Many say that the Millennial generation does not appreciate, let alone actually know the classics that have helped shaped our culture into what it is today. I say that, that statement is misleading. It may be a true fact that some younger millennials are unfamiliar with the classics, but many do know them and do enjoy them to this day.

The fact that some millennials don’t know the classics is not a reflection of our supposed narcissistic ways. Movies, music, tv shows have a time and place when they are relevant to what is going on in our culture. Media such as The Breakfast Club, and The Beatles have crossed time and have all stayed pretty popular even into our modern times. Other media such as I Love Lucy and It’s a Wonderful Life, though they were once ground breaking new forms of media, they have simply lost their importance in our culture. That is not to say they are not any good, I am simply stating that they don’t have as much relevance in our culture as they once did. In 10, 20, 30 years from now the movies, music and tv shows will not hold the same value as they do today.

Although, as said in the article “Perspective:Millennials seem to have little use for old movies” by Neal Gabler where he discusses the constant remakes done of original movies and how the time between each remake has diminished. The example that Gabler uses is the Spider-Man franchise. The original Spider-Man trilogy came out early 2000’s (the first coming out in 2002 and last coming out in 2007) while only several years later Peter Parker was reinvented to fit better within our culture. Now in 2016 Peter Parker along with many other characters are getting a make-over for the new Spider-Man movie to come out 2017. This remake has a much more diverse cast that reflects the world that we live in today.

When remakes are made it is not because the older movies are no longer appreciated, because they still are loved by many. In a survey done of a junior class of 21 students; 24% of them had seen the movie Miracle on 34th Street. 48% had seen the all time best mafia movie The Godfather. 86% had seen the funniest kids movie The Goonies.

Music wise, 71% know the song “White Christmas” by Frank Sinatra, 62% know the song “Come Together” by The Beatles, 86% know “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson.

These classics are still watched, listened to and loved by many because the classics never go out of style, they just get dressed up.

One step forward, Two steps back.

“We’ve just come to represent a decline in the standards of what we expect.” The 1975 said it right there. Within the past twenty years society has struggled with the concept of originality, the ability to put out new, intriguing ideas that are a person’s or a people’s own. Not only that but as a people, we’ve lost our past, hardly knowing movies and songs that laid the foundations for the beloved entertainment so popular today.

Don’t be mistaken, there are still classics released today and a variety of people that are aware of them which in the future will continue being revered, but there is less and less of that found every year. Covers, parodies, and sequels are constantly being produced. All great but in the end just over works a brilliant piece.

A poll recently taken of sophomores shows the shortfall in millennials aware of classics that their grandparents and great-grandparents flocked to see in theaters. Tenth graders were asked if they’d seen the following films Miracle on 34th Street, the Godfather, and the Goonies. A whopping 2 of twenty seven had cuddled in Christmas spirit watching Miracle on 34th Street. Three had cowered in fear witnessing the Godfather. And on a better note, 17 of the students had laughed their eyes out seeing the Goonies.

Unfortunately, culture propels the ideology that one should reproduce and copy a piece for the very reason that it’s easier. Here’s the thing classics are here to entertain but they are also here to inspire an audience to create its own unique art. Then there’s the fact that younger generations are so unaware that songwriters, directors, and producers can completely milk great works from the past and get away with it because no one knows them.

To ignore a problem such as this will have consequences. Eventually if the recycling of films and songs continue, there will be nothing left original to enjoy. Classics will cease to continue.

Some might say this is a minimal problem not important to address. For such a “minimal” problem, the solution is simple. Introducing, bit by bit, classics from the past to children and encouraging their own ideas and talents to flow instead of setting up a pressuring society where generations feel this need to copy and reproduce others works just to get by would be a start.

A lack of originality is something that’ll always be among people in the world, it’s inevitable, but it’s definitely something people can improve. And that’s all that matters.