Analysis Of Abby Ellin's The Beat (Up-Up Generation

Abby Ellin, author of the article “The Beat (Up) Generation,” claims that the predictable opinions of the millennials may perhaps stand incorrect. Throughout the article she argues against the thought of the generations’ vanity. Ellin obtains an effective opinion by engaging readers through comparison of past generations, providing statistics, and incorporating credible outside sources.
Initially, Ellin evaluates the differences between the recent and earlier generations. She states that “Millennials and Boomers have drastically opposing perspectives on work and life” (59). She clearly exemplifies two reasons why the two cohorts exist to live in different worlds. First, technology has placed an immense effect on Millennials, and because of this addition to everyday life, young people are accustomed to securing information quickly. Ellin acknowledges the low characteristics recognized by older

generations, but shines a positive light on the Millennials for carrying a confidence not noticed previously. “Notion of career” (60), is another modification between the two generations. For example she discusses the need for Baby Boomers to work independently, while Generation-Y is interconnected. Through this contrast Ellin attracts the audience by arguing that that this characteristic caused the Millennials to improve their collaboration abilities. Without stepping on anyone’s toes, she argues for this generation’s ability to succeed just “solving their basic needs for community and communication differently from anyone before them” (59).
Furthermore, the author maintains her thesis through providing statistics.

Stating more than her own opinion, Ellin is able to convince the audience by administering facts to appeal to the logical side of the readers. After implementing her own thoughts, she uses evidence to strike a factual comparison between the generations. Since technology is a number one attribute in the modern world “45 percent” of Millennials associate “the lack or misuse of technology” (60) directly back to indigent administration. Ellin adds this element to assist the reader to understand the difference between the importance of technology then verses the importance of technology now. She also provides support to help the reader comprehend the transformation in the way Baby Boomers and Millennials work. While “80 percent of Millennials said they wanted regular feedback,” another portion of this generation stated that “75 percent longed for mentors” (60). This small survey confirms the teamwork type tendency shown in this generation even though people before them prospered

independently.
Lastly, Ellin completely captivates the audience by providing surveys and these statistics from outside sources rather than relying on her own judgment. Her idea that people just might be wrong about the problems concerning millennials stems from the Boomers reaching and competing for the same positions. For instance, Ellin provides the opinion of Roy Cohen, “author of The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide” (62), that there is anxiety and absence of knowledge in the earlier generation. Another source that supports her thesis comes from “Jeff Avallon, the vice president of business development at IdeaPaint” that each generation has their own needs and that each one is “totally functional for the world they inherited” (58). So, Ellin can rest assure that her audience is hearing her idea, but not without the help of others support.
In the final analysis, Ellin claims that the millennials are not proven to be the way they are perceived. She uses appealing and credible techniques to captivate her audience through contrast of the generations, make them trust her, and finally convince them there might be a little more to the story.