Within a recent article - we made mention of the fact that motorcycles could be the perfect antidote for the ‘pampered’ generations. Those being the Millennials and GenZs. A number of you got in touch and even suggested that the younger generations were scared of riding motorcycles. This certainly got us thinking. So we looked into it.
- Introduction:
Let’s start by reviewing some of the common perceptions of the younger generations.
Millennials and GenZs have a reputation for having a tragic sense of entitlement. They have certainly been subjected to ‘helicopter parenting’, which means that they are over-pampered. They have grown up in an environment where just about everything’s been done for them, which may have totally stripped them of their ability to think or do anything independently. It’s therefore hardly surprising that these younger generations have a disturbing lack of self confidence.
They are perceived by society as a whole as self-absorbed, arrogant and practically useless. In short, they’re viewed as “weeds and whoopsies and big girls’ blouses.”
This derogatory phrase is often used by the English to describe someone who is wimpy, ineffectual, weak, cowardly or over sensitive and totally lacking in strength of character or determination. There’s a variation of this that the Scottish use, which is to refer to someone as “a Big Jessy”.
The unfortunate outcome of all this is that young people seem to be suffering from more anxiety, stress and other mental health disorders than ever before. So is any of this relevant to the motorcycle industry?