Global Millennial

These days, one of the most popularly discussed (and criticized) characteristics of Generation Y seems to be our reputation for widespread “disloyalty” in many aspects of life. Whether it is towards jobs, consumer brands or even banks, there are countless areas in which studies declare our generation to be utterly resistant to commitment.

But what about loyalty to one’s country? As the 2008 Olympics are in full swing, patriotism is a hot topic on everyone’s mind, and it likewise seems fitting to think about what role it will play in the future of Gen Y.

The issue of “Global Citizenship”

Wikipedia defines the term global (world) citizen as “referring to a person who disapproves of traditional geopolitical divisions derived from national citizenship.” It is an increasingly relevant concept that I think will grow to become associated with Gen Y in the coming decades, and one that already seems to be raising questions about new “disloyalties” it could bring about.

This whole “global citizen” concept initially crossed my path the other day, in the form of an editorial published in The Detroit News. According to the article titled “Global citizens are rootless to a fault,” the increasing ability for people to move about the world and even hold multiple citizenship is causing a lack of “loyalty” to their homelands. As a result, more and more people are living and/or working in other nations with greater ease and flexibility.

Just to be clear, the “global citizens” referred to in this article are actually meant to refer to the wealthy elite, most notably celebrities and corporate business leaders who can afford to move anywhere they want. Nevertheless, the connection to Gen-Y is quite relevant: In an age of ever-increasing international communication, “global citizenship” will not be limited to the super-wealthy anymore.

As a young adult who practically came out of the womb with an internet connection and the capability to communicate globally, the concept of global citizenship is neither surprising nor concerning to me. Yet this article’s author warns that the multi-national trend has a “dark side,” boldly asking: “Does a person who swears loyalty to all cities and nations have any loyalties at all?”

It’s an incredibly relevant question to ask these days, but unlike the author of this article, I think the issue pertains less to physical location and more to dependency. For example: If you live in India, but work full-time for a US company based in the US, get paid by that US company and frequently travel to the US to do business, where exactly is the line between your personal investment in each of the two nations?  Your guess is as good as mine.

“The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens” (Tablets of Bahá’u'lláh, p. 167)

While I don’t think there is an easy solution to this issue, my almost-completely optimistic attitude toward global citizenship is rooted in the belief that world unity is an essential and inevitable part of human progress.

Given the rapid advancements of communication technology and globalization, it’s no longer crazy to think the world will someday act more like one united nation with all of its many counties acting as its “states.” Maybe it will happen sooner, maybe later, but pending our survival of any supposed mass-extinction apocalypse, I think it’s safe to say we’re headed there whether we like it or not.

Sure, there’s plenty of things to be worried about, and I understand the author’s concern that global citizens might simply abandon their nation when times get tough.  But there are much greater benefits to be reaped: A radically increased ability to prevent wars, terrorism and poverty are among the most important of them.

I cannot possibly see any problem with a future in which loyalty to one’s country will come second to loyalty to the world. The Visa advertisement displayed at the beginning of this article seems to sum up that mentality pretty well:  At a time when all of the world’s nations have come together in athletic competition, Visa’s “Go World” ad campaign brings out the global citizen in all of us.  It reminds us that while taking pride in our nation is a time-honored virtue, a devotion to all nations is our greatest task for the road ahead.

After all, doesn’t the saying go “united we stand, divided we fall”?  Maybe it’s time we applied that mindset on a global scale.

What do you think?: Are global citizens inherently disloyal?  Is Gen-Y poised to lead the way toward global citizenship?