‘Millennials, what’s something you were taught growing up that turned out to be completely wrong?’ -21 answers from a disillusioned generation

Growing up is hard to do, especially when you’re part of the generation that was promised a technological utopia, and ended up a slave to the social media algorithm instead.

Poor old millennials, forever nostalgic for the pre-internet time, while permanently glued to their smartphones. Over on Reddit, user jackytheblade posed this question:

‘Millennials, what’s something you were taught growing up that turned out to be completely wrong in adulthood?’

And people born between 1981 and 1996 were keen to vent their disappointments.

1.

‘That Beanie Babies would be worth a bunch of money when I got older. Am older. No such luck.’
–elons_publicist

2.

‘Recycling is nothing like what I was told it was.’
–IsntThisSumShit

3.

‘Be loyal to a job and stay there for your entire career and that job will look out for you.’
–Timely_Physics_7329

4.

‘Don’t swallow gum, it will stay in your stomach for x years.’
–jackytheblade

5.

‘If you go to college you’ll be set for life.’
–Gogs85

6.

‘You’re going to be expected to write in cursive when you grow up.’
–eb0027

7.

‘All grown ups deserve respect.’
–autumnwontsleep

8.

‘Boys tease you/bully you because they like you! Holy fuck did that advice send the wrong message.’
–SheSheShieldmaiden

9.

‘That I could buy a house.’
–ODB247

10.

‘That our parents knew what they were doing. They had no idea, especially with the rise of technology. They were raising us for a time that no longer existed, but that’s all they knew.’
–One_Eyed_Kitten