Generation What?, Episode 1 of 2, RTÉ2, Tuesday, October 31st at 10.30pm
Generation What? is a pan-European survey, in which millennials (18-34 year olds) were asked 149 questions about their beliefs and their lives, with a view to getting a clear picture of how this age group feel the world in which they live. Almost 1,000,000 people have taken the survey across Europe so far and over 33,000 people have taken the survey in Ireland to date.
Question where diverse and ranged from larger societal issues such as ‘Should Ireland leave the EU?’ or ‘Do you trust the media?’, to more micro, personal issues such as ‘Have you ever used sex toys?’, ‘Could you be happy without children?’ or ‘Does it bother you when you see a gay couple French-kissing on the street?’
In programme one we introduce the pan -European survey, the most comprehensive of its kind in Europe, and dive inside the lives of Irish millennials.
The first episode looks at three areas:
Sex
Equality
Faith
Dr Ciara Meehan, an expert in modern Irish history, discusses the major factors that have influenced the minds of this generation, from the growth of the internet, to the emergence of Ryanair as a low cost airline. Richelle O’Toole, a young single mother from Blessington speaks openly about being pan-sexual.
Viewers will also find out how the millennials participants answered questions on everything from having sex in a public place, to whether or not it bothers them if they see a woman wearing a religious veil in the street.
Eoghan McDermott visits Berlin to meet with German millennials and compare the findings of the German survey with the Irish results. During the course of this visit, he also meets with Derek Scally, Irish Times correspondent in Berlin to hear about the rise of the far right in Germany and the significant events which have affected the mindset of young people there.
Eoghan meets Tony Murray, a young UCD science student from Lucan, who speaks about being politically active at a young age. He also speaks of the rise of the alt-right and the growth of nationalism in Europe.
Each episode includes a chance for the Generation What? millennials to talk to those in power. Episode one features: