More often we validate our differences with easy responses like “It’s a generational thing,” or “You’re such a [insert generation name here].” I don’t know when a person’s generation became part of their personality but apparently, we are there.
Here’s a quick fill-in of who you are if you’re not up to date on “the TikTok”
The Silent Generation: Born 1928–1945
Baby Boom Generation: Born 1946–1964
Generation X: Born 1965–1980
Millennials (Generation Y): Born 1981–1996
Generation Z: Born 1997–2012
(and forgive me if I’m a year or two off somewhere. every source varied slightly)
Generation takedowns and relatable content have become quite the trend on social media. I know that none of us are strangers to the work ethic memes and are absolutely guilty of getting a good laugh from them.
My question is why are generations so defined now more than ever and why don’t we get along very well?…sometimes
This is the first time that we have four generations sharing workspaces. Four generations who have experienced completely different structures of growing up are trying to coexist at the very least.
The expectation of adulthood has shifted dramatically since the 1930’s. Life’s purpose, or what we feel is our purpose, has been restyled over the decades leading up to 2024. Of course, we think differently. How could we see through the lens of one another?
And, before I go any further, there is no labeling a better to worse or right and wrong. As humans, we naturally aspire to do more, to learn more, and to create more, leaving future generations with a new world to grow into.
However, no matter how “funny because it’s true” instagram memes are out there, sometimes we clash. And, that’s fine. It’s human.
Last fall, Edin took me to this awesome exhibit that basically explained how the brain matures from the moment you are born through old age. To keep it short, we learned that the majority of the brain’s molding process happens until the age of 5 and continues until 25. And, once the brain has found its mold, it’s tough to change the shape.
An article from Big Think quotes a study published in september 2022, “Older adults tend to show less flexible thinking, such as forming new concepts and abstract thinking…” the reviewers noted. “These executive function changes can be seen first in adults in their fifth decade of life, consistent with the findings of the systematic review that functional network connectivity changes reach their inflection point in the fourth and fifth decade.”
although, it’s important to note that It’s not that change isn’t possible. Adapting to change just takes more work and consistent habits than it did at an earlier age such as 19 or 20. Again, our brain finds its mold and gets comfortable.
Going back to growing up in very different social and political societies… A 2015 study from the Pew Research Center opened my mind to understand “Age denotes two important characteristics about an individual: their place in the life cycle – whether a young adult, middle-aged parent or retiree – and their membership in a cohort of individuals who were born at a similar time.”
The Pew Research Center labels the “three separate effects that can produce differences in attitude between age groups” as life cycle effects, period effects, and cohort effects.
The life cycle, also known as the age effect, is when the differences between generations are mostly due to their position in the life cycle. For example, the older generation typically being more invested in politics than the new generation of current children. As we grow, so does our interest.
The period effects are events or circumstances, such as technological advancements, that “simultaneously impact everyone, regardless of age. Period effects are typically thought to have lasting effects on an entire population,” according to the Pew Research Center. Must I go on about having the advantage of seeing the world from the palm of your hand at the age of 6+ years old?
The cohort effect “can be the byproducts of the unique historical circumstances that members of an age cohort experience, particularly during a time when they are in the process of forming opinions.” For example, a historical moment (dare I say a global pandemic?) can have a tremendous impact on members of a single generation. The Pew Research Center points out, “This may be because it occurs during a key point in the life cycle, such as adolescence and young adulthood when awareness of the wider world deepens and personal identities and value systems are being strongly shaped.” A cohort effect can leave a lasting impression on all of the generations, each one being impacted differently depending on where they are in the life cycle at the time of the historical event.
I assume most of us can agree that the technological advancements our society has seen play a vital role in our generational differences.
“When I was a kid” as we all love to say, our only exposure to the world was the small one around us - our family, our friends, neighbors, teachers, classmates etc.. Never did we know the 7-step skincare routine, vacation essentials, and daily eating habits of a total stranger like we do today.
We have the advantage of finding out everything that we’re curious about in the palm of our hand. Giving this type of exposure to the brain, especially during child development, limits imagination which limits creativity (to say the least).
What do you think would be different about you if not having exercised the right side of your brain from age 2-25+?
I know that I wouldn’t be writing. I actually got into writing so much BECAUSE i was escaping social media and the toxic headspace that it brought upon me. But, I could only walk away from it because I knew of a life without it. Unfortunately, the ship of people living a life with no social media platforms is sailing further and further. If you’re lucky you can catch the last swim to it.
I assume that our habits and values [according to the generation we are a part of] are different because the expectations surrounding life are different. Priorities have shifted and it’s not because a new generation is “lazy”. It’s because the world they were born into is molding their brain differently.
Each generation is taught to think differently - not on purpose but because of societal and political shifts alongside new technology - some that improve our way of life, and some well… not so much.
So, how do we blend better?
We can start by understanding the anxieties that come with knowing too much information.
“Ignorance is bliss” is one of my favorite sayings. I understand that it isn’t universal to all situations however when it comes to information that doesn’t benefit us as people, I find it fitting. I also find it fitting in the sense of being able to live your life without the worry of things that are out of your control. For example - the “for you page” on all social media platforms. That page is a dark hole into the unknown. And, starting your morning there could affect your headspace for the entire day.
We only see the highlight reels, we typically see things that we don’t have but do want, and we long for the lives that we watch online, directing us to live through a black mirror vicariously. But, we who know a life of exchanging thoughts with the click of a button need to understand that others do not. Childhood and social interactions once consisted of playing outside and ringing your neighbors' doorbell or landline. Humans only longed for what they could imagine. Now, little is left to our imagination. We see it all and want it all. [insert anxious thoughts here]
I can assume that this is where our generational differences lie when it comes to being vulnerable about our anxieties and depressive thoughts.
As a millennial, I’ve grown up watching the expression of vulnerabilities evolve tremendously. However, I still managed to find myself being a hater of the Genz population for almost glamorizing anxiety and depression on social media. Being someone who grew up with anxiety (in hindsight) but had no understanding of it, to then watch people who are the age I once was labeling themselves as anxious and depressed because they relate to a social media post just didn’t click for me. If I’m being honest, it just clicked in 2022 when I watched a now-canceled show titled “Genera+ion” and this year when I gained coworkers who are currently in their early 20s. I’m realizing that it’s not them wanting to be part of the monthly emotional trends but instead, it's the reality of their lives. They are the first generation to grow up exposed to the world at such a young age. They’ve seen beyond the ridiculously funny YouTube videos from Jenna Marbles. Instead, at ages when their brains are still developing, they see the news of the world and the struggles humans face. It’s almost as if they’ve been programmed to expect the worst. And no, it’s not all bad. But for the sake of this conversation and topic, it’s important to note.
Besides, we can absolutely brush this off and accept that “it’s just the way the world is” but innocence is valuable at a young age. Plenty of us are who we are because of our childhood into young adulthood years. “When I was a kid",” isn’t always said to compare generations but also to explain quirky individual habits that we have and love about ourselves.