They were promised everything.

From the brightly colored motivational posters in third grade classrooms to the college brochures claiming endless opportunity, Millennials were raised on a diet of delusional optimism. They were told they could be astronauts, artists, CEOs, startup founders, or all of the above—as long as they followed the rules, worked hard, and stayed in school.

Then came the crash.

The Great Recession of 2008 hit just as many Millennials were graduating college, saddled with tens of thousands in student debt and holding degrees that no longer opened doors. Entry-level jobs became unpaid internships. Health insurance became a luxury. Homeownership became a meme.

And still, somehow, they get blamed for everything.

Millennials killed cable. And department stores. And diamonds. And beer. They also supposedly ruined the housing market, the 9-to-5 work ethic, and marriage itself. Ask any boomer with a grievance, and there’s a Millennial to blame for it.

But here’s the truth: Millennials are the first broke aristocracy. They grew up believing they were heirs to the American Dream, only to discover it was foreclosed before they got the keys. They were taught that achievement was a matter of merit. Then they watched nepotism and inherited wealth skyrocket while wages stagnated and rent exploded.

This generation works more jobs, for less pay, with fewer benefits than their parents. They’re more educated, more progressive, more inclusive—and yet, the system still treats them like they’re entitled.

What entitlement? Where’s the power?

Millennials aren’t entitled. They’re exhausted. They didn’t break the world. They just inherited it at the moment it broke itself.

It’s not laziness. It’s burnout. It’s the psychic weight of watching the climate melt, the rent climb, and your college degree become a punchline.

If Gen X was too cool to care, and Boomers were too rich to notice, Millennials are just awake enough to see the problem—but too broke and buried to fix it. That’s not failure. That’s collapse.

Blame doesn’t belong with the broke. It belongs with the architects of the broken system.

The first broke aristocracy doesn’t need your scorn. It needs a damn revolution.

Editors Note: The Millennials have faced significant challenges, and it’s heartbreaking to witness their struggles. My heart aches for them, and I genuinely feel their pain. It’s important to remember that many boomers also experienced difficult circumstances as the Millennials were coming of age. We are all navigating this tumultuous journey together, caught in a sinking boat inherited from the wealthy. This is truly a Class War.