Most Americans cannot imagine a world that is not automobile friendly, no roads, no highways, and no stoplights. The first traffic light was introduced just 148 years ago, but in comparison to the minuscule sway the average individual has over society, modifying or even replacing a system used world wide seems impossible. However, a look at the process of time and change would indicate that even the most established institutions are subject to radical change.

​Last year, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute released a study indicating that in 2014, Americans wasted an estimated 6.9 billion hours in traffic. That staggering number begs the question: are traffic lights the reason instead of the solution to our congested roads? Researchers from assorted institutions have unveiled improvements to the current system such as self regulated lights and virtual traffic lights, but researchers from MIT have taken a different approach: eliminating traffic lights all together.     

Right now, the main drain on traffic light efficiency is the yellow light. Although it allows for drivers to prepare for a light change, this set up time decreases overall efficiency, even though traffic flow is increased. MIT’s proposal does away with the need for any kind of stoplight by using a slot based network design to move platoons of cars through an intersection with little to no delays. This would be made possible by two things: a central software system which could control the speed of each car entering the intersection, and cars with the capability to connect to the software. Upon approaching the intersection, each car would communicate its trajectory to the central computer, which would then calculate optimal speed for safe passage. Then, based on this number, each car would set a limit on its own speed. Amazing, right?

According to the MIT research team, the system would also be easy to install as it does not require any significant changes to current infrastructure. The difficulty, however, would lie with public attitude and perception of the new technology. Doubtless, it would ultimately enhance safety and efficiency at intersections. However, full implementation of this system would require drivers to give up a significant amount of control over their own vehicles, and a radical shift in public behavior does not happen over night. MIT’s proposal is a far cry from autonomous cars, but the price is the same: individual control. This is not to say that the sky is falling, but to encourage all of us to at least take the time to look up. Concerning this issue, there is a lack of discussion about what drivers might be losing on a larger scale. When purchasing a new car, most people do the research, weigh the pros and cons, test drive several vehicles, etc. before making a decision. It would be wise of us to take the same approach to new technology, especially when its application has direct implications for the general public.

"As Millennials slowly become the majority group in the work force, it is up to them to ask not if we can, but if we should."

As wireless networks slowly work their way into more areas of everyday life, questions and concerns about privacy and security are being raised. But are they being raised by the right people? The break-neck speed of the advance of internet and computer technology has created distinct rift between members of Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Y (sometimes called the Tech Generation). Each group is perceived to possess a varying degree of aptitude when it comes to new technology; the youngest are the most comfortable by far, the oldest the least comfortable and the least interested, and Millennials somewhere in between. As Millennials slowly become the majority group in the work force, it is up to them to ask not if we can, but if we should. Older voices (although many of them built the internet’s infrastructure) are ignored, and the youngest would not think to ask. It is the people who have grown up alongside the internet, almost like another peer, that must consider what has changed. Take, for example, the use of the word “privacy”. Before user agreements were standard or even necessary, having privacy implied being safe from the prying eyes of other individuals. Having privacy meant having freedom to live without being scrutinized or the subject of gossip. There was a personal element to it. Needing or wanting privacy from large organizations, even the government, was rarely a consideration. Today, if a person wanted to get “off the grid” for even the most innocuous reason, they would need resources above and beyond what is available to the average individual. That fact makes me uncomfortable, and I think that when most people realize just how much of their lives could be offered up as information for sale, it makes them uncomfortable too. And yet, the ceaseless data mining, tracking, and selling continues ultimately unchallenged.

So, does the influencing generation lack understanding, or do they just not care? Perhaps it is a mixture of both. Because computer technology has evolved so rapidly, most individuals have only a rudimentary grasp on the way that technologies – like MIT’s new slot-based traffic system – function. As long as it is convenient and it works, ignoring the broader implications of society’s dependence on computer technology is preferable to trying to navigate its complex infrastructure. What a sobering thought! However, in the face of widespread apathy, it is important to be optimistic. I choose to believe that active minds will prevail. I choose to believe that my generation will continue to cherish living in a world where human error is seen as a chance to be better, rather than an epidemic in need of curing. Perhaps Minnesota will be a completely different place in the year 2116, but I, for one, hope that they still will speed through yellow lights. 

How do Millennials define success? What kind of consumers does this make them? I’ll start my answer by describing a trend. There is a word that has recently become popular among 20-somethings, and I think using it correctly is actually counteractive to what they want to say. The word is “adulting”. When a young person accomplishes something that is considered the task of an adult versus a parent-dependent child or teen, they proudly claim that they are “adulting”. When it comes to making meals, doing laundry or paying for car repairs (I did that today #adulting), they may exclaim, “Adulting is hard!” Granted, becoming independent is difficult, but it seems backwards to brag about it using slang that smacks of illiteracy. When discussing the behavior of the Millennial generation, it would be unfair of me to imply that its oldest members are proud of themselves for “adulting”. However, the trend itself is very characteristic of the generation as a whole. Success is at once about enjoying the little things and making an impact on the whole.


According to Scott Steinberg at Parade Magazine, most Millennials exhibit 4 distinct characteristics. Comparing them to myself, I came to the conclusion that although one of the youngest, I am a true Millennial.


1.     Compared to previous generations, Millennials reach milestones of adulthood (marriage, parenthood, homeownership, etc.) much slower. I am turning 21 tomorrow. I am finally going to be considered an adult in the eyes of a bar tender. I have always felt very firmly that I wanted to be old enough to drink the champagne at my own wedding, so as of tomorrow morning, I am free to get married. But, I think I want to wait on that until I am at least 25. One semester of classes stands between me and a bachelor’s degree in Communication, but in the Fall I am going right back to school for my masters. I will most likely just be getting married and beginning a full time career at the age my parents were when I (their second child) was almost 2. I don’t consider myself to be less successful for taking my time. I feel that easing into marriage and a career will ensure that I really am entering an area in which I can excel.


2.     Millennials want more than money. I do not have to think twice about this one, it is definitely true for me and many of my peers. Success to a Millennial does not mean making the most money or being in charge of the most people. Success means job satisfaction. I care much more about loving what I do than how much money I make doing it. I think that most people feel the same way, but perhaps I am making that assumption because of my generational bias. Consequently, when it is feasible, I prefer to spend money on products and services that are offered by an organization that I want to support. At this point in my life, spending more to support a cause is sometimes more of an ideal than a reality. Financial realities aside, that cause-driven spirit is something that I think is characteristic of the Millennial generation.


3.     Millennials are free thinkers. College-age individuals in every generation are expected to be more progressive and more liberal-minded than any other age group. In this case, however, liberal does not equal free thinking. Millennials are free thinkers in that 50% of them identify themselves as politically independent, and 3 in 10 are not religiously affiliated. I made sure to register to vote the day I turned 18, but I chose not to label myself as either Democrat or Republican. However, I am religiously affiliated, and here is where I see myself as different from my generational peers. Because Millennials will not let themselves be one of many, they allow what they consider to be critical thinking get in the way of taking advice from people with experience. I think that being a member of organized religion has made me less susceptible to that kind of hubris, but I still often struggle to remember that tradition doesn’t always need to be bucked.


4.     Millennials are falling behind. Unfortunately, I can attest to this, and so can many studies done in the last 20 years. Even those with a college degree are still behind their global peers when it comes to math, literacy, and problem solving. In my collegiate level courses in communication, I have been astounded at how many of my peers lack the interest and ability to write. We have been told over and over again how important it is to be able to string a sentence together, but somehow, many Millennials are going to college without that skill. The same goes for mathematics. I have an interest in written and verbal communication but my math skills are abysmal. I would imagine that someone my age who excels in that area would bemoan me and my peers’ deficiencies as well. Moving on to problem solving, I think that it is the most dangerous area to fall behind in. Not being able to problem solve independently is a serious detriment to an individual’s chances of securing a job after college. It also produces a need to take the fast and easy route, which makes Millennials much more susceptible to being ripped off if they are not required to read the fine print.


Like any generation, Millennials have their fair share of strengths and deficiencies. As they begin to dominate the work force, their traits and habits will shape society into a reflection of themselves. This happens over and over as time marches on, but knowing what makes a group of people tick is key to influencing them and living with them. I hope that this article has given you a little insight into the average Millennial consumer and what success means to him or, in this case, her. I cannot speak for all of us, but speaking for myself, I can say that consumerism and success are about making a positive impact on the world while taking time to enjoy life’s simple pleasures.