From Doomer To Bloomer – The Lost Generation

Doomer:

A person (usually a millennial or generation Z and male) who has experienced apparent hardship (relationship breakup, job loss, failure etc.) and has became fully immersed in apathy, self hatred, depression and generally being a loner.

Urban Dictionary

Bloomer:

A mix of a realist and an optimist the Bloomer stands opposite to his doomer counterpart. The Bloomer, just as the doomer, sees the world for what it really is: messy, hard, unforgiving, selfish etc. They don’t live in a bubble but see the harsh reality of this world. However, where the doomer falls into pessimism or nihilism and refuses to do anything about the situation but await the end, the Bloomer has a positive outlook. He accepts the rules of the game and in it tries to make something of himself. He also sees the good sides of life, wants to live a happy life and be successful.

Urban Dictionary

We live in an era marked by rising rents, inequality, and healthcare costs. There’s a general trend towards more singles in society and a growing sense of isolation with fewer friends or no friends at all. Greedy politicians are covering the news and we might think every politician is like that or even the entire system is against us. It’s easy to understand why some might view the future with a sense of hopelessness and the present as a dark time. The relentless daily grind, seemingly leading to nothing, can cast a dark shadow over our lives. These feelings are only exacerbated when we scroll through carefully curated images of seemingly perfect lives on social media, leading us to question our own reality.

This sentiment is shown in many online forums like the subreddit /r/lostgeneration and way more than I could name. These groups are growing massively in popularity for good reason. Our society has so many problems and the list is only growing.

But is this grim perspective an accurate reflection of the times we live in?

The answer is a resounding no. Despite the challenges that we have, we are, in fact, living in one of the most promising decades in history. Yes, as a society we have an immense amount of problems but as an individual, the doomer-mentality is hard to justify. Let me explain…

If you think you would’ve had a better time in the past, which time would you choose? I can’t imagine a better time than the time we live now, but we start taking so many things for granted which even kings and queens didn’t have.

One of the differences is that now we have to option to compare our lives with the entire world. The top 1% of 1% gets highlighted through social media and the normal lives get overshadowed, because who is interested in “normal” when the majority is normal? A few dozen years ago we mainly had the option to compare ourselves to neighbors or occasionally to someone on tv or in magazines. But this is nothing to the for example the 8+ hours teens spend on average looking at screens. Often looking at lives out of the ordinary and these “admirable” accounts of course rarely if ever show their negative side. A further large impact has no doubt the algorithms sites run on which make our digital lives echo chambers and highlight the most enraging or downright stupid takes of humankind. Negative news catches our attention way better than normal things or positive stuff and media companies realized this a long time ago. The result is an endless stream of negative information paired with perfect lives lived by what some might call the “top of society”.

Again, there are so many issues in society today but let’s take a moment to focus on the positive aspects that often get overshadowed and contribute to why I think we live in the best time of history ever:

• Technological Advancements: The rapid pace of technological innovation is transforming our lives in ways we couldn’t have imagined just a decade ago. From breakthroughs in medical science to the convenience of smart devices, technology is making our lives easier, healthier, and more connected. Many of our digital lives have become eco chambers and if you look for negativity, you can easily immerse yourself the rest of your life in it. If you look for positivity and personal development you can do the exact same.
• Entrepreneurial Opportunities: The digital age has ushered in a new wave of entrepreneurship. With the internet as a global marketplace, individuals have the tools at their disposal to create their own success stories, turning hobbies into businesses and passion projects into profitable ventures. Even location is nowhere near as important anymore. Yes, most jobs still require you to be at a specific location, but this sentiment is still changing gradually. Moving physically to opportunities has become easier too by the way as flight prices have gradually sunk, factoring in inflation.
• Community and Support: While face-to-face interactions might be dwindling, online communities are flourishing. People are connecting over shared interests, hobbies, and even struggles, offering a sense of belonging and support that might not have been possible in the past. These communities too, can either bring out the best in us or the worst.
• Focus on Mental Health: The stigma surrounding mental health is gradually fading away. More people are openly discussing their struggles and seeking help, leading to increased awareness, better resources, and a more empathetic society.
• Environmental Consciousness: The younger generation is leading the charge in advocating for a more sustainable and eco-friendly world. This growing awareness is driving positive changes in policies, lifestyles, and business practices.
• Access to Information and Education: The internet has democratized access to information and education. Online courses, tutorials, and resources are readily available, allowing individuals to expand their knowledge and skills, often at little to no cost. You can either use the internet to learn almost any new skill or you can “doom-scroll” the entire day, chasing dopamine hit after dopamine hit. You can read any book you want. I can show you my book list with an immense amount of knowledge in each book, even though I’m probably on the other side of the globe.
• Merging of Cultures: It is becoming easier and easier to experience different cultures. You can watch and read different content which doesn’t even have to be in the same language. You can translate the entire content with a single click. Experiencing other cultures firsthand is now easier than ever, as the golden age of travel is now. Flight prices have continuously gone down if adjusted for inflation and traveling to remote locations has become easier than ever.

• Scientific Discoveries: We are on the cusp of revolutionary scientific breakthroughs, from advancements in space exploration to the unraveling of mysteries in quantum physics. These discoveries have the potential to reshape our understanding of the universe. It is likely that in our lifetimes a cure for cancer is found and many other incredible discoveries will further transform our lives. Might that cure be monopolized by a greedy pharma company? Maybe, maybe not.

Life is undeniably challenging, and transforming from a “doomer” mindset to a “bloomer” requires effort and perseverance, but it’s so incredibly worth it. It’s essential to recognize that bad days are a part of life, but they are transient. Embracing an optimistic outlook (in my opinion realistic outlook) can have a profound impact on our experiences. The concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy emphasizes that our beliefs can shape our reality. An optimist or realist seeks solutions, remains open to opportunities, and ultimately paves their path to success and happiness. A pessimist accepts fate as sealed and even if presented with options, doesn’t even try anymore. We all have different starting points in life and different opportunities, so comparing your life to someone else’s is useless. If you realize you have enough, you are genuinely wealthy (Lao Tzu – Tao Te Ching).

Many are consumed by worry about the future, their own future, or the future of the planet. But worrying about the future is so incredibly pointless, yet we all do it. The future will come no matter what and predicting it is impossible. Only certain is the present, stop living in the past or the future.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present. (Master Oogway – Kung-fu Panda)

It almost seems to me that being a pessimist or having a negative outlook on life is a little bit trendy at the moment or at least that gets more attention than anything else. By talking in a pessimistic way you also appear more sophisticated. You live and go through life no matter what, but would you rather be an optimist (more likely a realist) or a pessimist? Who will have a more fulfilling life? Many things are a self-fulfilling prophecy and if you only see the negative side of everything, your entire life will become so.

In conclusion, the narrative of the “lost generation” doesn’t accurately capture the remarkable potential and opportunities that exist for each one of us in the current decade. You shouldn’t only highlight the negatives in our society and only immerse yourself in that. By acknowledging the positive strides we are making as a society and adopting an optimistic mindset, we can transition from being perceived as “doomers” to emerging as “bloomers” – a generation that thrives despite challenges and shapes a future that is brighter than we ever imagined. We have many problems in society we should try and fix, but as an individual, the present time is truly a gift.