Generations

by Ali-Asad

Every age has its defining periods. Be it World War 2, Women's Suffrage or the Internet. These common experiences impact everyone to a certain degree. These shared experiences allow sociologists to distinguish various generations of peoples and identify the characteristics they share. Authors William Strauss and Neil Howe, in their book Generations: The History of America's Future , attempted to identify various generations and their shared characteristics.

Howe & Strauss theorize that history moves in cycles. Stage 1 is an Awakening where a new social order takes root and adults are driven by philosophical or religious zeal. This Awakening proceeds to the 2nd stage, which is the Unraveling, where this established social order brings about peace and prosperity. The 3rd stage is the Crisis phase, where the old order is challenged by a younger generation with their own vision of social order. This Crisis is follow by the High phase where the crisis is resolved. Each generation is impacted depending on what stage of history they come of age.

The last 4 generations are known as the Baby Boomers, Generation X and the Millenials.

Baby Boomers: (Born between 1945-1960)
Key Events: JFK Assassination, Women's Movement
Key Attributes: individualism, experimentalism, distrust of governement

Generation X: (Born between 1961-1980)
Key Events: Fall of Berlin Wall, MTV
Key Attributes: educated, alienated from parents, areligious

Millenials: (Born between 1980-1998)
(The Net Gen) Key Events: The Internet, DotCom Boom, 9/11
Key Characteristics: independent yet collaborative, socially conscious

Generation Z: (Born between 2000-?)
Key Events: Still to be determined, possibly the current Financial Crisis
Key Characteristics: Technologically in sync with parents, participative, connected.


And that’s jus’ the tip