life generation essay

Old Versus Young: The Cultural Generation Gap

Younger, more diverse generations promise to change all aspects of American society.

In this Issue:

• Winter 2018 View All Other Issues
• Generations: People are living and working longer—changing the world
• Six Generations Moving Forward Together
• Crunch: Definining Generations
• Foreword: How Are Generations Named?
• The Generation Gap
• Getting More From a Longer Life
• Five Questions: Teaching the Next Generation
• Lessons From the Greatest Generation
• As the World Ages
• Generation X and the American Dream
• Millennials Aren’t Kids Anymore
• View All Other Issues

If demography is destiny, the United States—much more than its peers—is on the cusp of great change. That change is due to a deep cultural generation gap at play, which will alter all aspects of American society within the coming decade.

Driving this generational gap is a “diversity explosion” in the United States, which began in 2011 when, for the first time in the history of the country, more minority babies than white babies were born in a year. Soon, most children in the U.S. will be racial minorities: Hispanics, blacks, Asians, and other nonwhite races. And, in about three decades, whites will constitute a minority of all Americans. This milestone signals the beginning of a transformation from the mostly white baby-boom culture that dominated the nation during the last half of the 20th century to the more globalized, multiracial country that the United States is becoming.   

As the younger, more diverse part of the population reaches adulthood, clear gaps will develop between its economic interests and politics and those of the whiter, older generations . This divide will result in contests over local expenditures—for example, over whether to spend money on schools or senior health facilities—and those contests may evolve into culture clashes. Yet if demography is truly destiny, America's workforce, politics, and place on the world stage will soon be changed forever.

Data Points

America's “new minorities”—particularly Hispanics and Asians —are becoming an increasingly strong thread in the social fabric of the United States. While this has been growing clearer for some time, recent information from the census and elsewhere shows how quickly these minorities are transforming the character of the nation’s youth. Consider the change in the U.S. population under age 18 in the first decade of the 2000s: From 2000 to 2010, the population of white children declined by 4.3 million while the child population in each of the newer minority groups—Hispanics, Asians, and people of two or more races—increased. Hispanics registered the largest absolute increase in children , 4.8 million. Were it not for Hispanics, the nation’s child population would have declined. And in 2010, slightly more than half of children under age 5 were white, while the oldest age group—those 85 and older—was 85 percent white. This diversification of the U.S. population from the bottom up holds more than just demographic significance. It reflects an emerging cultural divide between the young and the old as they adapt to change in different ways. Different age groups represent different generations, which were raised and became adults in specific eras and may be more or less receptive to the cultural changes brought about by new racial groups. 

When viewed broadly, there is a sharp racial distinction between the baby boomers and their elders, and the younger generations—the millennials and young members of Generation X and their children, who constitute the population under the age of 35. Baby boomers and seniors are more than 70 percent white, with blacks representing the largest racial minority. In con-trast, millennials and young Gen Xers (largely under the age of 35) and their children are more than 40 percent minority, with Hispanics constituting the largest share of their minority population. A 2011 Pew Research Center poll shows that only 23 percent of baby boomers and seniors regard the country’s growing population of immigrants as a change for the better and that 42 percent see it as a change for the worse. More than one-half of white baby boomers and seniors said the growing number of newcomers from other countries represents a threat to traditional U.S. values and customs. 

The resistance of baby boomers to demographic change may seem surprising. This much-celebrated generation came to embody the image of middle America during the second half of the last century. Conceived during the prosperous post−World War II period, they brought a rebellious, progressive sensibility to the country in the 1960s, 1970s, and beyond. With the help of the programs of the Great Society, they became the most well-schooled generation to date and the epitome of America’s largely white, suburban middle class, with which most of today’s adults now identify. 

Yet the baby boomers also came of age at a moment when the United States was becoming more insular than it had been before. Growing up in mostly white, segregated suburbs, white baby boomers had less exposure to immigrants and foreign wars than their parents did. Between 1946 and 1964, the years of the baby boom, the immigrant share of the U.S. population shrank to an all-time low (under 5 percent), and the immigrants who did arrive were largely white Europeans. Although baby boomers were interested in righting domestic wrongs, such as racial discrimination, and busting glass ceilings in the workplace, they did not have much interaction with people from other countries. The cultural generation gap continues to appear when baby boomers and seniors are compared with the younger segment of the U.S. population, whose members are more likely to be first- or second-generation Americans of non-European ancestry and to be bilingual.

Between 1946 and 1964, the years of the baby boom, the immigrant share of the U.S. population shrank to an all-time low (under 5 percent), and the immigrants who did arrive were largely white Europeans.

Underpinning the generational divide are shifts in what demographers call old-age dependency (the population age 65 and over as a percent of the labor force–age population) and child dependency (the population under age 18 as a percent of the labor force–age population), which now have a distinct racial dimension. Both historically and internationally, the number of children dependent on the labor force–age population has been larger than the number of dependent retirees. However, in quickly aging countries where birth rates are declining and life expectancy is rising, seniors are increasing the numbers of the “dependent” population. That is of concern in the United States, given that government programs aiding the elderly, including those for medical care, cost substantially more than those aiding children. The cultural generation gap between the young and the old can exacerbate the competition for resources because the rise in the number of senior dependents is occurring more rapidly among whites than among minorities, for whom dependent children is a larger issue.

A look at the total U.S. population helps illustrate this. The growth of the senior population is affected by increased life expectancy and, more importantly, the aging of the baby boomers. From 2010 to 2030, the senior population is projected to grow by 84 percent. In contrast, the labor force–age population (ages 18 to 64) will grow by only 8 percent and the population under age 18 will grow by just 3 percent. Therefore, although new minorities and immigrants are driving the increases in the younger and labor force-age populations, the growth of the senior population is driven by the mostly white baby boomers. The dependency ratios show the shifts expected by 2040. Youth dependency was almost twice the level of old-age dependency in 2010 (38 versus 21) and will increase only slightly during the following three decades, while old-age dependency will rise by well over one-half—making seniors a substantial portion of the non-working-age population.

Yet this shift is far more dramatic for whites than for minorities. The comparison of dependen-cy ratios for whites and Hispanics shows their likely relative priorities with regard to spending on children versus seniors. For whites, youth dependency is lower than the U.S. total and is not much larger than white old-age dependency in 2010 (32 versus 26). In fact, by 2020, the old-age dependency ratio for whites will exceed the child dependency ratio, and for the two decades that follow, white seniors will outnumber white children. That stands in marked contrast to Hispanics, whose 2010 youth dependency ratio was 56 and whose old-age dependency ratio was only 9. Moreover, Hispanic youth dependency will remain well above 40 through 2040, even as the old-age dependency ratio inches up to 22. In other words, for at least the next three decades, Hispanic children will sharply outnumber Hispanic seniors. Although black and Asian youth dependency is not as marked as it is for Hispanics, it remains higher than senior dependency through at least 2030. Therefore there is no question that the primary concern of working-age Hispanics—and to a lesser extent Asians and blacks—will be their children rather than the older dependent population. For working-age whites, elderly dependents will be a primary concern as well as their own future well-being as they enter their retirement years. This demographic framework provides a concrete basis for considering the cultural generation gap and competition for government resources allocated to children and the elderly.

In discussing the long-term political ramifications of the generation gap, political writer Ronald Brownstein has framed it as a divide between “the gray and the brown,” wherein older whites, including aging baby boomers, favor smaller government investment in social support programs except for those, such as Social Security, that directly affect them. For these older voters, big government is associated with higher taxes, which primarily benefit younger demographic groups whose needs they do not fully appreciate. In contrast, surveys show that more diverse youth, particularly millennials, tend to support greater government spending on education, health, and social welfare programs that strongly affect young families and children. 

It is important for retiring baby boomers to understand that the solvency of government-supported retirement and medical care programs is directly dependent on the future productivity and payroll tax contributions of a workforce in which minorities, especially Hispanics, will dominate future growth. There is a well-recognized challenge in providing these future workers with the skills needed to make these contributions, and meeting that challenge requires public investment in education and related services. The dilemma, however, is that the largest government programs that directly benefit the elderly, such as Social Security and Medicare , are mostly financed by the federal government and are considered politically sacred by many. In contrast, programs for youth, such as education, are largely funded at the state and local levels and are far more vulnerable to economic downturns and budget cuts given that states, unlike the federal government, are required to balance their budgets annually. Therefore efforts to muster support for child-oriented programs require grassroots support across an often frag-mented political terrain. In the future, more young minorities will enter their prime voting years and both national political parties will need to balance the needs and concerns of new and old voters, particularly in regions of the country where the cultural generation gap is emerging.

"The cultural generation gap between the young and the old can exacerbate the competition for resources because the rise in the number of senior dependents is occurring more rapidly among whites than among minorities, for whom dependent children is a larger issue."

Although this gap is forming throughout the nation, the growth of the young new minority population and the steadier gains of the aging white population are occurring at different speeds in different regions. The most racially diverse and youthful populations are in states and met-ropolitan areas in the Southwest, Southeast, and major urban immigration centers where new minorities have had an established presence. A shorthand measure for what is happening in a state or metropolitan area is the difference between the percentage of seniors who are white and the percentage of children who are white. In 2010, 80 percent of the U.S. senior population and 54 percent of children were white, so the national gap was 26 percent. But among states, Arizona led the way, with a gap of 41 percent (83 percent of seniors and 42 percent of children were white). Nevada, California, New Mexico, Texas, and Florida were not far behind, with gap measures greater than 30. Among major metropolitan areas, the largest gaps were in Riverside, California; Phoenix; Las Vegas; and Dallas.

In contrast, large—mostly white—swaths of the country, including the noncoastal Northeast, Midwest, and Appalachia, are observing slow growth or even declines in their youth popula-tions while remaining home to large numbers of white baby boomers and seniors. The demo-graphic profiles of these regions, along with those of metropolitan areas such as Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and St. Louis, will eventually converge with those of more diverse parts of the country. But in the interim, they will be adapting, often fitfully, to the changes occurring elsewhere. 

Still, the places where the cultural generation gap has generated the most contention are those where the gains in new minorities are large and recent. Arizona is emblematic because of its large gap and recent Hispanic growth of 175 percent from 1990 to 2010. In 2010, the state passed one of the strictest anti-immigration laws ever enacted, though it was later amended and portions of the law were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Provisions included requirements that residents carry papers verifying their citizenship; if they did not, they would be subject to arrest, detention, and potential deportation. 

A statewide poll taken at the time split along racial lines: Sixty-five percent of whites but only 21 percent of Hispanics were in favor of the new law. Similarly, the law was favored by 62 percent of those 55 and older (across all races) but only 45 percent of those under 35. Later, other states with recent Hispanic or new immigrant population gains, including Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Utah, proposed similarly strict immigration laws. 

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.

Thus, on a variety of levels, the continuing spread of new minorities from the bottom up of the nation’s age distribution creates important opportunities for the growth and productivity of the nation’s population and workforce. But that spread also presents challenges in light of the sharp cultural shift that is taking place. The divide will require adaptation on all sides, and policymakers and citizens alike will need to approach these changes with a long view. Rather than seeing the inevitable changes as damaging to the American way of life, it will behoove the nation to consider the future of the country and prepare now for a country that will be majority-minority. 

William H. Frey is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and research professor with the Population Studies Center and Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. He is author of Diversity Explosion: How New Racial Demographics Are Remaking America, from which this essay is adapted.

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What do we owe future generations? And what can we do to make their world a better place?

Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Australian Catholic University

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Michael Noetel receives funding from the Australian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, the Centre for Effective Altruism, and Sport Australia. He is a Director of Effective Altruism Australia.

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Your great grandchildren are powerless in today’s society. As Oxford philosopher William MacAskill says:

They cannot vote or lobby or run for public office, so politicians have scant incentive to think about them. They can’t bargain or trade with us, so they have little representation in the market, And they can’t make their views heard directly: they can’t tweet, or write articles in newspapers, or march in the streets. They are utterly disenfranchised.

But the things we do now influence them: for better or worse. We make laws that govern them, build infrastructure for them and take out loans for them to pay back. So what happens when we consider future generations while we make decisions today?

Review: What We Owe the Future – William MacAskill (OneWorld)

This is the key question in What We Owe the Future . It argues for what MacAskill calls longtermism: “the idea that positively influencing the longterm future is a key moral priority of our time.” He describes it as an extension of civil rights and women’s suffrage; as humanity marches on, we strive to consider a wider circle of people when making decisions about how to structure our societies.

MacAskill makes a compelling case that we should consider how to ensure a good future not only for our children’s children, but also the children of their children. In short, MacAskill argues that “future people count, there could be a lot of them, and we can make their lives go better.”

Read more: Friday essay: 'I feel my heart breaking today' – a climate scientist's path through grief towards hope

Future people count

It’s hard to feel for future people. We are bad enough at feeling for our future selves. As The Simpsons puts it: “That’s a problem for future Homer. Man, I don’t envy that guy.”

We all know we should protect our health for our own future. In a similar vein, MacAskill argues that we all “know” future people count.

Concern for future generations is common sense across diverse intellectual traditions […] When we dispose of radioactive waste, we don’t say, “Who cares if this poisons people centuries from now?” Similarly, few of us who care about climate change or pollution do so solely for the sake of people alive today. We build museums and parks and bridges that we hope will last for generations; we invest in schools and longterm scientific projects; we preserve paintings, traditions, languages; we protect beautiful places.

There could be a lot of future people

Future people count, and MacAskill counts those people. The sheer number of future people might make their wellbeing a key moral priority. According to MacAskill and others, humanity’s future could be vast : much, much more than the 8 billion alive today.

While it’s hard to feel the gravitas, our actions may affect a dizzying number of people. Even if we last just 1 million years, as long as the average mammal – and even if the global population fell to 1 billion people – then there would be 9.1 trillion people in the future.

We might struggle to care, because these numbers can be hard to feel . Our emotions don’t track well against large numbers. If I said a nuclear war would kill 500 million people, you might see that as a “huge problem”. If I instead said that the number is actually closer to 5 billion , it still feels like a “huge problem”. It does not emotionally feel 10 times worse. If we risk the trillions of people who could live in the future, that could be 1,000 times worse – but it doesn’t feel 1,000 times worse.

MacAskill does not argue we should give those people 1,000 times more concern than people alive today. Likewise, MacAskill does not say we should morally weight a person living a million years from now exactly the same as someone alive 10 or 100 years from now. Those distinctions won’t change what we can feasibly achieve now, given how hard change can be.

Instead, he shows if we care about future people at all, even those 100 years hence, we should simply be doing more . Fortunately, there are concrete things humanity can do.

Read more: Labor's climate change bill is set to become law – but 3 important measures are missing

We can make the lives of future people better

Another reason we struggle to be motivated by big problems is that they feel insurmountable. This is a particular concern with future generations. Does anything I do make a difference, or is it a drop in the bucket? How do we know what to do when the long-run effects are so uncertain ?

Even present-day problems can feel hard to tackle. At least for those problems we can get fast, reliable feedback on progress. Even with that advantage, we struggle. For the second year in a row, we did not make progress toward our sustainable development goals, like reducing war, poverty, and increasing growth. Globally, 4.3% of children still die before the age of five. COVID-19 has killed about 23 million people . Can we – and should we – justify focusing on future generations when we face these problems now?

MacAskill argues we can. Because the number of people is so large, he also argues we should. He identifies some areas where we could do things that protect the future while also helping people who are alive now. Many solutions are win-win.

For example, the current pandemic has shown that unforeseen events can have a devastating effect. Yet, despite the recent pandemic, many governments have done little to set up more robust systems that could prevent the next pandemic. MacAskill outlines ways in which those future pandemics could be worse.

Most worrying are the threats from engineered pathogens, which

[…] could be much more destructive than natural pathogens because they can be modified to have dangerous new properties. Could someone design a pathogen with maximum destructive power—something with the lethality of Ebola and the contagiousness of measles?

He gives examples, like militaries and terrorist groups, that have tried to engineer pathogens in the past.

The risk of an engineered pandemic wiping us all out in the next 100 years is between 0.1% and 3%, according to estimates laid out in the book.

That might sound low, but MacAskill argues we would not step on a plane if you were told “it ‘only’ had a one-in-a-thousand chance of crashing and killing everyone on board”. These threaten not only future generations, but people reading this – and everyone they know.

MacAskill outlines ways in which we might be able to prevent engineered pandemics, like researching better personal protective equipment, cheaper and faster diagnostics, better infrastructure, or better governance of synthetic biology. Doing so would help save the lives of people alive today, reduce the risk of technological stagnation and protect humanity’s future.

The same win-wins might apply to decarbonisation , safe development of artificial intelligence , reducing risks from nuclear war , and other threats to humanity.

Read more: Even a 'limited' nuclear war would starve millions of people, new study reveals

Things you can do to protect future generations

Some “longtermist” issues, like climate change, are already firmly in the public consciousness. As a result, some may find MacAskill’s book “common sense”. Others may find the speculation about the far future pretty wild (like all possible views of the longterm future).

MacAskill strikes an accessible balance between anchoring the arguments to concrete examples, while making modest extrapolations into the future. He helps us see how “common sense” principles can lead to novel or neglected conclusions.

For example, if there is any moral weight on future people, then many common societal goals (like faster economic growth) are vastly less important than reducing risks of extinction (like nuclear non-proliferation). It makes humanity look like an “imprudent teenager”, with many years ahead, but more power than wisdom:

Even if you think [the risk of extinction] is only a one-in-a-thousand, the risk to humanity this century is still ten times higher than the risk of your dying this year in a car crash. If humanity is like a teenager, then she is one who speeds around blind corners, drunk, without wearing a seat belt.

Our biases toward present, local problems are strong, so connecting emotionally with the ideas can be hard. But MacAskill makes a compelling case for longtermism through clear stories and good metaphors. He answers many questions I had about safeguarding the future. Will the future be good or bad? Would it really matter if humanity ended? And, importantly, is there anything I can actually do?

The short answer is yes, there is. Things you might already do help, like minimising your carbon footprint – but MacAskill argues “other things you can do are radically more impactful”. For example, reducing your meat consumption would address climate change, but donating money to the world’s most effective climate charities might be far more effective.

Beyond donations, three other personal decisions seem particularly high impact to me: political activism, spreading good ideas, and having children […] But by far the most important decision you will make, in terms of your lifetime impact, is your choice of career.

MacAskill points to a range of resources – many of which he founded – that guide people in these areas. For those who might have flexibility in their career, MacAskill founded 80,000 Hours , which helps people find impactful, satisfying careers. For those trying to donate more impactfully, he founded Giving What We Can. And, for spreading good ideas, he started a social movement called Effective Altruism .

Longtermism is one of those good ideas. It helps us better place our present in humanity’s bigger story. It’s humbling and inspiring to see the role we can play in protecting the future. We can enjoy life now and safeguard the future for our great grandchildren. MasAskill clearly shows that we owe it to them.

• Climate change
• Generations
• Future generations
• Effective altruism
• Longtermism

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• Essay on Generation Gap

What is the Generation Gap?

Generation Gap is a term given to the gap or age difference between two sets of people; the young people and their elders, especially between children and their parents. Everything is influenced by the change of time- the age, the culture, mannerism, and morality. This change affects everyone. The generation gap is an endless social phenomenon. Every generation lives at a certain time under certain circumstances and conditions. So, all generations have their own set of values and views. Every generation wants to uphold the principles they believe in. This is a problem that has continued for ages.

People born in different periods under different conditions have their views based on the circumstances they have been through. The patterns of life have been changing continuously according to time. Everyone wants to live and behave in his way and no one wants to compromise with his or her values and views. There has always been a difference in attitude or lack of understanding between the younger and older generations. This attitude has augmented the generation gap and it is becoming wider day by day. This gap now has started impacting our lives in the wrong way. 

It is always good to have a wide range of ideas, views, and opinions. It indicates how we are developing and advancing but sometimes this becomes worrisome when the views and ideas are not accepted by both generations. Parents create a certain image in their minds for their children. They want to bring up their children with values that they have been brought up with and expect their children to follow the same. Parents want children to act following their values, as they believe, it is for their benefit and would do well for them. 

Children on the other hand have a broader outlook and refuse to accept the traditional ways. They want to do things their way and don’t like going by any rulebook. Mostly, young people experience conflict during their adolescence. They are desperately searching for self-identity. Parents at times fail to understand the demands of this fast-paced world. Ultimately, despite love and affection for each other both are drained out of energy and not able to comprehend the other. Consequently, there is a lack of communication and giving up on relationships.

Different Ways to Reduce the Generation Gap

Nothing in the world can be as beautiful as a parent-child relationship. It should be nurtured very delicately and so it is important to bridge the gap between the two generations. It is time to realize that neither is completely right nor wrong. Both generations have to develop more understanding and acceptance for each other. Having a dialogue with each other calmly, with the idea of sorting out conflict amicably in ideas, changing their mindset for each other, and coming to a middle ground can be the most helpful instrument in bridging the gap between the two generations. 

Spending more time with each other like family outings, vacations, picnics, shopping, watching movies together could be some effective ways to build up a strong bond with each other. Both the generations need to study the ways of the society during their growing period and have mutual respect for it. To reduce the friction between the two generations, both parents and children have to give space to each other and define certain boundaries that the latter should respect. 

The generation gap occurs because society is constantly changing. It is the responsibility of both generations to fill this gap with love, affection, and trust. Both generations should have mutual respect for the views and opinions that they uphold and advance cautiously with the development of society.

Conclusion 

The generation gap is a very critical concept that occurs because of the different natures of every person. No one can end this generation gap but obviously, you can opt for some way in which it can be reduced. 

There should be efforts made by both sides to get a better relationship between two people. The generation gap may cause conflict between families but if you try to understand the thinking of another person and choose a path in between then you can get a happy living family.

No one wants to live in a tense environment and you always need your elders with yourself no matter what, they are the ones who care for you, they may have different ways of expressing their love and care for you and you might feel awkward but you need to understand them and their ways. Having your elders with you in your family is a blessing, you can talk with them and let them know your views and understand your ways to approach a particular situation.

FAQs on Essay on Generation Gap

1. What do you Understand by Generation Gap?

The gap between the old people and the young is called the generation gap. The generation gap is not only the age difference between young people, their parents, and grandparents, but it is also caused by differences in opinion between two generations; it can be differences in beliefs, differences in views like politics, or differences in values. Therefore a generational gap is a conflict in thoughts, actions, and tastes of the young generation to that of older ones. We can have a good relationship even with a generational gap. All we need to do is understand others' way of thinking.

2. Why Does the Generation Gap Occur?

The generation gap occurs due to differences in views and opinions between the younger and older generation. Both generations want to uphold the principles they believe in. The reason for the generation gap is not only age but it can be because of reasons like:

Difference in beliefs

Difference in interests

Difference in opinion

In today's time, the generational gap has caused conflict between many families. The generational gap occurs because of the following reasons:

Increased life expectancy

The rapid change in society

Mobility of society

The generation gap can be reduced if we work on it with patience and understanding. So whatever may be the reason for the occurrence of the generation gap it can be overcome and a happy relationship can be built between two different people. 

3. How Should the Gap in the two Generations be Bridged?

The gap between the two generations should be bridged by mutual respect, understanding, love, and affection for each other. They both should come to a middle ground and sort things out amicably. Here are a few tips to help children to improve the differences because of the generational gap between their parents and them:

Try to talk more often even if you do not have the time, make time for it.

Spend more time with your parents regularly to develop and maintain your relationship. 

Make them feel special with genuine gestures. 

Share your worries and problems with them.

Respect is the most important thing which you should give them.

Be responsible 

Have patience and understand their perspective in every situation.

4. How Does the Generation Gap Impact Relationships?

Generation gaps disrupt the family completely. Due to a lack of understanding and acceptance, the relationship between the older and the younger generations become strained. Most families can not enjoy their family lives because of disturbed routines either they are too busy with work or other commitments, they are unable to spend time with each other. This increases the generational gap between children and parents. The child is unable to communicate his or her thoughts because of lack of communication and parents are unable to understand what the child is thinking; this causes more differences between them.

The generation gap can cause conflict between a relation of child,  parent, and grandparent. Because of the generational gap, there is a huge difference in the living pattern and pattern in which a person responds to a difficult situation. Elder people often take every situation on themselves and try to seek out the things for others but in today’s generation they believe in working only for themself they do not get bothered by others and they don’t try to seek things for others. But if we work to understand the differences and get a path out in between then the conflicts can be reduced and so the generational gap will not be that bothersome.

5. Where can I find the best essay on Generation Gap?

The generation gap can have a different point of view. Each person has a different way of thinking. Vedantu provides you with the best study material to understand the topic well and write about it. Vedantu is a leading online learning portal that has excellent teachers with years of experience to help students score good marks in exams. The team of Vedantu provides you with study material by subject specialists that have deep knowledge of the topic and excel in providing the best knowledge to their students to get the best results. Visit Vedantu now! 

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• School Education /

Essay on Generation Gap: 100, 200, 300 Words

• Updated on  
• Nov 29, 2023

Have you ever found it difficult to communicate your ideas and emotions to those who are either younger or older than you? Do you find it difficult to persuade your elders to take action? Do you ever feel that your priorities, perspective, and way of thinking are completely different from those of your own parents? Sounds relatable? You are not alone! This is what the generation gap looks like. The generation gap refers to the differences in our opinions, points of view, and perspectives about other people. The generation gap takes place due to developments and changes around the world. Adapting to a new environment has always been in human nature. In the beginning, we all struggle to adapt to new changes, but, with time we adapt ourselves and cope with the new conditions. Here are some sample essay on the generation gap for school students.

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Generation Gap in 100 Words
• 2 Essay on Generation Gap in 200 Words
• 3 Essay on Generation Gap in 300 Words

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Ans: The generation gap is a natural phenomenon where people with different values and perspectives clash. What one views as good might not be the same for someone from a different age group. The generation gap is caused due to factors such as technological advancements, the evolution of societal values and cultural norms, changes in communication styles, and other factors. The generation gap is a broader concept and it is essential for us to embrace and bridge this gap.

The generation gap can be bridged by fostering mutual understanding, education, putting yourself in other’s shoes, and emphasizing common values of respect, trust, kindness, etc.

Ans: Older generations can teach the value of time and respecting elders. They can encourage us to follow our passion, take care of our health, not to sweat small stuff, not to judge people, etc.

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With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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Essay on Generation Gap

Introduction to Generation Gap

The term “generation gap” encapsulates the ever-present divide between individuals of different age groups, fostering distinct worldviews shaped by unique experiences and societal influences. This gap has widened in today’s rapidly evolving world, fueled by technological advancements and cultural shifts. This essay delves into the causes and effects of the generation gap, exploring its implications on communication, relationships, and societal harmony. We aim to foster understanding and collaboration across generations by identifying strategies to bridge this gap. Recognizing the importance of addressing this divide is crucial for cultivating empathy, enhancing interpersonal connections, and promoting a harmonious coexistence in our diverse and dynamic global community.

Significance of Addressing the Generation Gap

The significance of addressing the generation gap lies in its profound impact on societal harmony, interpersonal relationships, and collective progress. It is imperative to comprehend and close this gap for several reasons:

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• Cultural Continuity: Each generation contributes to the cultural fabric of society. Addressing the generation gap ensures the preservation of traditions, values, and historical perspectives, fostering a sense of continuity and connection across different age groups.
• Effective Communication: Improved communication between generations promotes understanding and minimizes misunderstandings. It enhances collaboration in various settings, from family environments to workplaces, creating a more cohesive and productive society.
• Innovation and Progress: Bridging the gap encourages the exchange of ideas and perspectives between generations. This cross-pollination of thoughts fosters innovation and ensures that societal progress benefits from the wisdom of the older generation and the fresh perspectives of the younger one.
• Family Dynamics: Within families, addressing the generation gap fosters stronger bonds. Open communication and mutual understanding create a supportive environment where family members can navigate challenges together, building a foundation for a healthier and more resilient family structure.
• Workplace Productivity: In professional settings, understanding and appreciating generational differences enhances teamwork, creativity, and productivity. A diverse workforce comprising individuals of different ages brings a wealth of skills, experiences, and ideas.
• Social Harmony: A society that actively addresses the generation gap tends to be more inclusive and harmonious. Recognizing the value of each generation’s contributions fosters empathy, reduces stereotypes, and creates an environment where individuals of all ages feel valued and understood.

Importance of Communication Across Age Groups

Effective communication across age groups fosters understanding, harmony, and collaboration in diverse societal contexts. The importance of such communication can be highlighted through several key points:

• Cultural Exchange: Interactions between different age groups facilitate the exchange of cultural knowledge, traditions, and values. This mutual sharing enhances cultural awareness and helps preserve heritage.
• Knowledge Transfer: Older generations possess valuable life experiences and skills, while younger generations bring fresh perspectives and technological proficiency. Open communication ensures a seamless knowledge transfer, fostering continuous learning and skill development.
• Workplace Dynamics: In professional settings, effective communication across age groups is essential for cohesive teamwork and increased productivity. It promotes a collaborative work environment where diverse skills and experiences contribute to innovative solutions.
• Social Cohesion: Communication bridges gaps in societal understanding. Engaging in conversations across generations reduces stereotypes and fosters empathy, creating a more cohesive and inclusive social fabric.
• Family Harmony: Within families, communication across age groups strengthens relationships. An open dialogue helps address generational differences, fostering a supportive environment where family members can navigate challenges together.
• Conflict Resolution: Misunderstandings arising from generational differences can lead to conflicts. Effective communication provides a platform to address and resolve these conflicts, promoting healthier relationships and stronger communities.
• Adaptability: The world is evolving rapidly, and each generation is experiencing unique challenges. Communicating across age groups facilitates adaptability as individuals learn from one another and collectively navigate societal changes.

How is the Generation Gap Evident?

The generation gap manifests in various ways, reflecting the differences in attitudes, values, lifestyles, and communication styles between individuals of different age groups. Evidence of the generation gap can be observed in the following areas:

• Communication Styles: Varied preferences in communication tools and styles are evident. Younger generations may favor digital communication, such as texting or social media , while older generations may prefer face-to-face or phone conversations.
• Technology Adoption: Differences in technology use highlight the generation gap. Younger generations tend to adopt new technologies earlier than older generations, who may be slower to adapt.
• Workplace Expectations: Distinct attitudes towards work are noticeable. Younger generations often seek work-life balance, flexibility, and purpose in their careers, while older generations may emphasize job stability and traditional work structures.
• Cultural References: Preferences for cultural references, entertainment, and pop culture vary between generations. Different age groups may have divergent tastes in music, movies, and forms of entertainment, reflecting their respective cultural influences.
• Values and Priorities: Generational gaps are evident in values and priorities. For instance, older generations may emphasize traditional values and family stability, while younger generations might prioritize individualism, social justice, and environmental sustainability.
• Attitudes Towards Authority: Attitudes towards authority figures and structures can differ. Younger generations may question authority and prefer collaborative decision-making, while older generations may value hierarchical structures and traditional forms of leadership.
• Political and Social Views: Generational differences are often pronounced in political and social views. Perspectives on issues such as civil rights, gender equality, and environmental responsibility may vary significantly between generations.
• Fashion and Lifestyle Choices: Clothing styles and lifestyle choices often reflect generational trends. Each generation tends to have its fashion preferences, reflecting broader societal shifts and cultural influences.
• Educational Approaches: Attitudes towards education and learning methods can differ. Younger generations may embrace technology in learning, while older generations may value traditional classroom settings and textbooks.
• Social Media Usage: The use of social media is a clear indicator of the generation gap. Younger individuals are often more active on platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok, while older generations may engage more on platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn.
• Financial Perspectives: Perspectives on financial matters can vary. Younger generations may be more inclined towards experiences and saving for the future, while older generations may prioritize financial stability and homeownership.
• Approaches to Health and Wellness: Generational gaps are evident in attitudes towards health and wellness. Younger generations may prioritize holistic well-being, including mental health, while older generations may have different perspectives on healthcare and lifestyle choices.

Causes of the Generation Gap

Understanding the causes of the generation gap is crucial for addressing and bridging the divide between different age groups. Several factors contribute to this phenomenon:

• Technological Advancements: Rapid advancements in technology contribute significantly to the generation gap. Older generations may struggle to keep pace with the constantly evolving digital landscape, leading to a divide in communication styles and preferences.
• Cultural Shifts: Changes in societal norms, values, and cultural practices over time contribute to the generation gap. Each generation is shaped by the unique historical and cultural context in which they come of age, leading to divergent perspectives on various issues.
• Educational Disparities: Differences in educational opportunities and experiences can contribute to varying levels of knowledge and awareness across generations. Disparities in access to education can influence communication patterns and understanding of contemporary issues.
• Economic Factors: Economic conditions and opportunities can impact generational perspectives. For instance, economic downturns may shape the outlook of one generation in contrast to another that has experienced economic prosperity, leading to differing attitudes toward financial matters.
• Social Media Influence: Social media’s prevalence has significantly altered communication dynamics. Growing up in a digital era, younger generations may have distinct communication styles, social norms, and values compared to older generations, potentially causing a gap in understanding.
• Globalization: The interconnectedness of the world due to globalization exposes each generation to a rapidly changing global landscape. Varying responses to global issues and cultural influences contribute to differences in worldviews and priorities.
• Political and Social Movements: Participation in and reactions to political and social movements can shape generational perspectives. The experiences of living through significant historical events or participating in social change movements can lead to different outlooks on societal issues.

Effects of the Generation Gap

The generation gap manifests in various ways and has a range of effects on individuals, families, workplaces, and societies as a whole. Understanding these effects is crucial for addressing and mitigating the challenges associated with generational differences.

Here are some key impacts of the generation gap:

• Communication Barriers: Differences in communication styles, preferences, and technology use can lead to misunderstandings and communication breakdowns between generations.
• Misinterpretation and Stereotyping: Generational stereotypes may lead to misinterpretation of intentions and abilities, fostering negative perceptions and hindering collaboration.
• Workplace Dynamics: In the workplace, the generation gap can result in conflicts arising from differing work styles, expectations, and attitudes toward authority.
• Technological Divide: Older generations may experience a technological divide, feeling overwhelmed or excluded from the digital advancements embraced by younger generations.
• Family Conflicts: Within families, the generation gap can contribute to conflicts related to lifestyle choices, values, and expectations, affecting family dynamics.
• Resistance to Change: Older generations may resist embracing change, while younger generations may be more inclined towards innovation and adaptation, creating tension within various settings.
• Differing Perspectives on Social Issues: Generational gaps can lead to differing views on social and political issues, potentially creating divides in societal attitudes toward diversity, climate change, and social justice.
• Cultural Shifts: The generation gap contributes to cultural shifts as younger generations redefine societal norms, challenging established traditions and values.
• Impact on Education: Educational approaches and expectations may vary across generations, affecting learning styles, academic goals, and the perception of the value of education.
• Loneliness and Isolation: Older individuals may experience feelings of loneliness and isolation if they struggle to connect with younger family members or if societal changes alienate them.
• Innovation and Creativity: On the positive side, the generation gap can stimulate innovation and creativity as different perspectives come together, leading to new ideas and approaches.
• Social Harmony: When the generation gap is addressed positively, it can contribute to social harmony by fostering understanding, empathy, and appreciation for diverse viewpoints.

Strategies for Bridging the Generation Gap

Bridging the generation gap requires intentional efforts to foster understanding, open communication, and collaboration among different age groups.

Here are key strategies to bridge the generation gap:

• Open Communication: Encourage intergenerational communication to promote understanding. Establish a safe space for open expression of perspectives and concerns.
• Active Listening: Promote active listening skills to ensure that individuals from all age groups feel heard and valued. This helps in avoiding misunderstandings and building stronger connections.
• Mutual Respect: Emphasize the importance of mutual respect. Recognize and value the distinct viewpoints, experiences, and contributions that every generation has to offer.
• Shared Learning: Facilitate opportunities for shared learning experiences. Older generations can share their experiences and knowledge, while younger generations can offer their technological expertise and insights.
• Mentoring Programs: Establish mentoring programs that pair individuals from different age groups. This allows for transferring knowledge and skills, fostering professional and personal growth.
• Reverse Mentoring: Encourage reverse mentoring, where younger individuals mentor older counterparts, particularly in areas related to technology, social media, and contemporary trends.
• Team-building Activities: Organize team-building activities that promote collaboration and communication. These activities can break down barriers and create a sense of unity among individuals of different generations.
• Generational Diversity Training: Provide training programs on generational diversity to increase awareness and understanding of each generation’s unique characteristics and perspectives.
• Flexible Work Environments: Implement flexible work environments that accommodate different work styles and preferences. This fosters a culture of inclusivity, allowing individuals of all ages to thrive.
• Recognition of Contributions: Recognize and celebrate the contributions of individuals from all age groups. This acknowledgment helps build a positive and inclusive culture where everyone feels valued.
• Cross-generational Collaboration Projects: Encourage collaboration on projects that involve individuals from different age groups. This promotes teamwork, encourages exchanging ideas, and leads to innovative solutions.
• Promote Work-life Balance: Recognize and address generational differences in attitudes toward work-life balance. Establish regulations that uphold a balanced approach and address the different requirements of different age groups.

Real-life Examples

Real-life examples of successful efforts to bridge the generation gap provide valuable insights into the positive outcomes of fostering intergenerational understanding and collaboration. Here are a few examples:

• Corporate Mentorship Programs: Many forward-thinking companies have implemented mentorship programs that pair experienced employees with younger counterparts. This allows for the exchange of knowledge, skills, and perspectives. For instance, multinational corporations like IBM and General Electric have established successful mentorship initiatives.
• Tech Companies Embracing Diversity: Silicon Valley companies, known for their emphasis on innovation, have recognized the benefits of a diverse workforce. Tech giants like Google, Apple, and Microsoft actively promote intergenerational collaboration, recognizing that a mix of experienced and younger talent leads to more creative and effective solutions.
• Community Volunteer Initiatives: Volunteer organizations often bring together individuals from different age groups to work toward common goals. For example, community service projects, such as environmental cleanup efforts or charitable initiatives, allow people of all ages to collaborate and make a positive impact.
• Intergenerational Learning in Education: Educational institutions have implemented programs encouraging intergenerational learning. In some schools, older adults serve as mentors or volunteers, sharing their life experiences and skills with students. Conversely, students may assist older adults with technology or provide tutoring services.
• Family Businesses Transitioning Leadership: Successful family businesses often prioritize a smooth leadership transition between generations. Open communication, mentorship, and a shared vision for the future contribute to the longevity and success of these enterprises. Examples include businesses in various industries, from retail to manufacturing.
• Government Initiatives for Age-Friendly Communities: Some local governments have implemented initiatives to create age-friendly communities. These programs ensure that public spaces, services, and policies accommodate the needs and preferences of individuals of all ages, fostering inclusivity and community cohesion.
• Inter-generational Housing Solutions: Innovative housing solutions bring together people of different ages. Examples include co-housing projects where families, young professionals, and seniors live nearby, creating a supportive and diverse living environment.
• Technology Training for Seniors: Non-profit organizations and community centers offer technology training programs for seniors, bridging the digital divide. Initiatives like these empower older individuals to stay connected with younger generations and the broader community through digital means.
• Cultural Exchange Programs: Programs facilitating cultural exchange between generations contribute to mutual understanding. These initiatives may involve storytelling, art workshops, or collaborative events that bring together individuals with different cultural backgrounds and experiences.

Addressing the generation gap is a matter of understanding differences and a crucial step toward building more robust, more cohesive societies. By recognizing each generation’s unique perspectives, values, and contributions, we pave the way for effective communication, collaboration, and cultural exchange. Embracing generational diversity enables us to harness the strengths of varied experiences, fostering innovation, empathy, and harmonious coexistence. In a world marked by rapid change, bridging the generation gap is necessary and an opportunity to create richer, more resilient communities that thrive on all age groups’ collective wisdom and dynamism.

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Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?

More comfortable online than out partying, post-Millennials are safer, physically, than adolescents have ever been. But they’re on the brink of a mental-health crisis.

O ne day last summer, around noon, I called Athena, a 13-year-old who lives in Houston, Texas. She answered her phone—she’s had an iPhone since she was 11—sounding as if she’d just woken up. We chatted about her favorite songs and TV shows, and I asked her what she likes to do with her friends. “We go to the mall,” she said. “Do your parents drop you off?,” I asked, recalling my own middle-school days, in the 1980s, when I’d enjoy a few parent-free hours shopping with my friends. “No—I go with my family,” she replied. “We’ll go with my mom and brothers and walk a little behind them. I just have to tell my mom where we’re going. I have to check in every hour or every 30 minutes.”

Those mall trips are infrequent—about once a month. More often, Athena and her friends spend time together on their phones, unchaperoned. Unlike the teens of my generation, who might have spent an evening tying up the family landline with gossip, they talk on Snapchat, the smartphone app that allows users to send pictures and videos that quickly disappear. They make sure to keep up their Snapstreaks, which show how many days in a row they have Snapchatted with each other. Sometimes they save screenshots of particularly ridiculous pictures of friends. “It’s good blackmail,” Athena said. (Because she’s a minor, I’m not using her real name.) She told me she’d spent most of the summer hanging out alone in her room with her phone. That’s just the way her generation is, she said. “We didn’t have a choice to know any life without iPads or iPhones. I think we like our phones more than we like actual people.”

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I’ve been researching generational differences for 25 years, starting when I was a 22-year-old doctoral student in psychology. Typically, the characteristics that come to define a generation appear gradually, and along a continuum. Beliefs and behaviors that were already rising simply continue to do so. Millennials, for instance, are a highly individualistic generation, but individualism had been increasing since the Baby Boomers turned on, tuned in, and dropped out. I had grown accustomed to line graphs of trends that looked like modest hills and valleys. Then I began studying Athena’s generation.

Around 2012, I noticed abrupt shifts in teen behaviors and emotional states. The gentle slopes of the line graphs became steep mountains and sheer cliffs, and many of the distinctive characteristics of the Millennial generation began to disappear. In all my analyses of generational data—some reaching back to the 1930s—I had never seen anything like it.

At first I presumed these might be blips, but the trends persisted, across several years and a series of national surveys. The changes weren’t just in degree, but in kind. The biggest difference between the Millennials and their predecessors was in how they viewed the world; teens today differ from the Millennials not just in their views but in how they spend their time. The experiences they have every day are radically different from those of the generation that came of age just a few years before them.

What happened in 2012 to cause such dramatic shifts in behavior? It was after the Great Recession, which officially lasted from 2007 to 2009 and had a starker effect on Millennials trying to find a place in a sputtering economy . But it was exactly the moment when the proportion of Americans who owned a smartphone surpassed 50 percent.

T he more I pored over yearly surveys of teen attitudes and behaviors, and the more I talked with young people like Athena, the clearer it became that theirs is a generation shaped by the smartphone and by the concomitant rise of social media. I call them iGen. Born between 1995 and 2012, members of this generation are growing up with smartphones, have an Instagram account before they start high school, and do not remember a time before the internet. The Millennials grew up with the web as well, but it wasn’t ever-present in their lives, at hand at all times, day and night. iGen’s oldest members were early adolescents when the iPhone was introduced, in 2007, and high-school students when the iPad entered the scene, in 2010. A 2017 survey of more than 5,000 American teens found that three out of four owned an iPhone.

The advent of the smartphone and its cousin the tablet was followed quickly by hand-wringing about the deleterious effects of “screen time.” But the impact of these devices has not been fully appreciated, and goes far beyond the usual concerns about curtailed attention spans. The arrival of the smartphone has radically changed every aspect of teenagers’ lives, from the nature of their social interactions to their mental health. These changes have affected young people in every corner of the nation and in every type of household. The trends appear among teens poor and rich; of every ethnic background; in cities, suburbs, and small towns. Where there are cell towers, there are teens living their lives on their smartphone.

To those of us who fondly recall a more analog adolescence, this may seem foreign and troubling. The aim of generational study, however, is not to succumb to nostalgia for the way things used to be; it’s to understand how they are now. Some generational changes are positive, some are negative, and many are both. More comfortable in their bedrooms than in a car or at a party, today’s teens are physically safer than teens have ever been. They’re markedly less likely to get into a car accident and, having less of a taste for alcohol than their predecessors, are less susceptible to drinking’s attendant ills.

Psychologically, however, they are more vulnerable than Millennials were: Rates of teen depression and suicide have skyrocketed since 2011. It’s not an exaggeration to describe iGen as being on the brink of the worst mental-health crisis in decades. Much of this deterioration can be traced to their phones.

Even when a seismic event—a war, a technological leap, a free concert in the mud—plays an outsize role in shaping a group of young people, no single factor ever defines a generation. Parenting styles continue to change, as do school curricula and culture, and these things matter. But the twin rise of the smartphone and social media has caused an earthquake of a magnitude we’ve not seen in a very long time, if ever. There is compelling evidence that the devices we’ve placed in young people’s hands are having profound effects on their lives—and making them seriously unhappy.

I n the early 1970s, the photographer Bill Yates shot a series of portraits at the Sweetheart Roller Skating Rink in Tampa, Florida. In one, a shirtless teen stands with a large bottle of peppermint schnapps stuck in the waistband of his jeans. In another, a boy who looks no older than 12 poses with a cigarette in his mouth. The rink was a place where kids could get away from their parents and inhabit a world of their own, a world where they could drink, smoke, and make out in the backs of their cars. In stark black-and-white, the adolescent Boomers gaze at Yates’s camera with the self-confidence born of making your own choices—even if, perhaps especially if, your parents wouldn’t think they were the right ones.

Fifteen years later, during my own teenage years as a member of Generation X, smoking had lost some of its romance, but independence was definitely still in. My friends and I plotted to get our driver’s license as soon as we could, making DMV appointments for the day we turned 16 and using our newfound freedom to escape the confines of our suburban neighborhood. Asked by our parents, “When will you be home?,” we replied, “When do I have to be?”

But the allure of independence, so powerful to previous generations, holds less sway over today’s teens, who are less likely to leave the house without their parents. The shift is stunning: 12th-graders in 2015 were going out less often than eighth-graders did as recently as 2009.

Today’s teens are also less likely to date. The initial stage of courtship, which Gen Xers called “liking” (as in “Ooh, he likes you!”), kids now call “talking”—an ironic choice for a generation that prefers texting to actual conversation. After two teens have “talked” for a while, they might start dating. But only about 56 percent of high-school seniors in 2015 went out on dates; for Boomers and Gen Xers, the number was about 85 percent.

The decline in dating tracks with a decline in sexual activity . The drop is the sharpest for ninth-graders, among whom the number of sexually active teens has been cut by almost 40 percent since 1991. The average teen now has had sex for the first time by the spring of 11th grade, a full year later than the average Gen Xer. Fewer teens having sex has contributed to what many see as one of the most positive youth trends in recent years: The teen birth rate hit an all-time low in 2016, down 67 percent since its modern peak, in 1991.

Even driving, a symbol of adolescent freedom inscribed in American popular culture, from Rebel Without a Cause to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off , has lost its appeal for today’s teens. Nearly all Boomer high-school students had their driver’s license by the spring of their senior year; more than one in four teens today still lack one at the end of high school. For some, Mom and Dad are such good chauffeurs that there’s no urgent need to drive. “My parents drove me everywhere and never complained, so I always had rides,” a 21-year-old student in San Diego told me. “I didn’t get my license until my mom told me I had to because she could not keep driving me to school.” She finally got her license six months after her 18th birthday. In conversation after conversation, teens described getting their license as something to be nagged into by their parents—a notion that would have been unthinkable to previous generations.

Independence isn’t free—you need some money in your pocket to pay for gas, or for that bottle of schnapps. In earlier eras, kids worked in great numbers, eager to finance their freedom or prodded by their parents to learn the value of a dollar. But iGen teens aren’t working (or managing their own money) as much. In the late 1970s, 77 percent of high-school seniors worked for pay during the school year; by the mid-2010s, only 55 percent did. The number of eighth-graders who work for pay has been cut in half. These declines accelerated during the Great Recession, but teen employment has not bounced back, even though job availability has.

Of course, putting off the responsibilities of adulthood is not an iGen innovation. Gen Xers, in the 1990s, were the first to postpone the traditional markers of adulthood. Young Gen Xers were just about as likely to drive, drink alcohol, and date as young Boomers had been, and more likely to have sex and get pregnant as teens. But as they left their teenage years behind, Gen Xers married and started careers later than their Boomer predecessors had.

Gen X managed to stretch adolescence beyond all previous limits: Its members started becoming adults earlier and finished becoming adults later. Beginning with Millennials and continuing with iGen, adolescence is contracting again—but only because its onset is being delayed. Across a range of behaviors—drinking, dating, spending time unsupervised— 18-year-olds now act more like 15-year-olds used to, and 15-year-olds more like 13-year-olds. Childhood now stretches well into high school.

Why are today’s teens waiting longer to take on both the responsibilities and the pleasures of adulthood? Shifts in the economy, and parenting, certainly play a role. In an information economy that rewards higher education more than early work history, parents may be inclined to encourage their kids to stay home and study rather than to get a part-time job. Teens, in turn, seem to be content with this homebody arrangement—not because they’re so studious, but because their social life is lived on their phone. They don’t need to leave home to spend time with their friends.

If today’s teens were a generation of grinds, we’d see that in the data. But eighth-, 10th-, and 12th-graders in the 2010s actually spend less time on homework than Gen X teens did in the early 1990s. (High-school seniors headed for four-year colleges spend about the same amount of time on homework as their predecessors did.) The time that seniors spend on activities such as student clubs and sports and exercise has changed little in recent years. Combined with the decline in working for pay, this means iGen teens have more leisure time than Gen X teens did, not less.

So what are they doing with all that time? They are on their phone, in their room, alone and often distressed.

O ne of the ironies of iGen life is that despite spending far more time under the same roof as their parents, today’s teens can hardly be said to be closer to their mothers and fathers than their predecessors were. “I’ve seen my friends with their families—they don’t talk to them,” Athena told me. “They just say ‘Okay, okay, whatever’ while they’re on their phones. They don’t pay attention to their family.” Like her peers, Athena is an expert at tuning out her parents so she can focus on her phone. She spent much of her summer keeping up with friends, but nearly all of it was over text or Snapchat. “I’ve been on my phone more than I’ve been with actual people,” she said. “My bed has, like, an imprint of my body.”

In this, too, she is typical. The number of teens who get together with their friends nearly every day dropped by more than 40 percent from 2000 to 2015; the decline has been especially steep recently. It’s not only a matter of fewer kids partying; fewer kids are spending time simply hanging out. That’s something most teens used to do: nerds and jocks, poor kids and rich kids, C students and A students. The roller rink, the basketball court, the town pool, the local necking spot—they’ve all been replaced by virtual spaces accessed through apps and the web.

You might expect that teens spend so much time in these new spaces because it makes them happy, but most data suggest that it does not. The Monitoring the Future survey, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and designed to be nationally representative, has asked 12th-graders more than 1,000 questions every year since 1975 and queried eighth- and 10th-graders since 1991. The survey asks teens how happy they are and also how much of their leisure time they spend on various activities, including nonscreen activities such as in-person social interaction and exercise, and, in recent years, screen activities such as using social media, texting, and browsing the web. The results could not be clearer: Teens who spend more time than average on screen activities are more likely to be unhappy, and those who spend more time than average on nonscreen activities are more likely to be happy.

There’s not a single exception. All screen activities are linked to less happiness, and all nonscreen activities are linked to more happiness. Eighth-graders who spend 10 or more hours a week on social media are 56 percent more likely to say they’re unhappy than those who devote less time to social media. Admittedly, 10 hours a week is a lot. But those who spend six to nine hours a week on social media are still 47 percent more likely to say they are unhappy than those who use social media even less. The opposite is true of in-person interactions. Those who spend an above-average amount of time with their friends in person are 20 percent less likely to say they’re unhappy than those who hang out for a below-average amount of time.

If you were going to give advice for a happy adolescence based on this survey, it would be straightforward: Put down the phone, turn off the laptop, and do something—anything—that does not involve a screen. Of course, these analyses don’t unequivocally prove that screen time causes unhappiness; it’s possible that unhappy teens spend more time online. But recent research suggests that screen time, in particular social-media use, does indeed cause unhappiness. One study asked college students with a Facebook page to complete short surveys on their phone over the course of two weeks. They’d get a text message with a link five times a day, and report on their mood and how much they’d used Facebook. The more they’d used Facebook, the unhappier they felt, but feeling unhappy did not subsequently lead to more Facebook use.

Social-networking sites like Facebook promise to connect us to friends. But the portrait of iGen teens emerging from the data is one of a lonely, dislocated generation. Teens who visit social-networking sites every day but see their friends in person less frequently are the most likely to agree with the statements “A lot of times I feel lonely,” “I often feel left out of things,” and “I often wish I had more good friends.” Teens’ feelings of loneliness spiked in 2013 and have remained high since.

This doesn’t always mean that, on an individual level, kids who spend more time online are lonelier than kids who spend less time online. Teens who spend more time on social media also spend more time with their friends in person, on average—highly social teens are more social in both venues, and less social teens are less so. But at the generational level, when teens spend more time on smartphones and less time on in-person social interactions, loneliness is more common.

So is depression. Once again, the effect of screen activities is unmistakable: The more time teens spend looking at screens, the more likely they are to report symptoms of depression. Eighth-graders who are heavy users of social media increase their risk of depression by 27 percent, while those who play sports, go to religious services, or even do homework more than the average teen cut their risk significantly.

Teens who spend three hours a day or more on electronic devices are 35 percent more likely to have a risk factor for suicide, such as making a suicide plan. (That’s much more than the risk related to, say, watching TV.) One piece of data that indirectly but stunningly captures kids’ growing isolation, for good and for bad: Since 2007, the homicide rate among teens has declined, but the suicide rate has increased. As teens have started spending less time together, they have become less likely to kill one another, and more likely to kill themselves. In 2011, for the first time in 24 years, the teen suicide rate was higher than the teen homicide rate.

Depression and suicide have many causes; too much technology is clearly not the only one. And the teen suicide rate was even higher in the 1990s, long before smartphones existed. Then again, about four times as many Americans now take antidepressants, which are often effective in treating severe depression, the type most strongly linked to suicide.

W hat’s the connection between smartphones and the apparent psychological distress this generation is experiencing? For all their power to link kids day and night, social media also exacerbate the age-old teen concern about being left out. Today’s teens may go to fewer parties and spend less time together in person, but when they do congregate, they document their hangouts relentlessly—on Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook. Those not invited to come along are keenly aware of it. Accordingly, the number of teens who feel left out has reached all-time highs across age groups. Like the increase in loneliness, the upswing in feeling left out has been swift and significant.

This trend has been especially steep among girls. Forty-eight percent more girls said they often felt left out in 2015 than in 2010, compared with 27 percent more boys. Girls use social media more often, giving them additional opportunities to feel excluded and lonely when they see their friends or classmates getting together without them. Social media levy a psychic tax on the teen doing the posting as well, as she anxiously awaits the affirmation of comments and likes. When Athena posts pictures to Instagram, she told me, “I’m nervous about what people think and are going to say. It sometimes bugs me when I don’t get a certain amount of likes on a picture.”

Girls have also borne the brunt of the rise in depressive symptoms among today’s teens. Boys’ depressive symptoms increased by 21 percent from 2012 to 2015, while girls’ increased by 50 percent—more than twice as much. The rise in suicide, too, is more pronounced among girls. Although the rate increased for both sexes, three times as many 12-to-14-year-old girls killed themselves in 2015 as in 2007, compared with twice as many boys. The suicide rate is still higher for boys, in part because they use more-lethal methods, but girls are beginning to close the gap.

These more dire consequences for teenage girls could also be rooted in the fact that they’re more likely to experience cyberbullying. Boys tend to bully one another physically, while girls are more likely to do so by undermining a victim’s social status or relationships. Social media give middle- and high-school girls a platform on which to carry out the style of aggression they favor, ostracizing and excluding other girls around the clock.

Social-media companies are of course aware of these problems, and to one degree or another have endeavored to prevent cyberbullying. But their various motivations are, to say the least, complex. A recently leaked Facebook document indicated that the company had been touting to advertisers its ability to determine teens’ emotional state based on their on-site behavior, and even to pinpoint “moments when young people need a confidence boost.” Facebook acknowledged that the document was real, but denied that it offers “tools to target people based on their emotional state.”

I n July 2014, a 13-year-old girl in North Texas woke to the smell of something burning. Her phone had overheated and melted into the sheets. National news outlets picked up the story, stoking readers’ fears that their cellphone might spontaneously combust. To me, however, the flaming cellphone wasn’t the only surprising aspect of the story. Why , I wondered, would anyone sleep with her phone beside her in bed? It’s not as though you can surf the web while you’re sleeping. And who could slumber deeply inches from a buzzing phone?

Curious, I asked my undergraduate students at San Diego State University what they do with their phone while they sleep. Their answers were a profile in obsession. Nearly all slept with their phone, putting it under their pillow, on the mattress, or at the very least within arm’s reach of the bed. They checked social media right before they went to sleep, and reached for their phone as soon as they woke up in the morning (they had to—all of them used it as their alarm clock). Their phone was the last thing they saw before they went to sleep and the first thing they saw when they woke up. If they woke in the middle of the night, they often ended up looking at their phone. Some used the language of addiction. “I know I shouldn’t, but I just can’t help it,” one said about looking at her phone while in bed. Others saw their phone as an extension of their body—or even like a lover: “Having my phone closer to me while I’m sleeping is a comfort.”

It may be a comfort, but the smartphone is cutting into teens’ sleep: Many now sleep less than seven hours most nights. Sleep experts say that teens should get about nine hours of sleep a night; a teen who is getting less than seven hours a night is significantly sleep deprived. Fifty-seven percent more teens were sleep deprived in 2015 than in 1991. In just the four years from 2012 to 2015, 22 percent more teens failed to get seven hours of sleep.

The increase is suspiciously timed, once again starting around when most teens got a smartphone. Two national surveys show that teens who spend three or more hours a day on electronic devices are 28 percent more likely to get less than seven hours of sleep than those who spend fewer than three hours, and teens who visit social-media sites every day are 19 percent more likely to be sleep deprived. A meta-analysis of studies on electronic-device use among children found similar results: Children who use a media device right before bed are more likely to sleep less than they should, more likely to sleep poorly, and more than twice as likely to be sleepy during the day.

Electronic devices and social media seem to have an especially strong ability to disrupt sleep. Teens who read books and magazines more often than the average are actually slightly less likely to be sleep deprived—either reading lulls them to sleep, or they can put the book down at bedtime. Watching TV for several hours a day is only weakly linked to sleeping less. But the allure of the smartphone is often too much to resist.

Sleep deprivation is linked to myriad issues, including compromised thinking and reasoning, susceptibility to illness, weight gain, and high blood pressure. It also affects mood: People who don’t sleep enough are prone to depression and anxiety. Again, it’s difficult to trace the precise paths of causation. Smartphones could be causing lack of sleep, which leads to depression, or the phones could be causing depression, which leads to lack of sleep. Or some other factor could be causing both depression and sleep deprivation to rise. But the smartphone, its blue light glowing in the dark, is likely playing a nefarious role.

T he correlations between depression and smartphone use are strong enough to suggest that more parents should be telling their kids to put down their phone. As the technology writer Nick Bilton has reported, it’s a policy some Silicon Valley executives follow. Even Steve Jobs limited his kids’ use of the devices he brought into the world.

What’s at stake isn’t just how kids experience adolescence. The constant presence of smartphones is likely to affect them well into adulthood. Among people who suffer an episode of depression, at least half become depressed again later in life. Adolescence is a key time for developing social skills; as teens spend less time with their friends face-to-face, they have fewer opportunities to practice them. In the next decade, we may see more adults who know just the right emoji for a situation, but not the right facial expression.

I realize that restricting technology might be an unrealistic demand to impose on a generation of kids so accustomed to being wired at all times. My three daughters were born in 2006, 2009, and 2012. They’re not yet old enough to display the traits of iGen teens, but I have already witnessed firsthand just how ingrained new media are in their young lives. I’ve observed my toddler, barely old enough to walk, confidently swiping her way through an iPad. I’ve experienced my 6-year-old asking for her own cellphone. I’ve overheard my 9-year-old discussing the latest app to sweep the fourth grade. Prying the phone out of our kids’ hands will be difficult, even more so than the quixotic efforts of my parents’ generation to get their kids to turn off MTV and get some fresh air. But more seems to be at stake in urging teens to use their phone responsibly, and there are benefits to be gained even if all we instill in our children is the importance of moderation. Significant effects on both mental health and sleep time appear after two or more hours a day on electronic devices. The average teen spends about two and a half hours a day on electronic devices. Some mild boundary-setting could keep kids from falling into harmful habits.

In my conversations with teens, I saw hopeful signs that kids themselves are beginning to link some of their troubles to their ever-present phone. Athena told me that when she does spend time with her friends in person, they are often looking at their device instead of at her. “I’m trying to talk to them about something, and they don’t actually look at my face,” she said. “They’re looking at their phone, or they’re looking at their Apple Watch.” “What does that feel like, when you’re trying to talk to somebody face-to-face and they’re not looking at you?,” I asked. “It kind of hurts,” she said. “It hurts. I know my parents’ generation didn’t do that. I could be talking about something super important to me, and they wouldn’t even be listening.”

Once, she told me, she was hanging out with a friend who was texting her boyfriend. “I was trying to talk to her about my family, and what was going on, and she was like, ‘Uh-huh, yeah, whatever.’ So I took her phone out of her hands and I threw it at my wall.”

I couldn’t help laughing. “You play volleyball,” I said. “Do you have a pretty good arm?” “Yep,” she replied.

This article has been adapted from Jean M. Twenge's forthcoming book, iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy—and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood—and What That Means for the Rest of Us .

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The Whys and Hows of Generations Research

At the center of the Pew Research Center’s mission is a commitment to measuring public attitudes on key issues and documenting differences in attitudes between demographic and political groups.

An individual’s age is one of the most common predictors of differences in attitudes and behaviors. On issues ranging from foreign affairs to social policy, age differences in attitudes can be some of the widest and most illuminating.  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 nature of age as a variable allows researchers to employ an approach known as cohort analysis to track a group of people over the course of their lives.

Age cohorts give researchers a tool to analyze changes in views over time; they can provide a way to understand how different formative experiences interact with the life-cycle and aging process to shape people’s view of the world. While younger and older adults may differ in their views at a given moment, age cohorts allow researchers to go further and examine how today’s older adults felt about a given issue when they themselves were young, as well as to describe how the trajectory of views might differ across age cohorts.

Generations are one way to group age cohorts. A generation typically refers to groups of people born over a 15-20 year span, such as the Millennial generation, currently the youngest adult generation. Generational analysis is an important tool used by Pew Research Center and other researchers. This report aims to describe the basic approach of generational analysis at the Pew Research Center and some of the key insights it provides into understanding public attitudes and behaviors.

Defining Generations

The Pew Research Center’s approach to generational analysis involves tracking the same groups of people on a range of issues, behaviors and characteristics. Setting the bounds of generations is a necessary step for this analysis. It is a process that may be informed by a range of factors including demographics, attitudes, historical events, popular culture, and prevailing consensus among researchers. As a result, the lines that define the generations are useful tools for analysis, but they should be thought of as guidelines, rather than hard-and-fast distinctions.

Each of the commonly-used current generations has been defined by a unique mix of factors.

The Baby Boom generation is an example of a generation that is largely delineated by demography. Its oldest members were part of the spike in fertility that began in 1946, right after the end of World War II. Its youngest members were born in 1964, shortly before a significant decline in fertility that occurred after the birth control pill first went on the market.

Other generations are less strictly defined by demography, though it plays an important role in designations including Generation X and Millennials – the two generations that followed the Baby Boomers.

Generation X describes people born from 1965 through 1980. The label overtook the first name affixed to this generation: the Baby Bust. In part, this generation is defined by the relatively low birth rates in these years compared with the Baby Boom generation that preceded them and the Millennial generation that followed them. The label for this generation was popularized by a 1991 book by Douglas Coupland titled, Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture.

The bounds of the Millennial generation, sometimes characterized as the “echo boom,” are also informed by demographics. This generation is largely made up of the children of the Baby Boom generation. The name for this cohort refers to those born after 1980 – the first generation to come of age in the new millennium. As this generation was first entering adulthood, some used the term Gen Y to refer to them, and its boundaries were slightly different. This is another example of how the names and spans of generations can change over time.

The Silent generation describes adults born from 1928 through 1945. Children of the Great Depression and World War II, their “Silent” label refers to their image as conformist and civic-minded. Time Magazine coined the term in a 1951 article describing the emerging generation of the time. The Silent label is not widely recognized by the public: fewer say they have heard of it than the labels for any other of the living generations. (See here for our report on generations and identity.)

The Greatest generation (those born before 1928) “saved the world” when it was young, in the memorable phrase of Ronald Reagan. This is the generation that fought and won World War II, and became the subject of a best-selling book by Tom Brokaw. Pew Research Center no longer reports current data on the Greatest generation because they now represent such a small share of the adult population (roughly 2%) that standard public opinion surveys do not yield large enough sample sizes for reporting.

An age cohort spanning 15-20 years will necessarily include a diverse assortment of people — and often there are meaningful smaller cohorts within these generations. Changes in political circumstances, societal mores and economic conditions over a period of 15-20 years can lead to people within a cohort having different formative experiences. Understanding these differences within a cohort is an essential component of generational analysis.

Life Cycle, Cohort, and Period Effects

The factors associated with generational differences can be complex and overlapping. Researchers often think about three separate effects that can produce differences in attitudes between age groups: life cycle effects (sometimes called age effects), period effects and cohort effects. 1

The first is the  life cycle, or age, effect . When a life cycle effect is at play, differences between younger and older people are largely due to their respective positions in the life cycle. For example, young people are far less likely than older adults to vote and engage in politics. This may be because they are less informed about politics or feel they have less at stake in political or policy debates. As people age, they vote at higher rates and their level of political engagement rises. Millennials are less engaged in politics today than are older generations, but the same was true of Baby Boomers in their youth. Today, Boomers are among the most likely to vote and participate in politics.

The second process is a  period effect . Period effects are seen when events and circumstances (for instance, wars, social movements, economic booms or busts, scientific or technological breakthroughs) as well as broader social forces (such as the growing visibility of gays and lesbians in society) simultaneously impact everyone, regardless of age. Period effects are typically thought to have lasting effects on an entire population.

An example of a period effect may be the impact of the events of the early to mid-1970s – the end of the Vietnam War and the Watergate affair – on views of government. This was a time in U.S. history that coincided with a sharp drop in public trust in government across generations. Overall trust in government has ebbed and flowed since the 1970s, but has never returned to levels seen before that period.

Another example of a lasting period effect is the shift in public views on the issue of terrorism and the priority given to homeland defense and combatting terrorism globally following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. However, other shifts in opinion following 9/11 proved to be less enduring: expressions of patriotism and unity were short-lived as the country soon entered a fractious debate over the Iraq war and deep partisan divisions on political issues soon reemerged.

Finally, there is a  cohort effect . 2  Differences between generations can be the byproduct 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. In some cases, this may be the result of a period effect an older generation experienced that subsequent generations did not (e.g., the younger generations of today did not experience the Vietnam War or other social movements of the 1960s and 1970s, because they were not yet born).

In other cases, a historical moment can have an outsize effect on members of one generation. 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. The Great Depression and its aftermath had the effect of helping shape a cohort of Americans who were strong supporters of the Democratic Party for decades to come.

Understanding what drives generational differences strengthens our understanding of how public attitudes are being shaped. Is a shift in views broad-based, reflecting a fundamental change in how all generations view an issue? Or is the change concentrated among a particular generation, reflecting the composition and formative experiences of one group, but not the public more broadly? These are some of the questions that cohort analysis – through the use of generations – help researchers answer.

Examples of Generational Analysis: Same-Sex Marriage and Marijuana Legalization

Views on the issue of same-sex marriage are a good example of how researchers can use generations to understand shifting public attitudes.

The accompanying chart shows the percent that support allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally across generations from 2005 to 2015. Over this time period, support for same-sex marriage has grown from 36% to 55% among the public overall. (See this interactive for opinions of same-sex marriage over time.)

When it comes to same-sex marriage there have long been significant differences between older and younger people at individual points in time. Cohort analysis of these attitudes illustrates that these differences persist across the generations.

Millennials and Gen Xers came into the population more supportive of allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally than older generations, and those greater levels of support have persisted over time. As a result, some of the explanation for an overall shift in attitudes about same-sex marriage is attributable to a “generational replacement” as members of older, less supportive, generations pass away, they are “replaced” in the adult population by members of younger, more supportive, generations entering adulthood.

But at the same time, all generations – younger and older alike – have become more likely to support same-sex marriage over the past decade, suggesting a period effect separate from age or cohort.

Another example of how generational analysis can aid in understanding public opinion is the case of attitudes about marijuana.

In recent years, there has been a fundamental shift in attitudes toward legalization of marijuana. When Gallup first asked about this issue in 1969, just 12% of the public favored legalizing the use of marijuana, while 84% were opposed. In March of this year , 53% said the use of marijuana should be made legal, while 44% disagreed. However, the shift in attitudes over time has not been linear — support for marijuana legalization rose throughout the 1970s, fell in the 1980s, before steadily growing over the last quarter century.

The trend in opinion on legalizing marijuana highlights how overall societal mood or forces ( period ) can shift attitudes, as well as how people may be differentially influenced by those forces at different ages ( cohort ). In 1973, the Baby Boom generation was coming of age, with its adult members then between the ages of 18 and 27. At that time, 43% of Boomers favored legalizing the use of marijuana; by comparison, just 16% of those in the Silent Generation (who were then ages 28 to 45) favored legalization.

During the 1980s, the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush took a hard-line approach to illicit drug use as concern over the dangers of marijuana rose. Between 1978 and 1990, support for the legal use of marijuana fell by 30 percentage points among Boomers (from 47% to 17%) and by 11 points among Silents (from 25% to 14%). Though one potential hypothesis is that these shifts were attributable to life-stage (that people might become less supportive of marijuana as they move into middle age) opinion among the youngest generation at that time, Gen X, suggests the importance of the period. Among Xers, whose oldest members were in their early to mid-20s in 1990, just 21% favored legalization at the time; they were far less supportive of legalization than Boomers had been at a comparable stage in their lives.

Since then, overall support for marijuana legalization has increased across all three of these generations. But the patterns are somewhat different for each. Among Boomers, support for marijuana legalization now surpasses levels from when they were young (50% today vs. 43% in 1973). But among Silents, support remains far lower compared to other generations: Their support for legal marijuana has been low since the question was first asked in 1969 (when they were then 24-41), and today just 29% say it should be legal. Among Gen Xers, who came of age in a period of little support for legalization, support has more than doubled since their youth (52% say its use should be legal today, compared to 21% in 1990).

Millennials (who were born in the 1980s and 1990s, and have come of age in a period when support for legalization was rising among their elders) are the most supportive of legalization: Since 2006, the share of Millennials favoring the legal use of marijuana has doubled, from 34% to 68%, reflecting a sharper rise in support than seen among Xers and Boomers.

While the generation lens is especially powerful for an issue such as marijuana legalization, meaningful generational patterns are not seen across all issues. Views on gun control , for example, are an area where there are only modest differences by generation, with larger opinion gaps seen across other variables, including gender, education and population density.

Key Differences Between the Generations

There are fundamental differences across generations, from their racial and ethnic composition, to how quickly they reach certain milestones such as marriage, to their political and ideological orientations.

Some are enduring differences that will shape the generations over the course of their lifetimes. Others are largely a function of age or life-stage.

One example of an enduring difference across the current generations is their racial and ethnic composition. Millennials are the most diverse adult generation: 57% are non-Hispanic whites, while 21% are Hispanic, 13% are black and 6% are Asian. Each older generation is less diverse. Non-Hispanic whites make up 61% of Generation X, 72% of Baby Boomers and 78% of the Silent generation.

The current demographic composition of the country guarantees that the next generation will be even more diverse than Millennials. The unique demographic profiles of the generations are unlikely to change a great deal over time and often underlie opinion dynamics on issues. 3

In addition to their racial and ethnic composition, the generations also differ in life-shaping behaviors, such as marriage – behaviors that are not cast by the composition of a cohort but are informed by values and economic circumstances.

In 2014, just 28% of Millennials were married. This makes them remarkably different than members of the Silent Generation at the same stage in their lives: fully 64% of Silents were married when members of their generation were between the ages of 18 and 33. About half (49%) of Baby Boomers and 38% of Gen Xers were married when their generation was ages 18 to 33. Generational analysis allows for these comparative snapshots, but it also lets researchers track what happens as these cohorts age.

For example, just 38% of Generation X were married when they were ages 18 to 33, but many of those who weren’t married at that age did not reject the institution of marriage altogether. Instead, a large share of Gen Xers have married later in life than previous generations. As of 2014, fully 81% of Generation X (then ages 34-49) had ever been married, resulting in a narrowing of the gap between Xers and the two older generations – Baby Boomers (90%) and Silents (96%) – in the percent who at that point had ever been married.

Marriage rates among Millennials are at an even lower starting point than for Gen X. However, marriage rates will continue to rise among Millennials as they age. The exact trajectory of marriage rates among Millennials is unclear, however. A recent Pew Research Center analysis projects that by the time they reach middle age, as many as 25% of Millennials will have never married – an all-time high.

The pattern of religious identity is another fundamental difference between the generations. Older generations identify overwhelmingly as Christian. For example, 85% of the Silent generation identify as a member of a Christian denomination, while just 11% say they are religiously unaffiliated (defined as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular”). By contrast, smaller majorities of Millennials (56%) and Gen Xers (70%) identify as Christian, while as many as 35% of Millennials and 23% of Gen Xers do not identify with any organized religion.

Over the past seven years, the share of the U.S. population that does not identify with an organized religion has grown since 2007. Much of this change has occurred due to generational replacement; the youngest adults who are aging into the population are more likely to be religiously unaffiliated than the oldest adults they are replacing.

While marriage rates are expected to rise among younger generations as they move through the life cycle, there is no indication that younger cohorts will become more religiously affiliated as they age. In fact, Pew Research Center’s 2015 Religious Landscape report found that the share of those who do not identify with a religion had grown across generations. Between 2007 and 2014, for example, the share of older Millennials (born 1981-1989) who do not identify with a religion rose nine percentage points, from 25% to 34%. Among Gen Xers, there was a four-point rise in the share who do not identify with a religion (19% in 2007 to 23% in 2014).

Partisan Affiliation and Ideology

Overall, the share of political independents in the public has been rising in recent years, and in 2014 reached 39%, the highest percentage in more than 75 years of polling.

An analysis of long term trends in party identification, released in April , found that Millennials are more likely than older cohorts to identify as independents. Nearly half of Millennials (48%) identify as independents, compared with 40% of Gen Xers and smaller shares of Boomers  (35%) and Silents (29%).

When the partisan leanings of independents are taken into account, Millennials are the most Democratic generation, while Silents are the most Republican.

The political climate of early adulthood may continue to influence the political tilt of a generation throughout its life span, as noted in a 2011 Pew Research Center report on generations . For example, members of the Greatest Generation, who came of age during the Great Depression and the Franklin Roosevelt administration, carried strong Democratic tendencies throughout their adulthood.

Yet the differences in partisan affiliation across generations tell only part of the story; there also is considerable variance within generations. And, with sufficient data, cohort analysis can be used to investigate within-generation differences by examining smaller age spans.

The accompanying graph showing partisan leanings in 2014 for adults based on the year they were born is an example of this. The line shows the percentage identifying or leaning Democratic minus the percentage identifying or leaning Republican. The further left the line on the graph, the larger the Democratic advantage for that year; the further right, the larger the Republican advantage.

Older Baby Boomers have consistently had a more Democratic imprint than younger Boomers. Older Boomers were born in the late 1940s and early 1950s and came of voting age in the late 1960s and early 1970s, during Richard Nixon’s presidency.  Younger Boomers were born later (in the mid-to-late 1950s and early 1960s) and largely came of age in the 1970s and early 1980s, during the presidencies of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.

Older Gen Xers are more Republican (and less Democratic) than younger Gen Xers, whose strong Democratic leanings more closely resemble those of older Millennials.

As with partisan affiliation, there are substantial differences in the ideological leanings of generations. Based on data from the Pew Research Center’s 2014 Political Polarization survey , Millennials are currently the least conservative generation.

Across a set of 10 political values questions on issues such as the role of government, the environment and business, just 15% of Millennials express either consistently or mostly conservative views compared with 44% who have a mix of liberal and conservative views and fully 41% who express consistently or mostly liberal views. By comparison, more Gen Xers (25%), Baby Boomers (33%) and Silents (39%) express consistently or mostly conservative views across this set of 10 questions.

The Post-Millennial Generation

Given all that we know about generations how do we identify where to draw the line between the Millennial generation and the next generation? Today’s youngest adults are Millennials, but the 16-year span of Millennial birth years (1981-1997) is already about as wide a range as those of the other living generations. And Millennials are projected to surpass Baby Boomers in 2015 as the nation’s largest living generation, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data. So it seems likely that in the near future the youngest adults will be members of a post-Millennial generation.

Historical and demographic markers will factor into determining the dividing line between Millennials and post-Millennials. But it is unlikely that any single indicator or an ‘aha’ moment will mark the end of the Millennial generation, absent some unexpected event. More likely is that an end-point definition will emerge over time as debate among researchers and usage in popular culture forms a working definition. As with Generation X and its original “Baby Bust” label, there may be different names attached to the post-Millennial generation before one eventually sticks.

Regardless of where and when the line is drawn to end the Millennial generation, it will take several years before enough post-Millennials have reached adulthood to allow for meaningful statements about the next adult generation. One thing is clear: the next generation, today’s children and teens, will likely be shaped by very different influences and forces than the generations that preceded it.

• For more discussion of “age-period-cohort” (APC) analysis see, for example: Glenn 1977; Brady and Elms 1999. ↩
• Separating out the independent effects of age, period, and cohort can be difficult because any two of these effects is a linear function of the other (e.g. cohort=period-age). See, for example, Dinas and Stoker, 2014; Winship 2008 for more discussion. ↩
• While the racial and ethnic composition of generations generally changes little over time, the growth of a cohort through immigration can impact these characteristics as a generation continues to take shape. ↩

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It’s Time to Stop Talking About “Generations”

The discovery that you can make money marketing merchandise to teen-agers dates from the early nineteen-forties, which is also when the term “youth culture” first appeared in print. There was a reason that those things happened when they did: high school. Back in 1910, most young people worked; only fourteen per cent of fourteen- to seventeen-year-olds were still in school. In 1940, though, that proportion was seventy-three per cent. A social space had opened up between dependency and adulthood, and a new demographic was born: “youth.”

The rate of high-school attendance kept growing. By 1955, eighty-four per cent of high-school-age Americans were in school. (The figure for Western Europe was sixteen per cent.) Then, between 1956 and 1969, college enrollment in the United States more than doubled, and “youth” grew from a four-year demographic to an eight-year one. By 1969, it made sense that everyone was talking about the styles and values and tastes of young people: almost half the population was under twenty-five.

Today, a little less than a third of the population is under twenty-five, but youth remains a big consumer base for social-media platforms, streaming services, computer games, music, fashion, smartphones, apps, and all kinds of other goods, from motorized skateboards to eco-friendly water bottles. To keep this market churning, and to give the consulting industry something to sell to firms trying to understand (i.e., increase the productivity of) their younger workers, we have invented a concept that allows “youth culture” to be redefined periodically. This is the concept of the generation.

The term is borrowed from human reproductive biology. In a kinship structure, parents and their siblings constitute “the older generation”; offspring and their cousins are “the younger generation.” The time it takes, in our species, for the younger generation to become the older generation is traditionally said to be around thirty years. (For the fruit fly, it’s ten days.) That is how the term is used in the Hebrew Bible, and Herodotus said that a century could be thought of as the equivalent of three generations.

Around 1800, the term got transplanted from the family to society. The new idea was that people born within a given period, usually thirty years, belong to a single generation. There is no sound basis in biology or anything else for this claim, but it gave European scientists and intellectuals a way to make sense of something they were obsessed with, social and cultural change. What causes change? Can we predict it? Can we prevent it? Maybe the reason societies change is that people change, every thirty years.

Before 1945, most people who theorized about generations were talking about literary and artistic styles and intellectual trends—a shift from Romanticism to realism, for example, or from liberalism to conservatism. The sociologist Karl Mannheim, in an influential essay published in 1928, used the term “generation units” to refer to writers, artists, and political figures who self-consciously adopt new ways of doing things. Mannheim was not interested in trends within the broader population. He assumed that the culture of what he called “peasant communities” does not change.

Nineteenth-century generational theory took two forms. For some thinkers, generational change was the cause of social and historical change. New generations bring to the world new ways of thinking and doing, and weed out beliefs and practices that have grown obsolete. This keeps society rejuvenated. Generations are the pulse of history. Other writers thought that generations were different from one another because their members carried the imprint of the historical events they lived through. The reason we have generations is that we have change, not the other way around.

There are traces of both the pulse hypothesis and the imprint hypothesis in the way we talk about generations today. We tend to assume that there is a rhythm to social and cultural history that maps onto generational cohorts, such that each cohort is shaped by, or bears the imprint of, major historical events—Vietnam, 9/11, COVID . But we also think that young people develop their own culture, their own tastes and values, and that this new culture displaces the culture of the generation that preceded theirs.

Today, the time span of a generational cohort is usually taken to be around fifteen years (even though the median age of first-time mothers in the U.S. is now twenty-six and of first-time fathers thirty-one). People born within that period are supposed to carry a basket of characteristics that differentiate them from people born earlier or later.

This supposition requires leaps of faith. For one thing, there is no empirical basis for claiming that differences within a generation are smaller than differences between generations. (Do you have less in common with your parents than with people you have never met who happen to have been born a few years before or after you?) The theory also seems to require that a person born in 1965, the first year of Generation X, must have different values, tastes, and life experiences from a person born in 1964, the last year of the baby-boom generation (1946-64). And that someone born in the last birth year of Gen X, 1980, has more in common with someone born in 1965 or 1970 than with someone born in 1981 or 1990.

Everyone realizes that precision dating of this kind is silly, but although we know that chronological boundaries can blur a bit, we still imagine generational differences to be bright-line distinctions. People talk as though there were a unique DNA for Gen X—what in the nineteenth century was called a generational “entelechy”—even though the difference between a baby boomer and a Gen X-er is about as meaningful as the difference between a Leo and a Virgo.

You could say the same things about decades, of course. A year is, like a biological generation, a measurable thing, the time it takes the Earth to orbit the sun. But there is nothing in nature that corresponds to a decade—or a century, or a millennium. Those are terms of convenience, determined by the fact that we have ten fingers.

Yet we happily generalize about “the fifties” and “the sixties” as having dramatically distinct, well, entelechies. Decade-thinking is deeply embedded. For most of us, “She’s a seventies person” carries a lot more specific information than “She’s Gen X.” By this light, generations are just a novel way of slicing up the space-time continuum, no more arbitrary, and possibly a little less, than decades and centuries. The question, therefore, is not “Are generations real?” The question is “Are they a helpful way to understand anything?”

Bobby Duffy, the author of “The Generation Myth” (Basic), says yes, but they’re not as helpful as people think. Duffy is a social scientist at King’s College London. His argument is that generations are just one of three factors that explain changes in attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. The others are historical events and “life-cycle effects,” that is, how people change as they age. His book illustrates, with a somewhat overwhelming array of graphs and statistics, how events and aging interact with birth cohort to explain differences in racial attitudes, happiness, suicide rates, political affiliations—you name it, for he thinks that his three factors explain everything.

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Duffy’s over-all finding is that people in different age groups are much more alike than all the talk about generations suggests, and one reason for all that talk, he thinks, is the consulting industry. He says that, in 2015, American firms spent some seventy million dollars on generational consulting (which doesn’t seem that much, actually). “What generational differences exist in the workplace?” he asks. His answer: “Virtually none.”

Duffy is good at using data to take apart many familiar generational characterizations. There is no evidence, he says, of a “loneliness epidemic” among young people, or of a rise in the rate of suicide. The falling off in sexual activity in the United States and the U.K. is population-wide, not just among the young.

He says that attitudes about gender in the United States correlate more closely with political party than with age, and that, in Europe, anyway, there are no big age divides in the recognition of climate change. There is “just about no evidence,” he says, that Generation Z (1997-2012, encompassing today’s college students) is more ethically motivated than other generations. When it comes to consumer boycotts and the like, “ ‘cancel culture’ seems to be more of a middle-age thing.” He worries that generational stereotypes—such as the characterization of Gen Z-ers as woke snowflakes—are promoted in order to fuel the culture wars.

The woke-snowflake stereotype is the target of “Gen Z, Explained” (Chicago), a heartfelt defense of the values and beliefs of contemporary college students. The book has four authors, Roberta Katz, Sarah Ogilvie, Jane Shaw, and Linda Woodhead—an anthropologist, a linguist, a historian, and a sociologist—and presents itself as a social-scientific study, including a “methodological appendix.” But it resembles what might be called journalistic ethnography: the portrayal of social types by means of interviews and anecdotes.

The authors adopt a key tenet of the pulse hypothesis. They see Gen Z-ers as agents of change, a generation that has created a youth culture that can transform society. (The fact that when they finished researching their book, in 2019, roughly half of Gen Z was under sixteen does not trouble them, just as the fact that at the time of Woodstock, in 1969, more than half the baby-boom generation was under thirteen doesn’t prevent people from making generalizations about the baby boomers.)

Their book is based on hour-long interviews with a hundred and twenty students at three colleges, two in California (Stanford and Foothill College, a well-regarded community college) and one in the U.K. (Lancaster, a selective research university). The authors inform us that the interviewees were chosen “by word of mouth and personal networking,” which sounds a lot like self-selection. It is, in any event (as they unapologetically acknowledge), hardly a randomized sample.

The authors tell us that the interviews were conducted entirely by student research assistants, which means that, unless the research assistants simply read questions off a list, there was no control over the depth or the direction of the interviews. There were also some focus groups, in which students talked about their lives with, mostly, their friends, an exercise performed in an echo chamber. Journalists, or popular ethnographers, would at least have met and observed their subjects. It’s mystifying why the authors felt a need to distance themselves in this way, given how selective their sample was to begin with. We are left with quotations detached from context. Self-reporting is taken at face value.

The authors supplemented the student interviews with a lexical glossary designed to pick out words and memes heavily used by young people, and with two surveys, designed by one of the authors (Woodhead) and conducted by YouGov, an Internet polling company, of eighteen- to twenty-five-year-olds in the United States and the U.K.

Where there is an awkward discrepancy between the survey results and what the college students say in the interviews, the authors attempt to explain it away. The YouGov surveys found that ninety-one per cent of all persons aged eighteen to twenty-five, American and British, identify as male or female, and only four per cent as gender fluid or nonbinary. (Five per cent declined to answer.) This does not match the impression created by the interviews, which suggest that there should be many more fluid and nonbinary young people out there, so the authors say that we don’t really know what the survey respondents meant by “male” and “female.” Well, then, maybe they should have been asked.

The authors attribute none of the characteristics they identify as Gen Z to the imprint of historical events—with a single exception: the rise of the World Wide Web. Gen Z is the first “born digital” generation. This fact has often been used to stereotype young people as screen-time addicts, captives of their smartphones, obsessed with how they appear on social media, and so on. The Internet is their “culture.” They are trapped in the Web. The authors of “Gen Z, Explained” emphatically reject this line of critique. They assure us that Gen Z-ers “understand both the potential and the downside of technology” and possess “critical awareness about the technology that shapes their lives.”

For the college students who were interviewed (although not, evidently, for the people who were surveyed), a big part of Gen Z culture revolves around identity. As the authors put it, “self-labeling has become an imperative that is impossible to escape.” This might seem to suggest a certain degree of self-absorption, but the authors assure us that these young people “are self-identified and self-reliant but markedly not self-centered, egotistical, or selfish.”

“Lily” is offered to illustrate the ethical richness of this new concern. It seems that Lily has a friend who is always late to meet with her: “She explained that while she of course wanted to honor and respect his unique identity, choices, and lifestyle—including his habitual tardiness—she was also frustrated by how that conflicted with her sense that he was then not respecting her identity and preference for timeliness.” The authors do not find this amusing.

The book’s big claim is that Gen Z-ers “may well be the heralds of new attitudes and expectations about how individuals and institutions can change for the better.” They have come up with new ways of working (collaborative), new forms of identity (fluid and intersectional), new concepts of community (diverse, inclusive, non-hierarchical).

Methodology aside, there is much that is refreshing here. There is no reason to assume that younger people are more likely to be passive victims of technology than older people (that assumption is classic old person’s bias), and it makes sense that, having grown up doing everything on a computer, Gen Z-ers have a fuller understanding of the digital universe than analog dinosaurs do. The dinosaurs can say, “You don’t know what you’re missing,” but Gen Z-ers can say, “You don’t understand what you’re getting.”

The claim that addiction to their devices is the cause of a rise in mental disorders among teen-agers is a lot like the old complaint that listening to rock and roll turns kids into animals. The authors cite a recent study (not their own) that concludes that the association between poor mental health and eating potatoes is greater than the association with technology use. We’re all in our own fishbowls. We should hesitate before we pass judgment on what life is like in the fishbowls of others.

The major problem with “Gen Z, Explained” is not so much the authors’ fawning tone, or their admiration for the students’ concerns—“environmental degradation, equality, violence, and injustice”—even though they are the same concerns that almost everyone in their social class has, regardless of age. The problem is the “heralds of a new dawn” stuff.

“A crisis looms for all unless we can find ways to change,” they warn. “Gen Zers have ideas of the type of world they would like to bring into being. By listening carefully to what they are saying, we can appreciate the lessons they have to teach us: be real, know who you are, be responsible for your own well-being, support your friends, open up institutions to the talents of the many, not the few, embrace diversity, make the world kinder, live by your values.”

I believe we have been here before, Captain. Fifty-one years ago, The New Yorker ran a thirty-nine-thousand-word piece that began:

There is a revolution under way . . . It is now spreading with amazing rapidity, and already our laws, institutions, and social structure are changing in consequence. Its ultimate creation could be a higher reason, a more human community, and a new and liberated individual. This is the revolution of the new generation.

The author was a forty-two-year-old Yale Law School professor named Charles Reich, and the piece was an excerpt from his book “The Greening of America,” which, when it came out, later that year, went to No. 1 on the Times best-seller list.

Reich had been in San Francisco in 1967, during the so-called Summer of Love, and was amazed and excited by the flower-power wing of the counterculture—the bell-bottom pants (about which he waxes ecstatic in the book), the marijuana and the psychedelic drugs, the music, the peace-and-love life style, everything.

He became convinced that the only way to cure the ills of American life was to follow the young people. “The new generation has shown the way to the one method of change that will work in today’s post-industrial society: revolution by consciousness,” he wrote. “This means a new way of living, almost a new man. This is what the new generation has been searching for, and what it has started to achieve.”

So how did that work out? The trouble, of course, was that Reich was basing his observations and predictions on, to use Mannheim’s term, a generation unit—a tiny number of people who were hyperconscious of their choices and values and saw themselves as being in revolt against the bad thinking and failed practices of previous generations. The folks who showed up for the Summer of Love were not a representative sample of sixties youth.

Most young people in the sixties did not practice free love, take drugs, or protest the war in Vietnam. In a poll taken in 1967, when people were asked whether couples should wait to have sex until they were married, sixty-three per cent of those in their twenties said yes, virtually the same as in the general population. In 1969, when people aged twenty-one to twenty-nine were asked whether they had ever used marijuana, eighty-eight per cent said no. When the same group was asked whether the United States should withdraw immediately from Vietnam, three-quarters said no, about the same as in the general population.

Most young people in the sixties were not even notably liberal. When people who attended college from 1966 to 1968 were asked which candidate they preferred in the 1968 Presidential election, fifty-three per cent said Richard Nixon or George Wallace. Among those who attended college from 1962 to 1965, fifty-seven per cent preferred Nixon or Wallace, which matched the results in the general election.

The authors of “Gen Z, Explained” are making the same erroneous extrapolation. They are generalizing on the basis of a very small group of privileged people, born within five or six years of one another, who inhabit insular communities of the like-minded. It’s fine to try to find out what these people think. Just don’t call them a generation.

Most of the millions of Gen Z-ers may be quite different from the scrupulously ethical, community-minded young people in the book. Duffy cites a survey, conducted in 2019 by a market-research firm, in which people were asked to name the characteristics of baby boomers, Gen X-ers, millennials (1981-96), and Gen Z-ers. The top five characteristics assigned to Gen Z were: tech-savvy, materialistic, selfish, lazy, and arrogant. The lowest-ranked characteristic was ethical. When Gen Z-ers were asked to describe their own generation, they came up with an almost identical list. Most people born after 1996 apparently don’t think quite as well of themselves as the college students in “Gen Z, Explained” do.

In any case, “explaining” people by asking them what they think and then repeating their answers is not sociology. Contemporary college students did not invent new ways of thinking about identity and community. Those were already rooted in the institutional culture of higher education. From Day One, college students are instructed about the importance of diversity, inclusion, honesty, collaboration—all the virtuous things that the authors of “Gen Z, Explained” attribute to the new generation. Students can say (and some do say) to their teachers and their institutions, “You’re not living up to those values.” But the values are shared values.

And they were in place long before Gen Z entered college. Take “intersectionality,” which the students in “Gen Z, Explained” use as a way of refining traditional categories of identity. That term has been around for more than thirty years. It was coined (as the authors note) in 1989, by the law professor Kimberlé Crenshaw. And Crenshaw was born in 1959. She’s a boomer.

“Diversity,” as an institutional priority, dates back even farther. It played a prominent role in the affirmative-action case of Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, in 1978, which opened the constitutional door to race-conscious admissions. That was three “generations” ago. Since then, almost every selective college has worked to achieve a diverse student body and boasts about it when it succeeds. College students think of themselves and their peers in terms of identity because of how the institution thinks of them.

People who went to college in an earlier era may find this emphasis a distraction from students’ education. Why should they be constantly forced to think about their own demographic profiles and their differences from other students? But look at American politics—look at world politics—over the past five years. Aren’t identity and difference kind of important things to understand?

And who creates “youth culture,” anyway? Older people. Youth has agency in the sense that it can choose to listen to the music or wear the clothing or march in the demonstrations or not. And there are certainly ground-up products (bell-bottoms, actually). Generally, though, youth has the same degree of agency that I have when buying a car. I can choose the model I want, but I do not make the cars.

Failure to recognize the way the fabric is woven leads to skewed social history. The so-called Silent Generation is a particularly outrageous example. That term has come to describe Americans who went to high school and college in the nineteen-fifties, partly because it sets up a convenient contrast to the baby-boom generation that followed. Those boomers, we think—they were not silent! In fact, they mostly were.

The term “Silent Generation” was coined in 1951, in an article in Time —and so was not intended to characterize the decade. “Today’s generation is ready to conform,” the article concluded. Time defined the Silent Generation as people aged eighteen to twenty-eight—that is, those who entered the workforce mostly in the nineteen-forties. Though the birth dates of Time’s Silent Generation were 1923 to 1933, the term somehow migrated to later dates, and it is now used for the generation born between 1928 and 1945.

So who were these silent conformists? Gloria Steinem, Muhammad Ali, Tom Hayden, Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, Noam Chomsky, Philip Roth, Susan Sontag, Martin Luther King, Jr., Billie Jean King, Jesse Jackson, Joan Baez, Berry Gordy, Amiri Baraka, Ken Kesey, Huey Newton, Jerry Garcia, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Andy Warhol . . . Sorry, am I boring you?

It was people like these, along with even older folks, like Timothy Leary, Allen Ginsberg, and Pauli Murray, who were active in the culture and the politics of the nineteen-sixties. Apart from a few musicians, it is hard to name a single major figure in that decade who was a baby boomer. But the boomers, most of whom were too young then even to know what was going on, get the credit (or, just as unfairly, the blame).

Mannheim thought that the great danger in generational analysis was the elision of class as a factor in determining beliefs, attitudes, and experiences. Today, we would add race, gender, immigration status, and any number of other “preconditions.” A woman born to an immigrant family in San Antonio in 1947 had very different life chances from a white man born in San Francisco that year. Yet the baby-boom prototype is a white male college student wearing striped bell-bottoms and a peace button, just as the Gen Z prototype is a female high-school student with spending money and an Instagram account.

For some reason, Duffy, too, adopts the conventional names and dates of the postwar generations (all of which originated in popular culture). He offers no rationale for this, and it slightly obscures one of his best points, which is that the most formative period for many people happens not in their school years but once they leave school and enter the workforce. That is when they confront life-determining economic and social circumstances, and where factors like their race, their gender, and their parents’ wealth make an especially pronounced difference to their chances.

Studies have consistently indicated that people do not become more conservative as they age. As Duffy shows, however, some people find entry into adulthood delayed by economic circumstances. This tends to differentiate their responses to survey questions about things like expectations. Eventually, he says, everyone catches up. In other words, if you are basing your characterization of a generation on what people say when they are young, you are doing astrology. You are ascribing to birth dates what is really the result of changing conditions.

Take the boomers: when those who were born between 1946 and 1952 entered the workforce, the economy was surging. When those who were born between 1953 and 1964 entered it, the economy was a dumpster fire. It took longer for younger boomers to start a career or buy a house. People in that kind of situation are therefore likely to register in surveys as “materialistic.” But it’s not the Zeitgeist that’s making them that way. It’s just the business cycle. ♦

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Generation Gap — Generation Gap: The Differences Between New Generation And Parents’ Generation

Generation Gap: How Today's Generation is Different from Their Parents' Generation

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Published: Mar 18, 2021

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Table of contents

Introduction, difference between old and new generation, works cited:, jobs fields, educational prospects.

• Bergsteiner, H., & Avery, G. C. (2010). The importance of learning styles: Understanding the implications for learning, course design, and education. Education Sciences, 1(2), 116-125.
• Kinsella, E. A. (2010). The Kolb Learning Style Inventory—Version 3.1 2005 technical specifications. The Irish Journal of Psychology, 31(2-3), 271-276.
• McDonald, J., & Boud, D. (2003). The impact of self-assessment on achievement: The effects of self-assessment training on performance in external examinations. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 10(2), 209-220.
• Murphy, J. (2004). Exploring Kolb's learning styles in management education. Journal of Management Education, 28(2), 191-210.
• Nicol, D., Macfarlane‐Dick, D., & Macfarlane, S. (2006). Rethinking feedback practices in higher education: a peer review perspective. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 31(2), 139-149

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The Changing Generational Values

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Examining Workplace Values from Baby Boomers to Generation Z

Today’s workforce consists of 4 generations: (ordered from oldest to youngest) Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. These generations were raised in different social and political atmospheres and therefore, correspond to different childhood upbringings and familial environments, which beget different values, wants, and needs in adulthood.  

 Early and late psychological researchers have proven this to be true: the environment in which an individual is brought up in, namely the things that they lack or are deprived of in their childhood, strongly influences their value development throughout adulthood.   

But how exactly does this tie into the ever-changing workplace status quo and where do employers fall in? We can generalize these individual upbringings that influence different adulthood values to the changing social, political, and technological atmospheres surrounding each generation that underlie (and influence) different generational workplace values.   

To cultivate a workplace environment where all employees can thrive, employers must be wary of these values, as well the nature of the social, political, and technological atmospheres that generated them.   

Baby Boomers

(Born 1946 to 1964) 

The Baby Boomers, or “Boomers,” were born and raised in post-WWII (post-World War II) American society. This period saw younger marriages, higher childbirth rates, and, resultingly, greater resource scarcity. Being raised in a society with limited resources, limited jobs, and limited schooling inspired a generation of competitors: individuals who operated with a “ work as hard as you can, then work even harder the next time ” mindset.  

According to liveaboutdotcom, some common workplace and worker values/mindsets associated with the Boomer generation are work-centric and workaholic, independent and self-assertive, goal-oriented and career-focused, competitive, and self-actualized. Together, these values and mindsets suggest a generation that prioritizes efficiency and efficacy in the workplace but has little regard for a work-life balance, with work tending to be the center of their lives. 

Generation X

(Born 1965 to 1980) 

Generation X, or Gen Xers, is the generation that follows the Baby Boomers. Knowing that the preceding generation was characterized by a work-centric lifestyle, it’s no surprise that the generation that followed almost entirely rejected this belief. Gen Xers were raised in a time characterized by early technological developments (analog to digital), transformative socio-political change, and minimal adult supervision.  

Together, this fostered a generation with hyper-independence (with often both parents always working) and hyper-flexibility (from having to constantly adapt to the rapidly evolving status-quo) that, contrasting Boomers, prioritizes a work-life balance: operating under a “ work hard, play hard” mentality. According to indeed, some common workplace values to Gen Xers are independence and self-sufficiency, healthy work-life balancing, flexibility and informality, and technological creativity. 

Generation Y

(Born 1981 to 1996) 

Generation Y, or more commonly known as Millennials, follow Generation X and precede Generation Z. Millennials are the most populated generation and compose the majority of today’s workforce, (approximately 35% according to U.S (United States). Bureau of Labor Statistics) which make their upbringing and workplace values especially of interest to employers. As the name suggests, most Millennials were raised at the turn of the millennium, serving as the last generation to see life before and after the complete digital takeover. In addition to witnessing extreme technological growth and development that spawned unprecedented levels of communication, Millennials were old enough to understand 9/11 and its aftermath and grew up seeing the importance and benefit to the work-life balance that Gen Xers prioritized.  

These childhood environments resulted in a highly progressive, empathetic generation that was the first to integrate moral values into the workplace: striving to only work in environments that aligned with their core socio-political values, even at the cost of a pay-cut. The Millennial workplace mindset is best described as “ work hard, play harder, but try to only work where you can see yourself play” . According to Haillo and indeed, some common workplace values essential to the average Millennial worker are personalized and frequent internal communication, diversity and inclusion, flexibility + remote options, teamwork, professional growth, and professional development (emphasis on learning new skills.)  

Generation Z

(Born 1997 to 2010) 

Lastly, but surely not least, is Generation Z, (or Gen Z’ers,) the incoming generation of today’s workforce. Currently, Gen Z accounts for 30% of the world’s population and is projected to compose about 30% of the workforce population in less than 5 years. As the first generation to truly exist without knowledge of what it’s like to grow up without digital technology, it’s no surprise that there are many qualities unique to Gen Z that clearly set them apart from the past three generations we’ve discussed.  

Growing up with emergence and proliferation of social media apps and the world wide web, Gen Z has been named “the first global generation,” with access to everything ( and everyone ) at just one click of a button. Pair this with the global economic and health upheavals caused by the global financial crisis that spanned 2007 to 2009, the global distress caused by the climate emergency, and the economic fallout from COVID-19 that transitioned the world online, we would expect this lack of stability would produce a generation of similar values and beliefs to those of the Boomers. However, what Gen Z had that Boomers did not was the ability to communicate openly and honestly about their thoughts, feelings, and experiences with tens, hundreds, thousands, even millions of other people experiencing similar (or worse) upheavals. Gen Z is the first generation to have access to every perspective; the first generation where almost no traumatic or unpleasant experience was isolated , unrelatable , or unique–  the first generation of global community.  

According to Zurich and McKinsey & Company , Gen Z is the generation of truth, exploration, and identity (or lack thereof). Gen Z is driven by an insatiable hunger for underlying truths and seeks freedom from any confining labels that limits any exploration of these truths. Resultantly, retaining Gen Z in the workplace presents even greater difficulty than retaining Millennials. Taking the previous generation’s prioritization of working at companies with similar socio-political values a step further, Gen Z has no problem leaving a company or business that contrasts with their beliefs. Moreover, Gen Z is the generation with the least regard for salary, often placing workplace values over competitive pay. For this generation, these values include meaningful work, diverse and i nclusive company culture, mental health prioritization, open and honest communication, stability and balance, professional growth and development, collaboration, autonomy, and flexibility (emphasis on remote work options). 

In Conclusion…  

Workplace values are the most important guiding principles for how, when, and why employees work. Over time, these values have become increasingly progressive in the workforce, transforming from work-centric ideologies to person-first mindsets. Where Baby Boomers were content with devoting their lives to the work they found, Millennials and Gen Z seek purposeful devotions that serve both themselves and the communities they care about. For employers, understanding how the changing times result in generations with different workplace and worker values will not only help to better understand your employees but will also help to ensure the workplace environment you cultivate attracts, retains, and empowers all of your people.  

References 

Francis, Tracy, and Fernanda Hoefel.  ‘True Gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies.  ,  https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies.  

Herrity, Jennifer.  4 Common Characteristics of Generation X Professionals.  , 2022, https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/generation-x-professional-characteristics. 

Indeed Editorial Team.  10 Common Characteristics of the Millennial Generation.  , 2022, https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/10-millennial-generation-characteristics. 

Kane, Sally.  Baby Boomers in the Workplace: How Their Generational Traits and Characteristics Affect the Workplace.  , 2019, https://www.liveabout.com/baby-boomers-2164681. 

Kasser, Tim, Richard Koestner, and Natasha Lekes. “Early Family Experiences and Adult Values: A 26-Year, Prospective Longitudinal Study  .”  Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin , vol. 28, no. 6, 2022,  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0146167202289011?journalCode=pspc, doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167202289011. 

Martic, Kristina.  Millennials in the Workplace: 11 Ways to Attract and Keep Them.  , 2022,  https://haiilo.com/blog/millennials-in-the-workplace-11-ways-to-attract-and-keep-them/.  

Smith, Robert.  Generation X: History and Characteristics.  , 2021, https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/generation-x-characteristics-history. 

U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.  Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population by age, sex, and race.  , 2022, https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat03.htm. 

Zurich Editors.  How will Gen Z change the workplace?  , 2022, https://www.zurich.com/en/media/magazine/2022/how-will-gen-z-change-the-future-of-work. 

College Essay Tips for First-Gen Students

tl;dr: Writing a first-gen student essay can be a daunting task, but it's an amazing opportunity to showcase your personality and be the host of your own immersive world. Start by choosing a challenge you have faced as a first-gen student and then outline why it was significant, what you learned, and how others can learn from it. Make sure to captivate your audience with a strong introduction, add immersive descriptions, and talk about your future in the conclusion. Don't forget to ask for help from teachers and peers to edit your essay for grammar and feedback!

What is a First-Generation Student?

A first-generation student is someone who is the first generation in their family to attend a 4-year college or university. This can encompass many different types of students from diverse backgrounds.  While some of these students' families may have been living in the United States for a long time, others may have been born in the U.S. to immigrant parents 👪 or a naturalized American citizen.

For more information about first-gen students, check out this article from CollegeVine !

What is a First-Gen Student Essay?

A first-generation student essay is different from a regular college essay because the reader wants to hear about the struggles you experience as a first-gen student. First-gen essays are mostly found in scholarship prompts but can be used as your personal essay on the Common or Coalition Application. Being that these prompts are found in scholarships, not all first-gens are required to write them! The prompts tend to follow the guideline of “describe a challenge you have faced as a result of being a first-gen student.” First-gen essays allow you to describe the aspects of your life that have been challenged due to being a first-gen and how those obstacles strengthened 💪 your spirit; in this essay, you have the chance to highlight your culture first hand.

Although these are not first-gen student essays, reading these sample essays can help you understand essay structure and brainstorm essay topics !

How to Structure Your First-Gen Student Essay

Most of the time, first-gen essays are found in scholarship prompts, meaning that other students might face the same struggles as you. What’s important to remember 💭is how you flourished despite those struggles or moments, how the lessons learned have altered your future, and how you can use your growth to benefit others. This essay is more than an “essay”; it's an opportunity to exhibit your personality and be the host of your own immersive world the reader will want to come back to. It’s your moment to pull a Gatsby, throw an elaborate party to win the heart of Daisy–even if you die at the end 👀, at least the party holds your memory.  

The first step in developing your essay is choosing your tribulation or a moment of struggle in your life that has stayed with you. In an outline 📝, describe why this event was significant, what you learned, how others can learn from this, and how you might have approached the situation differently. These questions will get you thinking, and hopefully, you can produce at least five solid ideas. From those thoughts, you can cross some moments out.

During this process, it is essential to remember 🧠 that every moment you experienced has value. Crossing out a moment on a list doesn’t mean it’s being crossed out of your life; these moments have made you strong and better prepared for your future. You know you have chosen the right moment when you can write a “novel long” 📖 description of it; however, if the key lesson you learned is omitted from your “novel,” try again.

Now that you have a topic, it is time to captivate the reader. Just like in every English class, you need a strong opening statement! Your essay can be well written but a waste if there’s no eye-catching, breath-holding, heart-racing 😯 intro. This is probably the most important and equally tricky aspect of your essay, so you should designate a decent amount of time and attention to your introduction. You might not get it on the first try, but it’s ok! That is why the delete ❎ key exists.

Once you have your intro, it's time for your essay’s body, meat, and party. Your reader is your guest and if you don’t have the “perfect” theme, guests, food, music, party favors, they’re going to leave unsatisfied eventually. Although you might have all these party 🎉 plans in your head, they aren’t executed in the “real world” until you make it real! In this step, you describe your story, add immersive descriptions, make the reader feel as though they are living your struggles–the highs and the lows included. Don’t leave them wanting a cake slice 🍰. Although this is your opportunity to write a “sob story,” remember that what will make you stand out is the growth you have learned, achieved, and will continue to follow. How did your growth benefit you, your community, your future? Although you are creating a “perfect” party, you still want the reader to come back to celebrate 🙌 with you again.

As with all parties, your essay must come to an end, so make sure the guests are leaving satisfied! To close off your essay, talk about your future. Don’t stray from the lessons and personal growth 🌱 you have achieved. Talk about how you will follow through and use what you learned to uplift and inspire others. You’re the host of the party, and you always want your guests to leave on a positive note.

Tips to Remember

Continuing with the party analogy, although other people might host the same party, it’s imperative to put your own 💃 spin on it. You and another host might have the same theme, but what do you have that they don’t? These essays allow you to show off your personality and your challenges in a manner of different ways.

Being a first-gen student myself, I understand the difficulty in opening up and revealing your tribulations, pain, and vulnerability. However, readers are eager to read about your life–writing a first-gen essay allows you to present a personal glimpse of who you are 🤩.

It’s important to understand that good writing is not only about grammar; many first-gen students learned English as their second language. What's important is the effectiveness in delivering your ideas clearly and being able to communicate 🗣 effectively. After you write your essay, ask a teacher or a peer to edit your essay in order to better your grammar or receive comments that better strengthen your essay.

During this entire writing process, don't listen to the pessimistic voice 🙊 in your head, no matter how persistent it may be. That voice inside you roots from the unnecessary burden of centuries before you. This process might make you question your life, value, or identity, but what matters is that after every struggle you've marched on with your pride intact and spirits high, shaping who you are today. This may be a stressful moment, but you owe it to yourself to step back and relax 🧘. After all, the best parties always have a host that is enjoying themselves as well. Happy writing!  

For more tips about college essay writing, watch this video !

Next, check out these great TikToks and tweets for advice about the college application process!

Guide Outline

Related content, first-gen: preparing for the college application, what extracurriculars should high school sophomores do, college checklist: what to accomplish in your junior year, 5 goals for your freshman year of high school, 10 goals for your freshman year of high school.

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What’s driving generations apart—and ideas to bring them together

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Essay On Generation Gap

Table of Contents

Short Essay On Generation Gap

The generation gap refers to the differences in attitudes, values, and behaviors between people of different generations. This essay will discuss the causes of the generation gap and its effects on society.

The generation gap is caused by several factors, including differences in technology and communication, changes in social norms and values, and the unique historical events and experiences of each generation. For example, older generations may be more resistant to the rapid changes brought about by technology and may not understand the ways in which younger generations use technology to communicate and access information.

The generation gap can have several negative effects on society. For example, it can create a sense of disconnection between different generations, leading to misunderstandings and conflicts. This can cause tensions in families and communities and can result in a lack of cooperation and collaboration between different generations.

The generation gap can also result in a loss of valuable knowledge and traditions, as older generations may not be able to pass on their experiences and wisdom to younger generations. This can lead to a breakdown of cultural heritage and a loss of understanding of the past.

However, the generation gap can also have positive effects. For example, it can drive innovation and progress, as younger generations bring new ideas and perspectives to the table. The generation gap can also encourage mutual understanding and respect, as people of different generations learn from one another and gain a deeper appreciation of different perspectives.

In conclusion, the generation gap is a complex and ongoing phenomenon that has both negative and positive effects on society. To minimize its negative effects, it is important for people of different generations to engage in open and honest communication and to strive to understand one another’s perspectives. By working together, we can build a more united and harmonious society that respects and values the contributions of people of all ages.

Long Essay On Generation Gap

In a world of ever-changing technology, where the distance between generations is widening, it is important to understand what Generation Gap really means. In this article, we will take a look at the differences between generations and how they can be bridged. We will explore the causes of this phenomenon, its effects on individuals and societies, and ways in which it can be overcome. So let’s dive in and find out more about this age-old issue.

Introduction to Generation Gap

Generation gap is a sociological concept which refers to the differences in attitudes, values, beliefs and behaviors between people of different generations.

In today’s society, there is a growing gulf between the young and the old. The traditional values and beliefs of the older generation are increasingly being challenged by the younger generation. This is leading to a growing sense of frustration and misunderstanding between the two groups.

The generation gap is not just about the differences in taste or preferences. It is also about the different worldviews that each group has. For example, the older generation is more likely to believe in traditional values such as hard work, respect for authority and so on. On the other hand, the younger generation is more likely to challenge these values and hold more liberal views on life.

The widening generation gap is causing tension and conflict in many families and workplaces. It is important to understand this phenomenon so that we can find ways to bridge the gap and bring people together.

Causes of Generation Gap

There are a number of factors that can contribute to the generation gap. One of the most common is a difference in values. For example, older generations may place a higher value on things like hard work, respect for authority, and thriftiness. Meanwhile, younger generations may place a higher value on things like creativity, independence, and social justice.

Another big factor that can contribute to the generation gap is technological advancements. Older generations often have trouble keeping up with the latest technology and may not be able to use it as effectively as younger generations. This can lead to feelings of frustration and inadequacy from older adults.

Finally, generational differences in life experiences can also play a role in the generation gap. For instance, those who grew up during wartime or during the Great Depression may have very different outlooks on life than those who grew up in more stable times.

Effects of Generation Gap

The Generation Gap has been around for as long as different generations have existed. It is the difference in the attitudes, values, and beliefs between one generation and another. The term is usually used to refer to the gap between young people and their elders, but it can also refer to the divide between two groups of people who are different ages within the same generation.

The effects of the generation gap can be both positive and negative. On the positive side, young people can bring new ideas and perspectives to older generations, which can lead to innovation and progress. On the negative side, the generation gap can create tension and conflict between different groups of people, and it can also lead to a lack of understanding or respect for each other’s beliefs and values.

Impact of Technology on Generation Gap

In today’s world, technology is a major part of our lives. It’s hard to imagine a time when we didn’t have cell phones, computers, or even television. With all of these advancements in technology, there’s been a big impact on the generation gap.

In the past, there was a huge difference between the generations. The older generations grew up in a time where technology wasn’t as advanced as it is now. They had to do things the hard way and they didn’t have all of the conveniences that we have now. As a result, they were often quite skeptical of new technologies and reluctant to embrace change.

The younger generation, on the other hand, has grown up with all of these advancements in technology. They can’t imagine a time when we didn’t have cell phones or computers. For them, embracing change comes naturally. They’re quick to adapt to new technologies and are always looking for ways to improve upon them.

As you can see, there’s been a big impact on the generation gap thanks to technology. The older generation is now more open to change and the younger generation is leading the way in terms of innovation.

Cultural Differences and Generation Gap

Cultural differences and generation gap is a common phenomenon in every society. All around the world, there are different cultures with their own customs and traditions. These cultures have been passed down from generation to generation, and each new generation learns and practices them.

However, as time goes by, some of these cultural traditions may change or disappear altogether. This is especially true when different generations grow up in different cultures or environments. When this happens, it can lead to a generation gap – where the older generation may not understand or agree with the younger generation’s beliefs or actions.

This can be a source of tension and conflict between generations. It’s important to remember that each generation is shaped by the historical events and cultural influences of their time. So, try to be understanding and respectful of others, even if you don’t always see eye-to-eye.

How to Bridge the Gap Between Generations?

There are a number of ways to bridge the gap between generations. One way is to find common ground. What do you have in common with your parents or grandparents? Maybe you both like to read, garden, or play sports. Once you find something that you both enjoy, you can start to build a relationship from there.

Another way to bridge the generation gap is to simply listen to each other. Hear what your elders have to say about their life experiences. Ask them questions about their childhood, their marriage, their career, etc. And then share your own stories with them. It’s through communication that we can start to understand and appreciate each other more.

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you need help understanding something that your elders say or do, just ask them! They’ll be more than happy to explain it to you. By opening up the lines of communication, we can begin to close the generation gap.

Overall, it is clear that the generation gap between older and younger generations is wide. As a society, we should strive to bridge this gap by fostering open communication between different age groups so that they can learn from one another. This will help us create a more understanding and harmonious environment where everyone can work together towards achieving common goals.

Manisha Dubey Jha is a skilled educational content writer with 5 years of experience. Specializing in essays and paragraphs, she’s dedicated to crafting engaging and informative content that enriches learning experiences.

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Student Essay: Helping the Older Generation Embrace Technology

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Jordan Mittler, a sophomore at The Ramaz Upper School in New York City and a participant in the Wharton Global Youth Summer Program, is the founder of Mittler Senior Technology, a company that helps senior citizens adapt to the world of technology. In this student essay, Jordan shares the story of how he started his business and why it has become so critical during this time of social isolation — especially in New York City, the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S.

In the next few months, Wharton Global Youth will be featuring a new essay every week, written by students around the world who are at home and eager to share their stories of entrepreneurship, leadership and experiences with business.

Five years ago, I gifted my grandparents, Janet and Mark Mittler, iPhones because it was painful for me to watch them still using flip phones! I have always been passionate about technology. I needed to get my grandparents, with whom I am very close, on board with the latest gadgets. It never even occurred to me that they would have no idea how to use an iPhone. They did not know how to perform many of the basic functions that come so easily to my generation, such as texting, Facetiming, photographing — and the list goes on.

And so, the idea for my business was born. I knew I needed to help this older generation, who missed the technology boom and was literally scared of trying to figure out our new connected world. As a result of this very real fear, they were often left alone and out of touch because they couldn’t communicate like everyone else.

Bonnie’s Got Mail

I decided to test my market concept at the local nursing home. I will never forget walking through those doors. I was only 11 at the time, and the director looked at me as if I had 10 heads. I went to the recreation floor and asked over a microphone: “Who would like free technology help?” I only had one taker. Her name was Bonnie Fisher, and I sat with her one-on-one for more than a year providing technology lessons. You should have seen Bonnie light up when she figured out how to connect with her sister and friends over email! I needed to figure out a way to reach a bigger audience.

I reached out to my synagogue, Congregation Kehilath Jeshrun, and asked if they would send a letter by mail promoting free technology help to all of their members over the age of 65. The synagogue was flooded with phone calls from interested seniors looking to enroll in tech class each Sunday. My temple, affiliated with my school, also let me use the school’s computer lab to hold my weekly classes. So many seniors showed interest that I had to maintain a waitlist. I got them into the classroom and taught them everything from texting to FaceTime and how to navigate the internet.

Fast forward to February 2020, and my classes were booming. I had even inspired some of my friends to join me in volunteering their time as teaching assistants. I had just added another class to fit in as many beginner and intermediate seniors as possible, and I felt like I was in a very good position to start scaling my business to reach even more learners.

We all know what happened next. Coronavirus swept through the world and our country, hitting the senior population the hardest and having a grim impact on New York City (reporting nearly 4,500 deaths through the beginning of April). During this time, I canceled my Sunday classes as my own schedule moved to at-home online learning.

I also realized, however, that senior citizens were suddenly even more cut off than ever. This new world of distancing was going to throw the older generation into more social isolation than they had ever experienced. One of my students, Roz Zuger, is 94 years old. I knew she would be disappointed without her weekly dose of tech class. So, I decided that I would attempt to continue my classes online via Zoom and walk all of my seniors through setting up the application and account. I started with Roz, spending endless phone calls with her to get her set up and comfortable with the online meeting platform. Roz had lots of trouble with the audio function on Zoom, and we slowly worked through this together.

After missing only one in-person class – and sending multiple texts and reminder calls — I had my whole class plus others online with me for our first virtual session. I updated my curriculum to be most helpful for seniors during this time when they were homebound and alone. For example, Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, the Rabbi Emeritus of my synagogue and Principal Emeritus of my school, needed help creating a group chat so he could communicate with all his children at one time. He was having particular trouble setting this up. I was able to show him virtually how to work through all the issues.

Facetiming and Ordering Groceries Online

The key to my teaching success with the older generation is showing, not just explaining. For seniors, talking in technology terms is less effective than presenting them with a visual of how to do something. They’re just not used to the language of technology. Roz, for example, was only able to launch Zoom after I Facetimed with her and sent her pictures via text of the next steps she needed to take. I helped Rabbi Lookstein by sharing visuals with him from my own computer screen.

In the past few weeks, we have been figuring this out as we go along – and it’s working. I started to record all of my Zoom sessions, so the seniors could replay any section of our class for review. After each online session, I send out a link to the recording, as well as a message with everything covered in class that day. My updated curriculum includes showing my students (which total some 80 seniors) how to order groceries online, how to order from Amazon, how to Facetime to stay connected, how to access online newspapers, and, of course, how to mute and unmute their Zoom audio.

It has been really rewarding for me to help so many people become tech-savvy during a time when technology has never been more fundamental to our daily lives. Social distancing has helped me bridge even further the gap between generations – and empower older people with the very valuable tool of connection.

Related Links

• Teen Vogue: Teens Are Helping Seniors Stay Connected

Conversation Starters

How did Jordan Mittler think like an entrepreneur in a time of crisis? Need help? Check out this Wharton Global Youth article for guidance.

Initially, Jordan only had one customer. Why was Bonnie so important to the growth of his idea and his business?

Have you used innovation to respond to needs during the coronavirus pandemic? Share your story in the Comment section of this article.

33 comments on “ Student Essay: Helping the Older Generation Embrace Technology ”

Wow! It’s incredible how technology can connect everyone. Many people often say that technology drifts us apart, but I’d like to disagree. In the current age, technology lets people from all walks of life to seamlessly connect. From Jordan’s example of how he helped local senior citizens be accustom to technology, it indeed shows how something as small as a smartphone can bridge generational divides.

Moreover, I’d like to add that I’ve seen a similar experience with my grandparents. My grandparents currently reside in India while I live in the US. This poses a problem as we cannot communicate readily. However, I found a solution to that vexing issue last summer. My family and I decided it was time for a change in the technology my grandparents were using, so we bought them iPhones. I helped them understand the ins and outs of how to use the technology which they were not familiar with. Because of this, they often facetime us from India and have even become like teenagers, as now they are glued to their phones.

Hi Vishnu, I really enjoyed reading your anecdote about your grandparents in India. I could relate to this issue since my grandparents live in Maryland, while I reside in New Jersey. Pre-isolation, my extended family and I would visit them almost bimonthly. This was crucial to their well-being, as they live alone in a rural area. During the quarantine, I helped introduce them to Zoom, which has been a useful online tool. Now that they are capable of using it, our entire family has weekly digital chats. In relation to this article, our examples of giving help to our grandparents exemplify the responsibility of younger generations to take initiative with technology. Jordan allowing the Rabbi Emeritus of his synagogue to communicate with all his children at once is an important example of lending knowledge and skills to older generations to maximize efficiency and happiness during these times of uncertainty.

I understand that technology helps connect people, especially during this time of endless quarantines. It is beneficial that the older generation is taking an interest in technology, breaking the stereotype that the elderly reject new ideas. After all, technology was and is made to make humans’ lives easier. However, while reading both your comments, Vishnu and Charlie, along with the article, I see that in all the cases of older people using technology, it is because the elderly generation have no other ways to stay connected. Now, this sparked a curious thought inside me—the elderly are using tech because especially during this time period, they really need it to prevent themselves from becoming isolated. But when it comes to young people, we just use tech because we are so addicted to it. We reach for a phone because it’s just what teens do. We text, FaceTime, and play multiplayer games with each other simultaneously. For the elderly, the chance to be able to connect with their loved ones is a big highlight in their life. They have not experienced such ease and luxury for much of their lives.

In contrast, teens have grown up around technology. We should try to bring back a culture that is less focused on technology usage to grow up appreciating the time we use technology, especially to connect with others. The younger generation is so desensitized by constant interaction through texting and voice/video calls that we often fail to appreciate it. I was surprised by the enthusiasm of the elderly when Jordan offered classes, but now I realize that it’s because they have realized its value and are taking efforts to gain the most out of it. For me, it took spending some time in quarantine to realize this. My friends and I are always complaining how we are so lonely, when we have actually been texting and calling daily before the COVID-19 outbreak. Teens need to shift a little bit away from the constant technology usage and take time to do other things that do not require technology—perhaps even teaching their elderly relatives about technology, as Jordan did.

I also have another major concern: older people are already at huge risk to scams and privacy issues, and presenting them with increased technology would give others more opportunities to take advantage of the elderly. I already admire Jordan very much for being able to accomplish the feat of teaching the elderly about technology, and I am also very impressed at how he runs his program so professionally and in such an organized way. But I also hope that Jordan, along with you, Vishnu and Charlie, for your grandparents, have presented the gift of technology as well as explained the dangers that come with technology. There are many scammers and hackers that target the elderly, as they are known to take weaker security measures without knowing the consequences. They are more susceptible to common false alerts on the internet and on phone calls. When we think of introducing technology to the elderly, thinking about their tech security and scam-awareness are not the first things that come to mind, so I think there should be further steps taken to make that a priority. Still, I understand that connecting with loved ones is a priority in this case, as it is a good thing that your grandparents have been able to establish a system of communication to maximize the time you all share. I hope there will be more cases similar to that of yours and Jordan’s students. That way, the world can truly be connected and everyone will FEEL connected!

Daniel It is interesting that you note that students now are doing school from home and despite being tech savvy, they miss the socialization of school and may have to find other ways of relating to their friends or spending their time. They can stimulate their minds thinking about how they can contribute to society, or better their reading and writing skills.

Charlie It is important for children and grandchildren to recognize that their senior relatives can benefit from learning technology, and a little patience in instructing them will make them so happy. On a personal note, my Rabbi has done so much for my family and has been there for all of our family’s life events, so it gave me personal pleasure to help teach him how to connect with his family in new ways during these challenging times.

I love your personal experience with your grandparents. Your thoughts remind me that helping the older generation learn the use of technology also help us connects our lives with theirs.

Vishnu This is wonderful to hear that you got your grandparents iPhones and they are now using FaceTime. It is interesting that you point out that technology sometimes causes people to drift apart, maybe because it is often something people do alone without communicating with others. There are so many elements of technology like face time or zoom that allow people to connect virtually.

Hey Vishnu,

It sounds like we both share Jordan’s experience with the elderly population. I definitely agree that technology has connected us all and bridged generations. While your grandparents are in India, mine are in Florida. I know it’s not quite as far away, but for them, it’s far enough. Similar to how you guys had to cater your lessons to what their generation was used to, I have had my share of challenging but also rewarding experiences. For Jordan, it was FaceTime and Zoom; for me, it was Gmail.

My grandpa called me one day because his friend had sent out a party invite as a list. Grandpa spent about forty minutes trying to find it. I told him to look carefully and like Santa, check his list twice. He didn’t think that was funny. I realized that his friend’s email probably went to his Spambox. I told him to look to the left to find Spambox and click on it. He replied “My Gmail must be different from yours; I don’t have a Spambox folder.” After a few minutes of trying to describe it to him, I FaceTimed him. I looked on his screen and realized that he needed to scroll down in order to find Spambox.

For me, I had always automatically scrolled down to find it without even realizing that I did this. To me, every action or click is like a knee-jerk reflex, but I realized that for grandpa, his reflexes needed a bit more time to kick in. Jordan is absolutely right in that the elderly need more hands-on and visual support. Remember, they grew up with things that required more physical interaction like holding a thick hardcovered book or applying their index finger on a rotary phone. Even my mom tells me she used to love watching each digit of the rotary phone make its way back!

Anyways, thank goodness for FaceTime. I showed grandpa how to scroll down to find his Spambox. And sure enough, the mysterious party invite miraculously appeared. I thought about teaching Grandpa how to move that conversation to his Inbox, but he was so elated that I decided to save this lesson for another day.

I found this article very relatable as I have as well tried to teach my grandparents how to use a mobile phone. At the end I was only able to teach my grandmother how to play candy crush and how to select who she wanted to call without needing to type the number every time. But nothing more. She kept refusing to learn the “new and unnecessary technologies”.

What he is doing very important, specially during the coronavirus epidemic. I have found the elderly are the ones who suffer the most isolation, as they are the ones that are less connected. It reminds me of a video what was viral in social media about a grandmother who sang happy birthday to herself, alone, in her house. It broke my heart. This is why seemingly-small ideas like these can really make an impact and change people’s lives for the better.

Hi Alejandra! I can totally relate to your experience. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been sympathizing for the elderly in nursing homes, who are not able to interact with families. Therefore, I started Facetime sessions with the elderly, either playing piano for them or chatting with them to help time pass by for them. However, I came across some obstacles, such as having difficulties getting on the video chat. She told me that although she enjoys having a companion to talk to, it is really hard for her to work with the technology, such as logging onto the computer. I was dejected for not being able to teach her about technology usage due to the quarantine lockdown.

Furthermore, I live on the opposite side of the globe from my grandmother. The only form of communicating and interacting is through technology. However, she also has hard time using it as well, and it really is painful to think that I am not able to spend most of the time actually talking rather than being lost on using the technology to communicate, especially when I want to spend as much time with her.

As of in the near future, I would like to create a nonprofit business, putting an emphasis on sharing our knowledge of technology to those who are not efficient with it.

Alejandra Seniors are often fixed in their ways and unwilling to change. They like what has been working for so many years. They have to be told that is ok to try things with their phone and not to be afraid to make a mistake. Your grandmother liked to make calls but she may like to learn how to text if she is encouraged to do so, and understand this is a popular way to communicating these days. If she tries it maybe she will like it. She may appreciate someone texting her an image or picture, something you can’t do over the phone.

This article really reflects the present situation of contemporary society.In just 20 years, from cover phones to smartphones, from 2G to 5G, from 8GB to 512GB, the change is so fast and dramatic that the elderly feel disjointed by the society. Take my family for instance. In the 5 years ago, my grandparents don’t know how to use the smartphones. But now, they can use the app like Wechat to communicate with others. When they go out and buy stuffs, they use the apple pay instead of paying the cash. This paves the convenient for them because the elderly will be easy to lost cash or coins on the way home. You know that they will be disappointed and complaint when they know they just lost several dollars. This problem can be solved now. The another advantage that I discovered is that seeing the doctor online. In the past, my grandfather had to get up early around 5.am and go to the hospital to make an appointment. In the morning, the temperature is very low and it is so tired for him to register. But now, they can make the appointment online through the app. This can largely save the time on the way to the hospital and queuing outside the gate. After finishing the doctor, The medicine will be mailed to the home, so that grandpa would not have to go to the hospital to get it again and again. This class sounds great since it helped a lot of “students” to learn the advanced technology. Nowadays, many young people are busy with their work and don’ have enough time to teach their parents to use the phones. This class just solves this embarrassment. Recently, my grandparents know a lot of knowledge about the prevention of COVID-19 and buying the food online without going to the market to reduce the risk of infection. The phones really make the life more convenient and these classes should be encouraged by the public. We should try our best to make the contribution to the society.

I agree with you, YuTao. The article really emphasizes the change that technology has brought onto the modern world and the transformational effect it can have on someone’s life. As technology evolves every day, so does mankind. And in this time and day, it’s up to the newer generation to educate the older generations about this change. Being part of the new generation myself, I’ve had to teach many family members about technology as well, such as setting up an app, purchasing something, or helping them understand how to communicate with their friends through the use of WeChat and similar apps. A couple of years ago, we went back to China to visit our family, and at the end of the trip, because the thought of saying goodbye and not speaking to them for a long time was so painful, we decided to get them new phones and teach them how to use them so we could communicate with the touch of a button whenever we missed each other. My cousin and I had to teach our uncles, aunts, and grandparents how to set up their new phones and WeChat because technology was still foreign to them at the time. And now, they use their phones just like anyone would in this day and time, despite the large age gap between us. At home, my mom constantly asks me questions about technology because she isn’t very technologically advanced, due to the fact that she immigrated here from China back when there was little technology available. However, now that she has one, she constantly asks me how to set things up, how to search things up, or how to manage her WeChat when she wants to call or FaceTime some of her friends. She’s also learned to use her phone to go places by using Google Maps. Using handheld maps and knowing the routes by heart is no longer needed with the advancement of technology. Because of the elderly’s age, getting places and doing things by themselves is not as easy as it was when they were younger. They aren’t able to support themselves, and their kids may be too busy with work and their own lives to be around them every hour of the day. With their newfound technology, they can call for assistance by simply pressing a button that will notify help, or call someone in case of an emergency. Technology could very well save someone’s life. Moreover, I feel like the class that Jordan has decided to teach could end up helping everyone, not just his students. His teaching the classes means that the elderly’s kids don’t need to teach them themselves, and instead can focus on working and supporting their family as a whole. They can rest assured knowing that their parents are safe and that they know what to do in case of an emergency. In addition, they could also learn to download some games for their own entertainment. It’s important to acknowledge Jordan for everything he’s done and to appreciate him for giving us this opportunity to experience something new that can help many. This example shows just how much technology has evolved over these years.

YuTao Thank you for your kind words. More people are no longer using money, so it would be helpful for seniors to use their phone to pay for things, maybe with credit card or Apple Pay. It is very helpful for seniors to be able to use electronics for medical purposes, like emailing with a doctor. I also teach in my class about a healthcare app where seniors can keep all of their medical information.

Experience is key in entrepreneurship. One of the few ways we have to better ourselves as entrepreneurs, and our businesses as life experiences, is going through an initial process of practice and learning, often a synonym for failure. Bonnie’s role in the case of this fantastic entrepreneurial story is exactly this one: giving Jordan a starting point, from which acknowledging the actions necessary to improve the quality of the business. As often stated throughout the article, connecting people has never had such an importance in the terrible crisis we are facing due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Older people are being left behind, not only technologically, but unfortunately socially too: missing tools, such as the previously discussed iPhones and laptops, and absent experience, make it much more difficult for grandmas and grandpas to go beyond the standard, old-fashioned phone call, in a world, in a time, where the closer we can get to having real-life meeting with our loved ones is joining a Zoom call. I personally find this a wonderful example of how we, as youngsters, can personally engage in making these terrible times lighter and less burdensome: each small action can make a difference, regardless of the size of our targeted audience, and our duty as world-citizen, I think, has never had such an important role in our everyday life.

Jacopo I’ve been very fortunate to have this entrepreneurial experience at this early age, and I hope to continue through my high school years so that I will be able to expand this program and scale it so it helps so many more people.

Similar to your experiences, I am also a sophomore and also volunteer to aid senior individuals in adapting to new technology! As a branch director in an organization called Teach Seniors Technology, I could not relate more on the initial difficulties in gaining customers. A few years ago, when I walked into my local community center to give my first lesson, there were only one or two students. In fact, there were many times during my first couple of months volunteering where no students had signed up for my weekly lessons! Though I wasn’t necessarily successful at first, I was also forced to adapt for these reasons. After reaching out to the community center staff, I was able to secure a classroom and promotion materials for my service which now serves several seniors each week.

Yet, I believe the “success” of my organization is determined by much more than the number of seniors who I teach. I often serve seniors from China, who have to bridge both the language barrier and the technological gap here in the United States. One of the ladies at my branch literally burst into joy when I taught her how to use Google Translate! In a world which is becoming increasingly interconnected and reliant on technology, I find that “success” of my volunteering branch rests on reintegrating these seniors into the technological area of society. I am overjoyed by the fact that there are other who share so much similarity with me. As more and more technological advancements are made, we must learn to bridge generational gaps so that our society as a whole can progress together with the technology that is being invented.

Jason It is wonderful to hear of another sophomore participating in a similar type of program.

Just like you, I help senior citizens but also adults from Central and South America with the technology and language barrier that thousands of people face in the United States. Technology is not common for lower classes in third world countries which makes it difficult for these adults and senior citizens to understand what seems like the basics of a smartphone for the majority of people in the US. It is such a joy when I see those which I help finally being able to communicate through Google Translate (An incredible tool I must say) and doing tasks like buying on Amazon, Instacart, or any online store. Observing this has made me come to the conclusion that we must come together as the new technology generation and help all of those individuals who have not gotten the opportunity to learn the incredible benefits the tech world brings; together we can close the digital divide across all ages, races, and socioeconomic statuses. We are the future and have yet to see great things created through technology.

Great response, Rossana! Do I see a team of digital-divide change makers forming here?

Technology helps join people, specially for the duration of this time of infinite quarantines. It is recommended that the older era is taking an hobby in technology, breaking the stereotype that the elderly reject new ideas. After all, technological know-how was once and is made to make humans’ lives easier. However, whilst analyzing each your comments, Vishnu and Charlie, alongside with the article, I see that in all the instances of older humans the use of technology, it is due to the fact the aged era have no different approaches to remain connected. Now, this sparked a curious thinking internal me—the aged are the use of tech due to the fact particularly at some stage in this time period, they genuinely want it to forestall themselves from turning into isolated. But when it comes to younger people, we simply use tech due to the fact we are so addicted to it. We attain for a smartphone due to the fact it’s simply what teenagers do. We text, FaceTime, and play multiplayer video games with every different simultaneously. For the elderly, the hazard to be in a position to join with their cherished ones is a massive spotlight in their life. They have no longer skilled such ease and luxurious for a great deal of their lives.

Despite efforts to teach the older generation about the newest developments in technology, it is saddening how much of the older generation is still very ignorant about it, especially since it is an era of technology.

One summer, I went to China to see my relatives, especially my grandmother. My grandmother lived in more rural parts of Sichuan, in Dazu. She didn’t need to use any technology; as long as she knew how to open the television and call using her corded home telephone, she could live happily growing plants in the back yard and raising chickens. She rarely went into the city to where my other relatives lived, they always visited her instead. However, to my delightful surprise, she proactively volunteered to wait for my arrival in Chongqing, one of the busiest cities in Sichuan.

When I arrived at my aunt’s apartment, where my grandma stayed, I asked jokingly why she decided to finally come to the city, she replied that it was because she hadn’t been here for so long. It was boring back home, and my grandma wanted to experience what life is like in the city for a while. She said that she would stay in the city until I left for America in a few weeks.

I was delighted and planned to take her to all sorts of fun places with great food that I had remembered from my last visit here. In Dazu, you could hardly find such boisterousness due to the lack of crowds. I was sure that she would enjoy it.

One morning, after I had officially settled in at my aunt’s house, my aunt and her husband told me that they were going to go somewhere for the rest of the day and needed me to take care of my grandmother. They said I could take my grandmother out to walk or do some other activities, but to be careful. I agreed with a smile.

My grandma was very happy this particular morning as well. She told me that she wanted to try exercising in the nearby park with some other old people; she wanted to make some friends here. I happily agreed. I walked her to the park and watched her dance and make merry with the folks there. After a few minutes, she could tell that I was a little restless and told me to play on my own and insisted that she could manage herself well. She said that she would go home when she wanted to and told me not to worry. I reluctantly agreed, told her the directions to the apartment building, and gave her the corresponding card. The apartment wasn’t that far, only one block away from the park. Then, I went off to a nearby stationary store to buy some souvenirs for my friends in America.

After some time, I picked the gifts that caught my fancy and went on the line to pay. The store was very popular and so the line was very long as well. After waiting for a quarter of an hour, I finally got out of the line and started my way home. In the distance, I saw a familiar figure. I panicked and hurriedly ran to the entrance of the apartment.

My grandma stood in the burning sun, her arms hung down at her sides, watching the pedestrians. Apparently, she had a squabble with the people from the park almost immediately after I left. She wasn’t in the mood to dance anymore, so she went home. However, the problem is that she didn’t know how to open the more technologically advanced apartment door. To me, the door system was very simple, you just had to swipe a card, but my grandmother never had to use this sort of system, she only ever needed a key. My grandma thought that you just had to press the card against the door or something. She also forgot how to call using the smartphone that was given to her. I also didn’t think it was necessary enough to teach my grandmother how to open the door since it seemed natural to me.

This story truly shows the importance of communication and the need to help the older generation with technology.

“When are you coming back?” These words were music to my 15-year-old ears. I had just helped fix the internet connectivity issue for Ms. Jacobson, one of the residents at Sequoias’, a senior residential facility, where I was volunteering to help seniors with their tech issues in the summer after my freshman year. Ms. Jacobson sent a very nice thank you note about the help she received from me to the Services Director at Sequoias who passed it on to me. The note, painstakingly written in spidery cursive must have taken Ms. Jacobson some time to write and is still cherished by me. The experience with helping seniors with their tech issues and entertaining them with piano recitals helped me get more attuned to the needs of my own grandparents. My two sets of grandparents are separated by a decade and come from similar backgrounds but have very different life experiences. One set of grandparents who live with us are older, technologically challenged, and can call on us anytime to help them operate the phone, the TV and other gadgets. They prefer to read the actual newspaper despite efforts to get them to read news online, and prefer talking on the phone instead of using Facetime. The younger set of grandparents who live in India have a large social circle, live on their own, and while still technologically challenged, have learned the basics of how to use a smartphone, browse the internet, and order online. Jordan’s article made me reflect on my experience working with seniors, both in my own family and outside and I realized that seniors face the same challenges that students of all ages face. First of all, every student learns in their own unique way, much like some of Jordan’s students – Roz and Rabbi Haskel. Some are visual learners, some need more time to read and absorb information on their own, etc. Secondly, each student has different capabilities and interests. Some like one set of my grandparents did not have much interest in learning how to use technology as they were happy with the old ways and could always ask us for help if they needed it. The other set of grandparents found ways to learn the basics that they needed to fulfill their needs as they were living on their own. There is also a social and cultural context to this. More and more seniors are now forced to live on their own, either in their homes or in senior facilities. Those that do not live with family face loneliness among other issues, and do need to know some basics such as texting, online searching and ordering, connecting with their medical provider online, etc. to stay safe, independent, and connected. The need to stay connected has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the issue with being connected is that not only are seniors more vulnerable to scams, they are also very gullible when it comes to fake news. I have had to constantly remind my grandparents who treat WhatsApp and Facebook as reliable news sources that everything they read there is not always true. The other issue is the plethora of apps, tools, and websites that can be overwhelming for seniors. I noticed this issue after working with a couple of seniors at Sequoias and created a home page for every senior I worked with, that contained shortcuts/icons for their most frequently used apps and websites for easy access. Perhaps in all of this, there is an opportunity to create senior-friendly apps and devices, but unfortunately, this is not a coveted demographic for tech companies and marketers. There is certainly a need to help seniors learn tech basics which can enrich and simplify their life. I applaud Jordan’s efforts to provide this valuable service to seniors in his community. However, the bigger question I ponder is that why are seniors put into this position in the first place where instead of enjoying time with their families, they are forced to learn new skills, especially when many have impacted cognitive skills which makes learning new things harder. Additionally, we are only talking about a subset of the senior population. There is a big population of seniors living in poverty who have more pressing issues such as survival to deal with. My own experience with my grandparents and with seniors I worked with is that every single one of them would have preferred to live with their families, surrounded by their children and grandchildren instead of connecting with them over facetime and group chats. In fact, the percentage of multigenerational families in the United States has continued to rise, primarily due to financial necessity. While one size does not fit all and every family has their own unique challenges, perhaps it’s time for us as a society to take a closer look at how best to support the needs of our senior population, given the increased life expectancy in the United States.

Hey, Jatin. I really enjoyed reading your thoughtful post and response. What I love most is that you bring up some broader issues that really add value to the “seniors and technology” conversation. I’ve always admired certain cultures — India for one — where families place more emphasis on caring for and living with their elders, the people without whom they would not even exist. The questions you raise about supporting our senior population are so important! We deliver them meals, help them connect, even give them a ride to the market, but we don’t go beyond to the point of human companionship and connection at a time when they need it most.

The age of smartphones has progressed so quickly that the fact the first iPhone originated just over ten years ago may come as a surprise to many. This development is only one example of a world industrializing at an unprecedented rate. Despite making communication and practically every other aspect of life easier, this revolution may not apply to all — the elderly, as you stated, are often not kept up to date to these new technologies. However, it must be noted that other adults may also not be kept up to date. I believe my parents are a prime example of this. They both immigrated to the United States in the 1980s and made a decent living running a restaurant. However, when it came time to digitalize, they struggled and required my older sister’s assistance to facilitate this new aspect of the business. Now that she’s off to college, it’s my turn to fulfill this position of filling out online documents and forms. This is a growing problem as it is a given that technology will only advance forward, regardless of whether there are those who are unable to utilize these new advantages. That is why I find programs like yours to be so fascinating and thoughtful. My mother has recently taken up taking computer classes, where she learns basic computer navigation skills. It is essential for the whole population to collectively adapt as a whole.

Alvin I appreciate the idea of showing seniors how to fill out forms online, and all of the elements involved in that process.

I certainly agree with Jordan that technology helps us stay connected. It is very important that we help the elderly members of the society on the use of technology. It is not easy to teach the older generation to use technology, as they are not quite familiar with it.

Moreover, I have also had a similar experience with my grandmother who just got a new iPhone and she did not know how to use it properly. Though she was able to make her daily phone calls and read her WhatsApp messages, she did not know how to access the Internet, do Face time and little other stuff. One day during the never-ending lockdown, I decided to teach my grandmother how to use her new phone. Since, she was having sleepless nights due to the change in her sleep cycle because of lockdown, I first taught her how to use YouTube so that she could put spiritual music on it and have good sleep. As days progressed I taught her how to access the daily news online, face timing, texting and many more things. This also gave me an opportunity to spend quality time with my grandmother, which I could not during my school days. My grandmother had a habit of doing all her office-work on paper so, later I started teaching her to use the laptop to check few mails and tally her accounts. This whole process not only helped her a great deal by making her work a lot easier, but also it helped me become more patient by answering the same quarries that she had again and again.

There have been vast advancements in technology over the years and it has helped us in many ways, such as online classes and courses, which are the most helpful things at the moment. By helping the elderly members of the society as to how technology can be used, bridges the generation gap and will help the society progress faster.

I’ve spent a lot of time helping relatives with technology and sometimes it can get very frustrating but I remember that they didn’t grow up with this like we did. So I am more patient and don’t get mad because I love my relatives. What Jordan is doing is really important, especially during this pandemic. The elderly are the most impacted in my opinion, because many of them lack technological experience. His Zoom meetings are a great idea though, keeping the elderly learning and up to date with technology so they can stay connected.

The younger generation is lucky. Since we were young, we have had access to electronic products. Elders often see their grandchildren typing like a speed of light with two thumbs on the keyboard or on the phone, while they themselves can only type letter by letter or word by word with their index fingers. Many elders have only had access to technologies in the past 15 to 20 years. We sometimes get annoyed when they want to learn how to use technology. But when thinking about our situations, aren’t we like them when we are trying to figure out how to solve a simple math question? We see the technologies are easy for us to learn and use, but the elders must take a long time to get used to using technologies.

The last time I saw my grandmother in person was five years ago, but we are able to FaceTime each other at least once a week. When I visited her in China five years ago, I saw her struggling to send a message on WeChat or even make a simple phone call. She would forget which group chat is which and would constantly send private messages in group chats with other family members in it. When I started teaching her how to use WeChat, I saw my grandma was listening to what I was saying very carefully. I taught her how to use WeChat for video calls, voice calls, and many other functions of the app. Later, she took her cellphone and just pressed on it casually trying to use the phone herself. This makes me think that the elders are still very curious to learn new things and look forward to more connections with others so as not to be disconnected from society.

Although she still struggles with using keyboards, my grandma has greatly increased her ability to use her phone. Now she is able to shop online and play simple games on her phone like mahjong and Candy Crush. She sends us many photos of places she has visited and writes that she wishes to take me on one of her trips. Communication is a bridge to build interpersonal relationships. From sharing feelings to expressing ideas, the world requires us to communicate with others. Not just through face-to-face communication, but also through technologies, we are able to share our feelings with others through a simple call or message. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, we find communication important with family members or friends or co-workers through technologies. We have stayed home for more than one and a half months, and we would need to communicate with our parents almost every day and stay with them 24/7 face-to-face. We might not know how to have a conversation with them before, but with this pandemic, we might have no choice but to speak with them. We have learned that communicating with them is not as hard as we thought, and moreover, it is enjoyable to hear stories from our parents or other elders in the family. The elders are aging every day and we are growing up every day. It is hard for us to frequently see each other in real life, so technology is how we would connect and communicate with them.

What a sensational experience, Jordan! I enjoyed reading your stories, and I was astonished at how your involvement with elders related to mine.

As another member of Generation Z, technology and the rapid advancement of modern devices have always piqued my interest. Due to my eagerness, I grew up as a tech nerd, earning the title of “tech guy” in the family. “Alvin, why is my wifi not connecting?” “Alvin, what’s wrong with our TV?” “Alvin, why is my Bluetooth not connecting?” At least five times a day, I would hear such questions from my parents and brothers. From simple wifi connection problems to complicated home appliance control systems, I had to be present if the issues involved technology.

My title became significant as COVID invaded our lives. Similar to your experience, my grandparents struggled the most as the majority of platforms and services turned online. Since my grandparents were in a higher-risk group for exposure to COVID, they had to be extremely cautious. They could not go outside to get food or to their workplace. Whether they liked it or not, they had to stay home and adapt to online platforms to order food and attend Zoom meetings. And, as the “tech guy” of the family, I was responsible for providing comfort for my grandparents. Starting from scratch, I had to water down difficult technological terminologies such as Airdrop, iCloud, and Bluetooth to help them rapidly adapt to new lifestyles. Such experiences were similar to teaching elementary schoolers about calculus, in which I realized how uncomfortable it was for my grandparents to utilize new technologies. For instance, Bluetooth features offer wireless connections within the comfort of one’s own vicinity, which is one of the reasons why younger generations utilize Bluetooth: it provides comfort. On the other hand, older generations have an arduous time figuring out how to connect devices using Bluetooth since they are unfamiliar with such features. It is true that consumers are attracted to more comfortable features, and businesses provide new technologies that could reduce time management for consumers. However, it creates a downside for older generations, making them take longer to do something. While convenience for the younger generations increases with the use of technology, the older generations are having difficulty adapting to rapid technological advancement.

By observing the hardships of older generations from my grandparents’ perspective, I thought there was a need for action. Although there are various ways to address such issues, I focused on a fundamental need for everyone: food.

Therefore, I gathered up my close friends, Robert and Kaiden, who shared similar visions regarding this issue, and we came up with an accessible software that will make it approachable for elders to order food from nearby food centers. Essentially, our solution focused on a sustainable, healthy, and accessible approach that is similar to your experience helping elders order groceries. We developed a food ordering app that sends prepackaged, nutritious meals to seniors who sign up for it. Our sign-up system is very simple since it could be pre-installed on phones, involves one click of a button, and has well-explained and accessible payment methods; for example, this service allows the program to automatically extract money from the elder’s source of payment which minimizes the complicated process of payment process every. Ultimately, elders can readily receive healthy and hearty meals at their doorstep. We also utilized the Zoom recording function to create tutorials to help elders navigate through our process. These methods of solution could sound ironic at first, but I believe the most effective solution for elders who are uncomfortable with technology is to expose them to an extent of unfamiliarity to reduce their discomfort.

Like most other start-ups, our application lacks feasibility, so initially, we must test it on a small group of elders and make adjustments. If our test proves to be successful, we will launch our application, which will familiarize elders with technology and aid them in accepting and embracing modern devices. Moreover, I would like to expand this business into providing food and holding online classes about ordering goods, entertainment, media, and safe technology use for elders. I would happily like to share words with you about this matter, and I want to resemble your helping and enthusiastic attitude towards social advancement.

Wow! This is a really beautiful essay. It inspires me to see a fellow teenager making such a positive impact in the world today.

Technology is one of the major generational gaps we have today, and it is very refreshing and encouraging to see someone trying to bridge that gap. I love your teaching strategy of showing instead of just telling. That is truly one of the best ways to explain. You made an astounding impact in a dreary and challenging time for many. As someone who teaches children in a local orphanage home, I can relate to the indescribable feeling of joy you get when your student finally understands.

I will also like to place emphasis on not just teaching seniors how to navigate the internet, but also on teaching them how to be safe while navigating the internet! Cyber crimes are increasing in a very tremendous way all over the world, as more people look for illegal means to usurp unknowing people. This is one of the major fears of seniors and the older generation concerning technology. I believe that teaching them how to best stay safe in the ‘dangerous’ global world provided by the internet would not just be beneficial to them, but it would also help in further bridging the generational gap.

Chidera, your comment is one that caught my attention. Your comment highlights a crucial aspect of our society today: the technology generation gap. Most importantly, the issue of cyber crimes. Indeed, with the rapid advancement of technology, it becomes increasingly challenging for elderly to keep up. Even some of us from younger generations struggle with mastering the intricacies of various tools and software, like navigating Google spreadsheets.

But you draw attention to the pressing issue of cybersecurity and cybercrime, which poses a significant threat to people of all ages, including the elderly. Even myself, who is clearly not an elderly person, receives tons and tons of spam messages and emails trying to trick me of my money. While these scams may not work on us, they can be extremely tempting for the elderly, who may be more vulnerable to such tactics.

For example, my friend’s grandma was a victim to these scams, falling victim to a company promising to save money for her granddaughter’s college tuition fee. This just highlights your point on the emphasis and awareness that should be put on cyber crimes. It demonstrates how easily elderly individuals can be targeted and deceived and the urgency of addressing the dangers they face while navigating the Internet.

Likewise, in the effort to bridge the technology generation gap, I believe that it is crucial to not only teach the elderly how to use technology but also raise awareness to the public about the prevalence of cybercrime and the importance of robust cybersecurity. By empowering people of all ages with knowledge and strategies to protect themselves online, we can help them become more confident and secure users of digital tools.

I truly believe that with stronger cybersecurity implementation and the awareness we can teach people about, the challenges of cyber crimes is one we can focus less on. Allowing us to focus more on bridging this generational gap, being able to facetime our loved ones, and even send them cool gadgets.

I think this is an amazing and much needed program! People tend to alienate the elderly from our evolving world, waving them off as they say, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” This is incredibly isolating and unfair to them. A month ago, I helped organize a ceremony for my high school, and many senior citizens came to support their grandchildren. The program for the ceremony was online, and I watched many of them struggle to scan a QR code. It was clear they were embarrassed, and they deserve to spend the day celebrating their family rather than feeling ashamed.

It’s also important to recognize that technology can help them stay busy. Many of the elderly cannot drive or live very far from their families. My grandparents live across the world in India. They are retired, and travel is very hard for them. They don’t typically have much to do, and they can get bored and demoralized. However, my grandpa stays busy and keeps his mind sharp by playing sudoku on his iPad. My grandma loves to play candy crush or call her relatives. Teaching the elderly how to use technology can be more helpful than most realize.

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Essay on Generation Gap | Generation Gap Essay for Students and Children in English

February 13, 2024 by Prasanna

Essay on Generation Gap: People belonging to different age groups, who have different ideologies often self create generation gaps. They do so because of the difference in their opinions, likings, thoughts, and interests. Physical and mental strength also changes with the due course of time and is also responsible for the creation of a generation gap.

The generation gap has caused distance between the children and their parents and grandparents, and it has become tougher to maintain peace and harmony. People have forgotten how to communicate with the other generations, and they have isolated themselves. This generation gap is not at all healthy, and we have compiled a few long and short essays and ten lines on the topic of Generation Gap for the readers to use.

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Long and Short Essays on Generation Gap for Students and Kids in English

Given below is a short Essay of nearly 100-150 words for the students of standard 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and a Long essay suitable for the students of Classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Long Essay on Generation Gap 500 words in English

The theory of generation gap was launched around the 1960s, where the younger generation was always found questioning and challenging beliefs, ideas, and viewpoints. Based on the point of view, ideas, behaviour change, and beliefs, generations can be segregated into the following categories, namely: the Baby Boomers who were born between 1946 and 1965. This generation consists of hard-working people who are generally not open to feedback. They try to seek financial security and have an urge to feel appreciated.

The Traditionalists are the people born before the baby boomer generation. They are known to take orders and follow them out efficiently. They like to be around folks who appreciate their experience, knowledge, and loyalty. The Generation Y Group consists of young people born between 1981 to 1999. They try to indulge themselves in work and crave for quick feedbacks. People belonging to this generation are quite creative, and they like to explore their creativity. The Generation X Group have people born between 1965 to 1980 who want their own space. They do not generally like rules, and they want to do things in their ways. They try to give preference to their families first as they had lacked this feeling.

Due to the generation gap, beautiful relationships like the one between a parent and their child is getting hampered. People must respect each other’s individuality rather than imposing their ideas and try to understand each other to clear out all the problems. Everyone must be given their desired space, and when one is explaining themself, the other must patiently listen to them and then give them their opinion and not impose it on them.

If someone does not understand what the other person is saying, the other person should explain it with calm and not avoid the whole topic because this leads to estranged relationships which are not beneficial by any means and can cause conflicts. People must be open to new ideas and not be rigid about their opinions and beliefs. Any issue that comes up must be discussed and not taken into consideration that the others would not understand it. In this way, the generation gaps can be minimized, and people from all the generations can live in serenity.

Short Essay on Generation Gap 150 words in English

Today’s world is changing at a rapid tempo, and this is causing people born in different ages to distance themselves from one another. For example, if we consider India before and after independence, the change is massive. With this change, comes the shift in people’s thinking pattern and opinions. This gap of generation is also affected by the whole drastic change in the economic, social environment, and cultural status.

The most troubling relationship due to this generation gap is the child-parent relationship. It has been observed that both the parents and the children have stopped communicating with each other. The main reason behind this is that both the generation thinks that the other generation finds it difficult to understand. If we keep ignoring this stuff, the generation gap will keep on increasing creating a lot of problems.

10 Lines on Generation Gap Essay in English

• A generation gap can be defined as the differences in opinions and ideologies of people belonging from different generations.
• In today’s world, things are rapidly changing, and this makes the older generation feel bad as they cannot update themselves like the newer generations.
• The new generations also feel left out when the older generation surrounds them as they find it challenging to keep track of what they are saying.
• The generation gap is creating a significant relationship problem amongst parents and children.
• Differences in thought procedure, opinions, views and ideologies have played an active role in creating a generation gap.
• One of the best odds of the generation gap is that one generation does not agree with the other.
• Nowadays, people have become more pretty much conscious of their privacy as they think that the different age would not understand their lifestyle and independence.
• One of the significant problems that lead to a generation gap is that both the generations do not communicate and they do not try to solve each other’s curiosity and ignores them.
• Due to increasing generation gap, it has become tough to maintain harmony.
• The process of negotiation, mutual agreement, and conciliation play a very crucial role in solving generation gap problems.

FAQ’s of Essay on Generation Gap

Question 1. What mainly creates a generation gap?

Answer: Generation gap generally occurs when people belonging from different generations have different beliefs, opinions, actions and interests. The generation gaps are created mainly due to rapid changes in the society, increased life expectancy, and mobility of the community.

Question 2. How can we define the term “generation gap”?

Answer: A generational gap or a generation gap can be defined as a difference between two generations and their views and opinions about values, work ethic, lifestyle, politics, and every other possible thing. In modern days, the generation gap can be recognized as a gap between an individual and their grandparents and parents.

Question 3. Who is responsible for creating generation gaps?

Answer: Generation gaps are created by humans belonging from any generation. People either think that one’s elder to them would not respect their choices and would not be able to understand their opinions and vice versa. This creates a sense of stubbornness and loneliness which is harmful to both the generations. People stop talking to each other thinking that they would not get what the other person tries to explain.

Question 4. Are there any ways to prevent generation gaps?

Answer: There are a few ways in each generation gap may be avoided, some of them are: one should not act like they know it all and must try to understand what the other person has to explain. If one does not infer any terminology, the other person should try to explain it with calmness instead of ignoring it. One must try to improve their communicating skills so that individuals belonging from different generations can also freely talk. By following these simple steps, the generation gap can be avoided.

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Young Generation’s Challenges in Life and Career Essay

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The current youth are living in a hostile environment, unlike the one, our parents grew up in. Being the age of twenty-four years, I have encountered and seen the various challenges that many youths in this generation are experiencing. The list of challenges facing the youth in the current generation is endless with most of them having great impacts on the entire globe. Some of these challenges include; unemployment, drugs, violence, peer pressure, and divorce just to mention but a few. With the increasing global population, the youth have been faced with the challenge of getting employment on completion of their studies.

The youth have been faced with the difficulty of entering the labor market hence making most of them indulge in the informal sector even after spending years of formal training. This generation is also subject to the influence of peers because at this stage of life individuals lack self-confidence and mostly hold low self-esteem. As a result, the youth are influenced to indulge in immoral and irresponsible acts like drugs and alcohol taking.

Due to the reason that the current education system does not emphasize moral guidance for the youth to be able to choose the right course of action in situations of the moral dilemma it becomes a great challenge to them. In addition to this, the fact that the current world is competitive, many parents have resulted in spending more time at work while spending less time with their children hence making them raise themselves in the way they deem fit. The lack of guidance is a great challenge as they are forced to do things on their own whereby some may end up being irresponsible people in the future. Other challenges are those of cultural differences and the rampant cases of divorce.

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IvyPanda. (2021, February 1). Young Generation's Challenges in Life and Career. https://ivypanda.com/essays/young-generations-challenges-in-life-and-career/

"Young Generation's Challenges in Life and Career." IvyPanda , 1 Feb. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/young-generations-challenges-in-life-and-career/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Young Generation's Challenges in Life and Career'. 1 February.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Young Generation's Challenges in Life and Career." February 1, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/young-generations-challenges-in-life-and-career/.

1. IvyPanda . "Young Generation's Challenges in Life and Career." February 1, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/young-generations-challenges-in-life-and-career/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Young Generation's Challenges in Life and Career." February 1, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/young-generations-challenges-in-life-and-career/.

Essay on Life for Students and Children

500+ words essay on life.

First of all, Life refers to an aspect of existence. This aspect processes acts, evaluates, and evolves through growth. Life is what distinguishes humans from inorganic matter. Some individuals certainly enjoy free will in Life. Others like slaves and prisoners don’t have that privilege. However, Life isn’t just about living independently in society. It is certainly much more than that. Hence, quality of Life carries huge importance. Above all, the ultimate purpose should be to live a meaningful life. A meaningful life is one which allows us to connect with our deeper self.

Why is Life Important?

One important aspect of Life is that it keeps going forward. This means nothing is permanent. Hence, there should be a reason to stay in dejection. A happy occasion will come to pass, just like a sad one. Above all, one must be optimistic no matter how bad things get. This is because nothing will stay forever. Every situation, occasion, and event shall pass. This is certainly a beauty of Life.

Many people become very sad because of failures . However, these people certainly fail to see the bright side. The bright side is that there is a reason for every failure. Therefore, every failure teaches us a valuable lesson. This means every failure builds experience. This experience is what improves the skills and efficiency of humans.

Probably a huge number of individuals complain that Life is a pain. Many people believe that the word pain is a synonym for Life. However, it is pain that makes us stronger. Pain is certainly an excellent way of increasing mental resilience. Above all, pain enriches the mind.

The uncertainty of death is what makes life so precious. No one knows the hour of one’s death. This probably is the most important reason to live life to the fullest. Staying in depression or being a workaholic is an utter wastage of Life. One must certainly enjoy the beautiful blessings of Life before death overtakes.

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How to Improve Quality of Life?

Most noteworthy, optimism is the ultimate way of enriching life. Optimism increases job performance, self-confidence, creativity, and skills. An optimistic person certainly can overcome huge hurdles.

Meditation is another useful way of improving Life quality. Meditation probably allows a person to dwell upon his past. This way one can avoid past mistakes. It also gives peace of mind to an individual. Furthermore, meditation reduces stress and tension.

Pursuing a hobby is a perfect way to bring meaning to life. Without a passion or interest, an individual’s life would probably be dull. Following a hobby certainly brings new energy to life. It provides new hope to live and experience Life.

In conclusion, Life is not something that one should take for granted. It’s certainly a shame to see individuals waste away their lives. We should be very thankful for experiencing our lives. Above all, everyone should try to make their life more meaningful.

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Jun 28, 2024 The Impact of Social Media on Youth Mental Health

Social media has become an integral part of daily life in the digital age, especially for the younger generation. Platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook provide endless content streams, encouraging connectivity and creativity, but they also present significant mental health challenges, especially for their younger users.

Social media can offer a sense of community and belonging, which is particularly important for adolescents navigating the complexities of identity and social relationships. It allows for creating online communities where individuals can share experiences and offer support.

However, while some people may experience a sense of connectivity, it can have the opposite effect on others. Dr. Frank Ghinassi, senior vice president of behavioral health services at RWJBarnabas Health and CEO and president at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care , notes: "Constant exposure to filtered and altered reality can distort a young person's self-image and expectations of life. I have real concerns about the negative effects of social media.”

In an opinion piece published in the New York Times, the Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, expressed similar concerns when he called for warning labels to be added on to social media sites , especially for teenagers and their parents, detailing the mental health dangers behind social media applications.

Social media's curated nature often leads to unrealistic comparisons. Youth, some as young as 13 years old, are frequently exposed to idealized images of peers and celebrities, which can worsen feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. In fact, children and adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media double their risk of mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.

Finding a Balance

While social media poses challenges, it is not inherently harmful. Encouraging young people to balance online activities with offline interactions and hobbies is essential. “There is a need for a balanced approach to modern childhood, which involves parents, schools, and the social media industry coming together to decrease the impacts of these platforms on our youth,” says Dr. Ghinassi.

Dr. Ghinassi encourages specific actions from parents, schools, and social media platforms to protect young adults against the negative impacts of social media:

• Parents can monitor their children's social media usage and encourage a balance between virtual and in-person activities – take steps to get kids involved in community events and activities.
• Schools can encourage students to participate in extracurricular activities, clubs, sports, and community service to promote in-person social interaction.
• Social media platforms should be required to introduce warnings about potential negative impacts, such as cyberbullying, body image issues, and addiction, and provide resources for support, such as those offered by RWJBarnabas Health’s Behavioral Health services .

Social media's impact on youth mental health is multifaceted, offering benefits and challenges. However, banning it entirely is not the solution. It is important that we educate young people about both the benefits and the potential risks of social media. By understanding these dynamics and fostering a balanced approach to engagement, we can help young people harness the positive aspects of social media while minimizing its potential harm.

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Guest Essay

Today’s Teenagers Have Invented a Language That Captures the World Perfectly

By Stephen Marche

Mr. Marche is the author, most recently, of “The Next Civil War.”

My son just completed high school and when he leaves for college in the fall my life will change in ways I’m still struggling to contemplate. Among the things I’ll miss most are his lessons in teenage slang. My son has always been generous with me, and I’ve found the slang of his generation to be so much better and more useful than any that I’ve ever used. His slang has also offered me an accidental and useful portrait of how he and his generation see the world.

The primary value of slang has been to create linguistic shibboleths, a way to differentiate yourself quickly from other people. Sometimes the distinction was generational, sometimes it was racial, and sometimes it was ideological, but the slang itself was ultimately a form of social etiquette. From one generation to the next, the terms changed, but the meanings typically didn’t. New words were routinely adopted to express familiar concepts: one generation’s “cool” becomes another’s “dope” and so on.

Members of my son’s generation have a vastly superior approach to slang. They’ve devised a language that responds to the new and distinct reality they face.

Anyone with children, especially ones on the cusp of adulthood, has to reckon with the shameful fact that the world we’re leaving them is so much worse than the one we brought them into. My son’s slang reflects that: It’s a distinct language created for a society that’s characterized, online and off, by collapsing institutions, erosions in trust and a loss of faith in a shared sense of meaning.

“Mid” is an obvious example. I don’t think it even qualifies as teenage slang anymore — it’s too useful and, by now, too widespread. In my son’s usage, things that are mid are things that are essentially average or slightly below. You can’t really complain about them, but they produce no joy. They’re often the result of the refinement of market research to the exact level that tepid consumer acceptance is achieved. Everything in Starbucks falls into the category of “mid.” So does everything in an airport. It’s a brilliant, precise word for a world full of mild disappointments, where the corner bakery that used to do some things well and other things poorly has been reliably replaced by yet another Le Pain Quotidien.

“Glazed” has a similarly impressive precision. When my son describes something as glazed, it’s meant to signify not lying, exactly, or even exaggerating, but the act of positively spinning a judgment. “Glazed” indicates a gilding of information; sports commentary, for example, is 90 percent glaze. When Stephen A. Smith, the quintessential glazer, likens Anthony Edwards to Michael Jordan , a proper response might be “The Ant glazing is crazy.” But glaze is also the perfect description of the way social media works: The world you encounter online is perpetually glazed, with everything taking on an artificially positive, unreal and not entirely trustworthy gloss.

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