What about the generation coming of age in around 1940? Despite whatever plans they had for their lives, things completely changed with the start of World War 2. The young men were suddenly being sent overseas to fight while foods and other things were being rationed in the U.S. There are many other times in history when things changed rapidly and plans or expectations had to change drastically. Stop complaining and evaluate what you can do to make your own life more successful and meaningful.
Hmmm, you dont think kids being told in school history they stole land, they're a bad color,they are in the wrong body, they will never own a home or afford a family has anything to do with the disillusioned? How about those who start a business and have huge taxes. And the leaders, the ones with investments that gain when they take from the populace get a pass? Now the young consume at an accelerated rate, the latest phone, game system, clothes, make up. Maybe you should look closer at the leaders in a generation instead of just the people in a generation. And note that a family with more people had higher costs as has happened in cities, countries and a world with more people. You figure it out.
We all wine about how hard life is. Can’t find a job etc… If you go for it though there are all kinds of opportunities for your own business… with some focused hard work you may be surprised at what you might accomplish.
Great piece. I think sociology and generational changes and similarities are fascinating! I'm Gen-X myself and remember well our generation's disaffection and cynicism, living through the 80s recession, Challenger explosion, Apartheid (albeit from far away), and other aspects of technology that were changing rapidly at the time much more than the past - PC's and proto-Internet, CDs, etc. Latch key kids playing on their home consoles, watching cable tv for hours, financial booms and busts, all within 10 or so years. When I look back on it, it was a lot.
That's not to say my heart doesn't go out to Gen-Z. I have a 20-year-old daughter and know the challenges of her generation quite well. I don't think Gen-Z is lazy, entitled, or disrespectful any more than we were at that time. They are a lot smarter than we were simply due to the incredible wealth of information online, but that information is a double-edged sword because there's a lot of bad with the good. So some in Gen-Z have a lot of bad info, some have a lot of good info, but I suspect it wasn't that different from us, just more of it.
As any generation who has to deal with new stuff, there is often a lot of adoption by youth, and Gen-Z is particular in this sense in their rejection of a lot of it. I think part of this is that at least initially they were allowed easy access to social media and saw how bad the downsides could be, and this made them much more skeptical in general. For Gen-X, or at least me, because everything was so new and my parents were pretty clueless technologically speaking, I didn't see any downsides, just cool technology. AI has thrust itself into our world without ANY of our consent, and to me it feels inescapable. I'm forced to use it at work. But if I were Gen-Z I think I would be just as bitter about it, given that it's stealing our future. Much of my life has been lived already, and so I'm fortunate that I'm towards the end of my career vs. the beginning. So I don't blame Gen-Z in any way. Even the adherence to social media seems to be ebbing, and is something they were given access to at such a young age that it makes it extremely difficult to disassociate from - like cigarettes maybe? But I see a lot of "kids" doing just that, at least to a certain extent, which must be incredibly challenging. It's been challenging for me as a 50-something!
Leave it to a Gen Z’er to compare their struggles to those of a generation ravished by the deadliest war of all times, the deadliest pandemic in centuries and the great depression. Get over yourself. Gen X’er here
You didn’t have to say what generation you are… we could tell by the “get over yourself” comment.
Telling a generation with unprecedented levels of depression to “get over themselves” is the most Gen X (or boomer) thing you can say.
Just because today’s young generation didn’t fight in a war doesn’t mean everything is rainbows and gumdrops. The stats on depression, suicide, etc speak for themselves.
This isn’t a competition on which generation is tougher or went through more hardship. This article simply compares two generations facing unprecedented challenges.
And it does a very poor job at it. I actually blame my generation and early millennials who completely screwed up the job of raising this generation. Not their fault, but doesn’t mean we should nod and agree with their mistakes.
I OFTEN think about our perceived problems compared to previous generations. Then contemplate if I would have had the “stuff” to navigate or SURVIVE the lifestyle. History does provide necessary perspective. (And, also, the perspective of our PROGRESS in social and industrial advancement!) Following the “Lost Generation” was the “Greatest Generation”, born into the Depression that morphed into the impact of the Dust Bowl … only to the debate of global involvement. The defining Pearl Harbor, ushered in aerial advancement and coding (computer infancy), science application that absolutely evolved into a world that included not only bombs, but plastic and chemicals. Good and/or bad the “Can-Do” (and must-do?) applications were met by my generation of rebellion. Hopefully it “never ends” …. The changing roles, the generations that take hold of the reigns. May we pay attention to how our perception determines leads us. And have respect for the previous and following generations.
What about the generation coming of age in around 1940? Despite whatever plans they had for their lives, things completely changed with the start of World War 2. The young men were suddenly being sent overseas to fight while foods and other things were being rationed in the U.S. There are many other times in history when things changed rapidly and plans or expectations had to change drastically. Stop complaining and evaluate what you can do to make your own life more successful and meaningful.
Hmmm, you dont think kids being told in school history they stole land, they're a bad color,they are in the wrong body, they will never own a home or afford a family has anything to do with the disillusioned? How about those who start a business and have huge taxes. And the leaders, the ones with investments that gain when they take from the populace get a pass? Now the young consume at an accelerated rate, the latest phone, game system, clothes, make up. Maybe you should look closer at the leaders in a generation instead of just the people in a generation. And note that a family with more people had higher costs as has happened in cities, countries and a world with more people. You figure it out.
We all wine about how hard life is. Can’t find a job etc… If you go for it though there are all kinds of opportunities for your own business… with some focused hard work you may be surprised at what you might accomplish.
Great article. You’re an excellent writer and the quote at the end is a gut punch.
Great piece. I think sociology and generational changes and similarities are fascinating! I'm Gen-X myself and remember well our generation's disaffection and cynicism, living through the 80s recession, Challenger explosion, Apartheid (albeit from far away), and other aspects of technology that were changing rapidly at the time much more than the past - PC's and proto-Internet, CDs, etc. Latch key kids playing on their home consoles, watching cable tv for hours, financial booms and busts, all within 10 or so years. When I look back on it, it was a lot.
That's not to say my heart doesn't go out to Gen-Z. I have a 20-year-old daughter and know the challenges of her generation quite well. I don't think Gen-Z is lazy, entitled, or disrespectful any more than we were at that time. They are a lot smarter than we were simply due to the incredible wealth of information online, but that information is a double-edged sword because there's a lot of bad with the good. So some in Gen-Z have a lot of bad info, some have a lot of good info, but I suspect it wasn't that different from us, just more of it.
As any generation who has to deal with new stuff, there is often a lot of adoption by youth, and Gen-Z is particular in this sense in their rejection of a lot of it. I think part of this is that at least initially they were allowed easy access to social media and saw how bad the downsides could be, and this made them much more skeptical in general. For Gen-X, or at least me, because everything was so new and my parents were pretty clueless technologically speaking, I didn't see any downsides, just cool technology. AI has thrust itself into our world without ANY of our consent, and to me it feels inescapable. I'm forced to use it at work. But if I were Gen-Z I think I would be just as bitter about it, given that it's stealing our future. Much of my life has been lived already, and so I'm fortunate that I'm towards the end of my career vs. the beginning. So I don't blame Gen-Z in any way. Even the adherence to social media seems to be ebbing, and is something they were given access to at such a young age that it makes it extremely difficult to disassociate from - like cigarettes maybe? But I see a lot of "kids" doing just that, at least to a certain extent, which must be incredibly challenging. It's been challenging for me as a 50-something!
Leave it to a Gen Z’er to compare their struggles to those of a generation ravished by the deadliest war of all times, the deadliest pandemic in centuries and the great depression. Get over yourself. Gen X’er here
You didn’t have to say what generation you are… we could tell by the “get over yourself” comment.
Telling a generation with unprecedented levels of depression to “get over themselves” is the most Gen X (or boomer) thing you can say.
Just because today’s young generation didn’t fight in a war doesn’t mean everything is rainbows and gumdrops. The stats on depression, suicide, etc speak for themselves.
This isn’t a competition on which generation is tougher or went through more hardship. This article simply compares two generations facing unprecedented challenges.
And it does a very poor job at it. I actually blame my generation and early millennials who completely screwed up the job of raising this generation. Not their fault, but doesn’t mean we should nod and agree with their mistakes.
No one saying we agree with their mistakes? What do that even mean? Did you even read the article?
The article itself is the mistake I’m talking about, genius.
I OFTEN think about our perceived problems compared to previous generations. Then contemplate if I would have had the “stuff” to navigate or SURVIVE the lifestyle. History does provide necessary perspective. (And, also, the perspective of our PROGRESS in social and industrial advancement!) Following the “Lost Generation” was the “Greatest Generation”, born into the Depression that morphed into the impact of the Dust Bowl … only to the debate of global involvement. The defining Pearl Harbor, ushered in aerial advancement and coding (computer infancy), science application that absolutely evolved into a world that included not only bombs, but plastic and chemicals. Good and/or bad the “Can-Do” (and must-do?) applications were met by my generation of rebellion. Hopefully it “never ends” …. The changing roles, the generations that take hold of the reigns. May we pay attention to how our perception determines leads us. And have respect for the previous and following generations.
I find it hard to believe that you are seriously comparing the soldiers who fought in WW1 with the young people of today.
And happily, "ww dont have to"