James Cairns, The Myth of the Age of Entitlement: Millennials, Austerity, and Hope

The Myth of the Age of Entitlement: Millennials, Austerity, and Hope. James Cairns, , The Myth of the Age of Entitlement: Millennials, Austerity, and Hope. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 2017. 208 pp. Reviewed by: Wei-Fen Chen, Chinese University of Hong Kong, China. At first glance, given the title of this book, one might infer that it discusses the generational culture and lifestyles of millennials. In reality, however, James Cairns’ focus is on criticizing the structural forces that have reproduced and exacerbated social inequality, which have resulted in the plights of millennials across multiple social fields, including the workplace, on campus, and the natural environment. The book starts with a brief introduction to the myth about the millennial generation – how they are often presumed to be a group of spoiled, narcissistic, and irresponsible young adults who grew up enjoying material comfort and technological advancements unavailable to previous generations, and how they are ill-prepared for the “real world,” where all the nice things they believe they are entitled to will not be handed to them for free.