Millennials grew up with a mix of half-truths and outright lies that shaped their perceptions of the world. From stern warnings about sitting too close to the TV to promises of a successful career track with a college degree, these claims have been disproven with the onset of adulthood. Check out the fiction that was fed to those who grew up in the nineties and early aughts.
You Need a College Degree to Succeed
While growing up, millennials were frequently told that a college degree was essential for a successful career. This belief led many to pursue higher education, often at the cost of significant debt. Today, many question the blanket validity of this advice.
Social Security Will Be Gone by the Time You Retire
Millennials often heard warnings that Social Security funds would be depleted by the time they reached retirement age. This caused anxiety about future financial stability. Despite ongoing debates about its longevity, Social Security still exists, for now.
The Job Market is Always Strong for Hard Workers
The promise that a strong work ethic guaranteed job security was ingrained in many millennials. However, economic recessions and evolving job markets have disproved this notion, revealing that more than hard work is often necessary for career stability. This realization has been a tough pill to swallow for a generation that was taught to value persistence above all.
Home Ownership is the Best Investment
Millennials were often told that buying a home was the wisest financial decision and a surefire path to building wealth. Yet, the housing market crash in 2008 left many new homeowners underwater on their mortgages. The narrative has since shifted to consider more cautiously when and where to buy.
You Can Be Anything You Want to Be
This motivational phrase was meant to inspire limitless aspirations. While empowering, it often glosses over the realistic challenges and barriers in various fields. Many millennials later found that achieving certain career goals required more than just ambition.
Pluto is the Ninth Planet
During their school years, millennials learned about Pluto as the solar system’s ninth planet, a fact that was later retracted when Pluto was demoted to a “dwarf planet” in 2006. This change serves as a reminder of how scientific consensus can evolve, altering what we accept as truth.
The Climate Will Be Fine
Earlier in their lives, millennials often received reassurances that environmental changes were manageable or too far in the future to worry about. As adults, they face urgent climate crises that contradict the complacency of previous decades.
There Will Always Be Ice Caps in the Arctic
Tales of everlasting ice caps painted a picture of a stable, unchanging Arctic environment. The current realities of melting ice due to global warming starkly contrast with the scenes depicted by millennials during their childhood. The urgency of this issue now shapes much of their stance on environmental policies.
You Must Wait an Hour After Eating to Swim
This widely accepted pool rule was drilled into many millennials, supposedly to prevent cramps. Scientific scrutiny has debunked it as a myth, revealing no direct correlation between eating and immediate swimming risks.
Watching Too Much TV Will Ruin Your Eyes
The threat of permanent eye damage was often used to limit screen time for young millennials. While excessive screen use isn’t great for eye health, the extreme warnings were more about moderation than actual severe consequences. Today’s concerns about screen time focus more on mental health and physical activity.
If You Cross Your Eyes, They’ll Stay That Way
A classic scare tactic, this lie was meant to stop silly behavior. Medical experts confirm that no permanent damage will occur from crossing eyes briefly. It’s one of many myths that were used to influence behavior with unfounded medical advice.
We Have a Permanent File for Your Behavior
Teachers and parents often warned of a permanent record that tracked every misstep, supposedly affecting future opportunities. The truth is far less sinister; while educational and disciplinary records do exist, they rarely have the ominous lifelong implications that were threatened.
Carrots Improve Your Night Vision
Eating carrots was said to give you superhero night vision. While carrots are healthy and beneficial for general eye health due to their vitamin content, they do not enhance night vision to the extent once promised. This exaggeration stems from World War II propaganda, not nutritional science.
You’ll Need to Use Cursive Everyday
Many millennials spent hours learning cursive because adults claimed it was essential for all future communication. However, digital communication has rendered cursive writing nearly obsolete, except in very specific contexts.
The Internet is a Fad
Some millennials were initially told that the internet would be a temporary craze. Instead, they have seen the internet become a fundamental aspect of daily life and a critical platform for innovation and connectivity.
You Shouldn’t Wear White After Labor Day
This fashion rule was strictly enforced without much rationale. Originating from old high-society customs, this rule is largely ignored today, demonstrating the arbitrary nature of many such guidelines. Fashion has evolved to become more inclusive and expressive, disregarding many old rules.
Milk is Necessary for Strong Bones
The benefits of milk were heavily advertised to millennials, emphasizing it as crucial for bone health. Recent studies suggest that while milk is a good calcium source, its role in bone strength is part of a larger dietary picture, which includes other sources of calcium and vitamin D.
Sitting Too Close to the TV is Dangerous
Concerns about sitting too close to the television were based on fears about radiation and eye strain. While modern screens emit much less harmful emissions than those of the past, the advice persists, focusing more on preventing eye strain and promoting a healthy viewing distance.
The Great Wall of China is Visible from Space
Often taught as a fun fact, this claim about the Great Wall being visible from space has captivated imaginations. However, astronauts confirm that it is not visible from orbit with the naked eye, debunking one of the most popular geographic myths taught to millennials.
You’ll Always Feel Like an Adult
Millennials were often led to believe that adulthood comes with a profound sense of maturity and certainty. Many have found that feeling like an adult is more elusive and fluctuating than expected, challenging the notion that age directly correlates with inner adulthood.
