A bi-product of the two-thousands dictates celebs have a sobriquet. A-Rod, J-Lo, Shaq-O, TomKat, Branjelina, Blago...We didn't start the fire (key of C).
 
It stands to reason that following Gen-X and Gen-Y sociologists have an entirely new tier of Americans to filet and forecast. Enter "The Millennials."
 
Born between 1980 and 1990 this group, say generation relations cognoscenti, are surprisingly optimistic about their future. In the face of a troubled economy, slackening confidence in global affairs and internal leadership, this group feels surprisingly unencumbered by history and tradition. Many say they're confident in their ability to make a change and accomplish much of what they set out to achieve. While their predecessors in Generation Y are far more pragmatic and linear in their development, Millennials like Generation X share some common traits; namely their quest to spend more time enjoying life than worrying about it, and this group like their Xer counterparts wants more time with friends and family.
 
While 2009 was a rude awakening for most (including Millennials), 2010 finds them only somewhat less optimistic than during a massive national study conducted by StrategyOne for Pepsi in 2008.
 
68% find that supporting causes make them feel more optimistic. 72% report a strong sense of optimism about their careers. Far fewer, however, report the same optimism about the government than they expressed two years ago.
 
Looking at comparative generations in a limited face-off, those feeling "excited" about the future include: 51% of Millennials, 31% of Baby Boomers, and 22% of Post-War Americans.
 
While Millennials are more likely to feel optimism about their future, they are in a sense more "bi-polar" in their views, at the same time feeling more nervous or stressed.
 
When it comes to social behavior, Millennials are more likely than their older counterparts to view themselves as "being more social." 74% fall into this category, while 59% of Gen Xers, 68% of Baby Boomers and 61% of Post-War Americans say they're "more social."
 
Of added significance lies the fact that this group is more inclined to report that "shopping tends to make them feel more optimistic about the future."
 
It's not a question of "what's in a name?" but instead, "what's in the behavior?" For those searching for relevance through media new and old, traditional broadcasting or social netting, new knowledge defeats old opinion.