Berkley Center

People have many different reasons for the ways in which they define their morals. While the reasons could include faith, faith is not the only justification. Just like with past generations of Americans, the Millennial Generation is diverse ethnically and culturally. Individuals find inspiration and guidance from many different areas of their lives. American democracy has been able to thrive for so long with religious freedom as an integral part of the constitution because individuals are allowed to define their own morality however they choose. Americans have all been able to live together, regardless of faith, under the same set of laws. The government does not impose a basis for morality but it does impose a set of values by the laws it sets and upholds. Americans have been able to act on their own morality and develop their own values as long as they follow the laws. This means that values have been developed by individuals and religious institutions to fill in the gaps of American morality.

What makes the Millennial Generation different is that we have unprecedented access to information. We are getting involved on college campuses and communicating with each other in ways that previous generations could not. With social media and smart phones, people are able to update each other instantly. What is even more important is that we are able to meet and connect with people we otherwise would not have been able to, like students from other states and other countries. Because of this, we are able to find others that think like us. Your values become stronger when you are able to discuss them and confirm them with others. We are also able to learn about other values through meeting people we might not otherwise have been able to talk with. Our positions get challenged often, and we constantly have to reassess what we think and how we can explain beliefs. These experiences confirm or refute our personal beliefs and values and help us form better opinions. We are able to learn from varied life experiences and understand the role of government in the lives of its citizens. We are able to become more rational in our views on values and have more realistic expectations for the future based on those values. Our values do not have to be based on faith because we have so many other opportunities to derive our values.