GENERATION GAP

GENERATION GAP

What Is a Generation Gap?

    The gap between the old people and the young is called generation gap. It is the different in attitude or lack of understanding between younger and older generation. This generation gap has always been there, but these days it has reached an explosive stage. The values and patterns of life have changed to a great extent. Today, everybody likes to live and behave on his own way. This attitude has enlarged the generation gap, which is becoming wider day by day.

    A generation gap refers to the chasm that separates the thoughts expressed by members of two different generations. More specifically, a generation gap can be used to describe the differences in actions, beliefs, and tastes exhibited by members of younger generations, versus older ones. The subjects at hand may be vast and varied but can include politics, values, and pop culture. While generation gaps have been prevalent throughout all periods of history, the breadth of differences of these gaps has widened in the 20th and 21st centuries.

The Generation Gap of the Past

    Although there have always been differences between the generations, the drastic differences that the term implies were not much in evidence until the twentieth century. Before that time, society was not very mobile. Young people typically lived near their extended families, worshiped in their childhood churches, and often worked on the family farm or in a family business.

    With the advent of television and movies, young people were exposed to cultural influences alien to their own families and cultures. Performers like Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and James Dean won adulation from the younger generation but were often met with derogation from the older generation. Then came the 1960s, and civil rights and the Vietnam War exposed a more serious chasm between young and old.

The Generation Gap Today

    The generation gap that was so in evidence during the 60s has resurfaced, but it is not the disruptive force that it was during the Vietnam era, a 2009 study suggests. The Pew Research Centre study found that 79% of Americans see major differences between younger and older adults in the way they look at the world. In 1969, a Gallup Poll found that a smaller percentage, 74%, perceived major differences.

    Today, however, although more Americans see generational differences, most do not see them as divisive. That is partly because of the areas of difference. The top areas of disagreement between young and old, according to the Pew Research Study, are the use of technology and taste in music. Grandparents are likely to have observed these differences in their grandchildren who are tweens, teens, and young adults.

How Generations Are Distinguished

The current living generations have been divided into the following four major groups:

1. Traditional
2. Baby boomers
3. Generation Xers
4. Millennials

Each generation has its own characteristics regarding vernacular, technological influences, workplace attitudes, general consciousness and ways of life.

Traditional

   

          They are known to take orders and follow them out efficiently. They like to be around folks who appreciate their experience, knowledge, and loyalty. As Great Depression survivors, they were instrumental in shaping the United States into an economic and military power. This group is defined by Patriotism, teamwork, and drive. Traditional tend to obey rules and respect authority. As young new minorities continue to disperse outward from traditional gateways, the cultural generation gap will appear in communities of all sizes, but it will be widest in states where the growth of young minorities is new and the racial demographic profile of the younger generation differs most from that of the older generation.

 

Baby Boomers

          

    They witnessed increasing social and economic equality and came of age as the country was split by differing views on politics, war, and social justice. The Boomers participated in some of the greatest social changes in the country’s history, during the 1960s and 1970s, with the Civil Rights Movement and the Women’s Movement. Baby boomers like structure. Many grew up in households that were highly disciplined and structured, which shaped who they are today. Though they enjoy being able to navigate the eLearning path on their own, such as choosing their next module, they must also have the option to follow a pre-set learning path that leads them right to their goals. Give them a schedule to follow and encourage them to meet specific deadlines.

    Baby boomers aren’t afraid to put in a hard day of work. For many of this generation, some of their self-worth comes directly from their professional achievements. They acknowledge that success comes from dedicating a great deal of time and effort into their careers, which also means that they may find it difficult to find the perfect home-work balance. 

Generation X

       

   Born between 1965 and 1980, Gen-Xers grew up with emerging technologies and political and institutional incompetence. They witnessed Watergate, Three Mile Island, and the Iranian hostage crisis. But they also observed major technological advancements. Speaking of Gen Xer’s relationship with technology, the lack of internet and tech tools in their early lives positively affected the ways in which they conduct business and form relationships. Generation X members were adults by the time smartphones came into play, and those years without a screen to turn to for every answer allowed them to learn the importance of interpersonal skills.

     As a result, Gen Xers are able to make stronger connections and collaborate more naturally in the workplace. Mimeograph machines evolved into high-speed copiers, fax machines gave way to email. Heavy adding machines were replaced by handheld calculators, and computers shrank in size and processing speed. Generation X is more direct, professionals from this generation are more direct than Millennials and Gen Zers, meaning they appreciate having more open and honest conversations. 

 

Millennials

    Millennials, or members of Generation Y (also known as Gen Y) were born between 1982 and 2000. As expected by their birth years, the Millennial generation makes up the fastest growing segment of the workforce. As companies compete for available talent, employers simply cannot ignore the needs, desires, and attitudes of this vast generation. As with each generation that preceded it, Millennials have come to be defined by a set of characteristics formed mainly by the world and culture they grew up in. 

    Millennials have always known cable TV, pagers, answering machines, laptop computers, and video games. Technological advancements in real-time media and communication have driven their expectation for immediacy. Millennials are often defined by a concept known as "emerging adulthood,” meaning that between the ages 18 and 25, they’re no longer fully dependent but have yet to achieve complete self-sufficiency. This developmental period is characterized by self-exploration and experimentation.

Impact on relation

    It is always nice to have fresh ideas and points of view. It is a clear indication of how we are advancing and developing at a great level. However, when this clash of ideas and viewpoints becomes gets too much, it becomes a matter of worry. The most common result of this clash is distanced relations. Generally, a generation gap is mostly seen between parents and kids. It shows that parents fail to understand their kids and vice versa. The parents usually follow the traditions and norms. Likewise, they expect their children to conform to the societal norms as they have. But the kids are of the modern age with a broad outlook. They refuse to accept these traditional ways. This is one of the main reasons why the conflict begins. They do not reach a solution and thus distance themselves because of misunderstandings. This is a mistake at both ends. The parents must try not to impose the same expectations which their parents had from them. Similarly, the kids must not outright wrong their parents but try to understand where this is coming from.