Change is like an ongoing cumulative ripple, like the beginning of a never-ending domino effect that will forever alter the future.

This factor, change, persists throughout the passages of time. With each new generation that logic is no different. Things spontaneously occur; society happens to change in some drastic way; new trends begin to become popular. That’s just how it works.

However, with each new generation, we somehow return to start this backwards argument. For starters, parents and grandparents are dismissive toward the work ethic of the world’s newer arrivals, referring to the young as “lazy” or “unmotivated.” Sound familiar?

Unsurprisingly, the young, such as  Millennials, widely believed to have been born between 1980 and 2000, also have their own say in the dispute. Whether we attack our elders for not being as technologically inclined or for not getting with the times, it’s a trade of blows that doesn’t take either party to the winner’s seat.

These polarizing opinions vary between ages and continue to prompt this “generation gap” debacle that seems to end in a tie almost every time. If you’ve ever spoken with anyone much older than yourself, then you know exactly how this feels.

Humans hate to confront ideas that oppose their original beliefs; this is called cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance refers to a conflict of beliefs or ideas that cause mental stress or discomfort. It’s suggested that this internal conflict damages the individual’s self-identity and is interpreted as a challenge against this mental establishment.

It’s this unconscious attack on already established ideas or viewpoints that can cause people to oppose the new as they would rather continue to live with what is familiar to them. We value consistency in our lives and when our internal beliefs conflict with external ones, we tend to be judgmental. It’s hard to conform to new ideas and although humans can adapt to new things, it’s still quite the process.

As a group, we’re all fairly young and haven’t been exposed to much. Naturally, older people will know more; they’ve seen and done things, it’s all a part of the process. As Millennials, we conform or oppose current rules, laws and regulations. But we offer our own suggestions to the table.

Going back to the idea of change, each subsequent generation brings with them a plethora of new ideas, beliefs and political opinions. For instance, millennials thrive on new trends, technological advances and live in the age of information. We have access to almost anything we may desire, all at the risk of a few clicks.

Our age group was at the forefront of the 2008 election; we fought and won a decisive battle for gay marriage in the U.S. and we’re significantly less religious than prior generations.

With each new person being born comes limitless potential: new ideas, new ways of thinking and innovation because humanity is constantly changing and adapting with the times. Change is prominent, change is everywhere and change permeates the very fabric of our society. That’s just how it works.

Our parents and their grandparents were young once. Just as we have iPhones and video games, they had their own things to look forward to and new things to indulge in.

So don’t blame the Baby Boomers or the generation X’ers or wherever they hail from with their sometimes hostile views towards Millennials. They’re just reluctant to change, and that’s okay. Humans typically are.