paradises. We then witness the emergence of independent or alternative travel, for example backpacking with only one's inner compass as a guide.

And what if travel came as an alternative to the rites of passage of the previous generation (degrees, jobs, marriages)? By going out to discover the world, the young adult leaves their comfort zone and faces new challenges. Another way to claim independence, to seek growth, and to live in accordance with their values.

Through travel, we could thus recognize two complementary movements: that of discovery (of others, the world...) and that of escape. While escape is often negatively connoted, it is nevertheless present in the idea of movement. Even if just to flee sedentism for a determined time. Regarding this, I invite you to read the article by blogger Marie-Julie Gagnon: Praise of Escape.

Generation Y may find in travel a way to escape the constraints of society that do not suit them. Specifically, consumerist society. Becoming a new citizen, a new adult in search of a new society.

Seeing elsewhere, stepping back while being inspired to return with a fresh perspective on one's society, oneself, one's life, dreams, and values.

Behind this travel trend lie other values, other mindsets, and other needs. During our travels in recent years, we have never encountered as many Spaniards on the roads. >. The crisis, the crisis... Yes, surely, but not only.

It is often said that Belgians have >. Building one's house, having a roof over their head, their home. Nowadays, this crucial life stage is becoming less systematic. What's the point if it's to lose everything with the crisis, some might say. What's the point of financially tying oneself to a relationship with a bank when the job market is so unpredictable?

Brick is no longer the sure value, as demonstrated by the 2008 crisis for our Spanish neighbors. But is this shift purely economic? Or has it enabled some individuals, who would have accepted societal patterns without reflection, to reconsider their needs and desires, even to say >?

Life sometimes resembles such a simple scheme... Too simple: a shopping list.

A scheme dictated by society to guide us. Reassuring landmarks. Landmarks that imprison us.

If Generation Y destabilizes previous generations, it is undoubtedly because of its refusal to plunge headfirst into a way of functioning that has clearly proven not to work.

For many of us, wanting to escape life in > often leads to more travel. Our generation, like the internet and its networks connecting our entire globe, is taking advantage of the democratization of transport to embark on world travels. Discovering other ways of thinking and living. Leaving the constraints of daily life to question them more easily.

Through traveling, François and I have evolved a lot. Gradually, we have become more measured in our understanding of the world, aware of how little we know about the mysteries and wonders of our planet. More aware as well of the impact of humanity, the importance and fragility of the balance between humans and Nature. Of the importance of connecting with others, the world, and our values... For a more harmonious life. And riskier, off the rails and beaten paths...

To conclude this article, let us not forget that society is already welcoming the next generation into the adult world: Generation Z, also known as Generation C for communication, collaboration, connection, and creativity. A generation that shares some traits in common with ours, and even extends them further. A generation that shares some of our (re)questions and brings new ones.

To delve further into the topic of Generation Y

To continue reading