Google the words "are millennials..." and the first autofill option that appears is "... the screwed generation?" Cheery stuff. Although forecasts of doom abound, it might be more accurate to say that rather than the most screwed, millennials are the most scrutinised generation alive today.
From cover stories in Time, to studies by the White House, leading accountancy firms and top consumer brands, it’s clear that Generation Y, millennials - whatever you want to call them - constitute the most talked about social category in this day and age.
As someone who falls within the necessary age limit of these labels, I resent the caricature of belonging to a lazy, selfie-obsessed generation of fantasists who naively accumulate debt, overstay their welcome in the parents’ homes, and whine about not being paid to pursue their dream. Yes I’ve taken a selfie or two in my life, but I still instinctively turn my entire phone around before I do.
Sorry, I've fallen into the trap. Enough about me.
Despite the level of attention and scrutiny millennials receive, our voices are often dismissed in political and economic affairs.
But Youthonomicsseeks to change that. Based on detailed research into people aged between 15 and 29 years in 64 different countries, the Youthonomics Global Index highlights the best and worst places to be young. The countries included in the study are scored using a range of criteria, including access to education and employment, health, work and living conditions, and political weight.
In some ways, the results are fairly predictable. Richer countries like Norway, Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden rank highest, whilst less developed economies like the Ivory Coast and South Africa score lowest. However, there are some illuminating findings that reveal important truths. Mainly:
Money does not equal happiness
Living in a country with a high income does not automatically translate to a positive youth outlook. Although France and the UK land in the top third in the first study of "Youth Now," they rank in the bottom third in terms of "Youth Outlook." By contrast, 5 sub-saharan countries, Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana, Kenya and Ivory Coast scored poorly for the state of youth today, but topped the list for their optimism.
The UK and France should pay attention. Debates around the voting age for the upcoming referendum on whether the UK should remain in the EU center on the argument that a large number of young people are unfairly disenfranchised. The current voting age is 18, but many argue that since 16 year-olds can pay tax, the old democratic adage "no taxation without representation" should apply.
And in 2013 Felix Marquardt, co-founder of Youthonomics, published a series of polemical essays urging young people to vote with their feet and leave France, claiming the country offered them no future. "There’s no room for young people in France," he says. "And the only way to make politicians listen to them is by leaving the country." Criticising France for its high levels of youth unemployment and the concentration of power in the hands of older generations, he points out that young French citizens will be the first to be worse off than their parents. This prediction is familiar in developed economies; but the reverse might be true elsewhere.
Emerging economies like Indonesia and India have large populations of young people entering the jobs' market, and it’s likely that this generation will be better off than previous ones. Judging by both countries' high Youth Outlook scores, they at least believe they will. Time will tell if this optimism becomes reality.
Mumbai
So where is the best place to be a young person?
Well it currently doesn’t exist. Youthonomics instead leaves us with a vision of Youthtopia, a country that combines best practices from around the world - from Norway’s work and living conditions or Switzerland’s university and skills training, to China’s economic opportunities and Ghana’s political weight.
By highlighting factors that improve the quality of life, the study can help governments create better conditions for young people around the world. But the think tank also urges young people to take matters into their own hands and learn what it’s like to be young around the world. Calling for a UN Youth visa that will allow young people from any member state to live and work abroad for up to two years, the founders believe this will equip the world's youth with new opportunities and experiences that can enhance their home countries when they return.
It’s an attractive proposition, and Marquardt’s call to youth is far more appealing than accepting we're "screwed:"
"Don’t wait any longer, pick a destination where the future is being made and go there immediately, whether it’s Tbilisi - where the finance minister, the chief of police, and the only adviser to the President happen to be in their thirties - Cairo, Shanghai, Mexico City or Santiago. Go on, because nothing is worth more than the excitement of a traveller discovering the world.'"