Millennial values are neither as virtuous as their staunchest defenders claim nor as problematic as their fiercest critics find them. Like all previous generations, our generation’s commitment to the common good is neither non-existent nor complete. However, on matters of economic justice, specifically those regarding the plight of the poor, there are some promising signs. The Center for American Progress recently released a study (summarized by John Halpin and Karl Agne) on American attitudes about work, economic opportunity, and the social safety net, which included some positive trends among millennials:

1. 82% of Millennials agree that “most people living in poverty are decent people who are working hard to make ends meet in a difficult economy.”
2. 78% agree that “the primary reason so many people are living in poverty today is that our economy is failing to produce enough jobs that pay decent wages.”
3. 74% agree that “many people living in poverty are unfairly criticized by others as lazy or undeserving.”
4. Millennials report higher average favorability ratings for Head Start, Pell Grants, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and food stamps than their elder peers.
5. 91% of Millennials say that looking back, the government has a responsibility to use its resources to help fight poverty.
6. Nearly 7 in 10 Millennials (compared to 58 percent of non-Millennials) believe that the War on Poverty made a difference.
7. Nearly 80% of Millennials say that they would support the President and Congress in setting a goal of cutting poverty in half over the next 10 years.
8. 60% of Millennials would strongly support a new goal of cutting poverty in half even if it involves imposing new restrictions and requirements on businesses, government, and the wealthy, compared to 45% of non-Millennials.
9. There is also widespread Millennial support for a variety of concrete proposals:

These numbers seem to indicate a refusal to demonize the poor and a willingness to support common efforts to increase opportunity for all. These are positive signs for those who care about economic justice and the common good, and a good reason to have hope for our generation and the future.