Generations

This week we talk about generations. Have you ever thought about why your parents act in a certain way and why they put some things first? Have you ever thought about why you put the things you put first first? Why the conflict between different understandings of life from generation to generation? How did it become so?

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Generations... value creation.

Truthfully the times when i think about the question of how people of different ages think differently is usually (or rather most of the time) when there is conflict between what i think and what my parents think. Its simple and clear to see that from generations to generations, there are conflicting ideologies between each of the different generations. Why is that so? And these conflicts do not just exist in the family, it exists almost everywhere, at the work place, in organizations, in the mrt, on the streets. Its not very prevailent but it does to a certain extent happen. Then i came upon an article entitled: Can You Trust Anyone Under Thirty?

I was surprised because i'm a part of this research (like many of you are). The article disected the generations into three groups: the baby boomers, generation X and Generation Y. Check this out:

"Boomers were raised in the post-World War II era of social stability and relative prosperity. Divorce was relatively rare; schools were safe, and jobs were secure[...] They were loyal and committed to their organizations, learned to pay their dues patiently and wait for the opportunity for advancement, and largely defined themselves and their successes in terms of their organizational rank[...]

In contrast, Xers (that is generation X), grew up in two career families, where divorce rates were increasing rapidly[...] They are the products of daycare, technology, including television, and perhaps most important downsizing[...] As a result, Xers are advised everywhere to "consider themselves to be free agents" [...] They are fiercely independent, agresseive, hardworking entreprenuers even if they are working in corporate structures[...]they also tend to form relatively superficial and inauthentic relationships in the workplace[...] they want rewards to be based on performance not seniority[...]

Tentatively labeled the Y generation, next generation or Millennials, they were born between 1982 and 2002[...] they have had more disposable income and are more technologically sophisticated[...] they are highly optimistic and see a world of opportunities in front of them[...] They are team oriented and obsessed with planning- many of them knew what they wanted to do with their lives when they were in middle school[...] Xers often view them as demanding, self absorbed, and presumptuous[...] Bosses complain about their short attention spans and habits like talking to their friends via cell phone or instant messaging or downloading music while at work."

*Note: This essay was written along with the research of the generations in the States.

I think this article ingeniusly captures the very general views of why we actually think differently and want different things. And i think to a very large extent this is very true of the different generations (espcially mine). However, having read it, i think there are many other factors why generations conflict. I should keep this entry short.. what do you think of this?

(To be continued...)