DEMOPOCRISY


SIX GENERATIONS LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES



Each with Distinct Characteristics that Define the People of their Generation



The Greatest Generation (born 1901-1924): Tom Brokaw’s 1998 book, The Greatest Generation, coined the term ‘the Greatest Generation” to describe Americans who lived through the Great Depression and later fought in WWII. This generation had significant job and education opportunities as the war ended and the postwar economic booms impacted America.


The Silent Generation (born 1925-1945): The title “Silent Generation” originated from a 1951 essay published in Time magazine that proposed the idea that people born during this period were more cautious than their parents. Conflict from the Cold War and the potential for nuclear war led to widespread levels of discomfort and uncertainty throughout the generation.


Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964): Baby Boomers were named after a significant increase in births after World War II. During this 20-year span, life was dramatically different for those born at the beginning of the generation than those born at the tail end of the generation. The first 10 years of Baby Boomers (Baby Boomers I) grew up in an era defined by the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War, in which a lot of this generation either fought in or protested against the war. Baby Boomers I tended to have great economic opportunities and were optimistic about the future of America. In contrast, the last 10 years of Baby Boomers (Baby Boomers II) had fewer job opportunities and available housing than their Boomer I counterparts. The effects of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal led a lot of second-wave boomers to lose trust in the American government.


Generation X (born 1965-1980): The label “Generation X” comes from Douglas Coupland’s 1991 book, Generation X: Tales for An Accelerated Culture. This generation was notoriously exposed to more hands-off parenting, out-of-home childcare, and higher rates of divorce than other generations. As a result, many Gen X parents today are concerned about avoiding broken homes with their own kids.


Millennials (born 1981-1998): During the adolescence of Millennials, America underwent a technological revolution with the emergence of the internet. Because of this, Millennials are generally characterized by older generations to be technologically savvy.


Generation Z (born 1999-2016): Generation Z or “Zoomers” represent a generation raised on the internet and social media. Gen Z makes up the most ethnically diverse and largest generation in American history. Like Millennials, Gen Z is recognized by older generations to be very familiar with and/or addicted to technology.



Source: LifeCourse Generations in Anglo-American History


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THE CHANGING GENERATIONAL VALUES



4 Generations in the Workplace Raised in Different Social and Political Atmospheres



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.


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.


Source: Johns Hopkins University The Changing Generational Values


Johns Hopkins University

WHAT DOES THE AMERICAN DREAM MEAN TO DIFFERENT GENERATIONS?



Originally, Freedom and Opportunity to Succeed and Attain a Better Life.



At its core, the American Dream is the belief that every generation should enjoy greater prosperity than the generation before it. It originated with the ideal of equality, justice, and democracy for the nation but has morphed into a goal of individual prosperity—often defined by certain milestones, such as buying a home and a car, getting married, and having children.


The concept, coined during the Great Depression, has changed over time, as have the economic realities of the country. Though the above description may accurately portray the dream for baby boomers, it plays somewhat differently for younger generations.


The American Dream has traditionally been defined as each generation achieving greater prosperity than the one before it.


Baby boomers’ version of the American Dream is different from that of Generation Xers and millennials, influenced by factors such as salaries not keeping pace with rising costs, including buying a home.


Millennials consider pursuing their passions as a much more important part of the American Dream than Gen Xers and baby boomers do.


Nationally, public opinion polling has suggested that Americans continue to believe that the American Dream is “achievable,” though pollsters note that the broad figures conceal disparities by age, gender, and race.


Source: Investopedia What does the American dream mean to different generations?


Investopedia Article

THE GENERATION GAP IN THE U.S.



Millennials are the Largest Generation in the United States



The past century has seen immense changes in technology, economics, and social structures within the United States. The effects of these changes can be seen in the growing generation gaps of the country's population. There are currently six living generations that make up the U.S. population. They are: the Greatest Generation (born before 1928); the Silent Generation (born between 1928 and 1945); the Baby Boomer Generation (from 1946 to 1964); Generation X (from 1965 to 1980); the Millennials, which make up the largest portion of the population (born from 1981 to 1996); and the youngest generation known as Generation Z (born from 1997 to 2012). The age range of the generation following 2012, however, has yet to be determined. With such a large spread in age, these generations were all born into a different America from one another.


Wealth and Age

Perhaps the greatest divide between the generations in the United States is the variation of their respective budgets. Younger citizens tend to see higher unemployment rates than their elders from other generations. Additionally, when those from the younger generations can find gainful employment, they tend to earn less money than those from an older age group. Of course, it can be argued that one tends to earn less money at a younger age as they have yet to obtain enough experience or complete their education. This however, leads to another issue driving a wedge between the generations and their comparative wealth. With the passage of time has come the steep increase in the prices in several areas. Higher education for example, has increased in price from just over 1,500 U.S. dollars a year per student for private universities in 1970, to over 32,000 in 2020. When the youth finish their education they are greeted by more debt than their predecessors ever had. When those same individuals wish to buy a home, as their parents and grandparents did at that age, they see another area with drastic price hikes. With their high unemployment, lower income, high debt from education, and high housing costs, it is no wonder the Millennial and Gen Z population isn't saving their money to buy a home.


A Difference of Opinion​

As mentioned above, the younger generations have reason to worry about their finances and their place in the economy. In fact, Gen Z and Millennials tend worry about wages, unemployment, and housing costs more than the other generations. However, many across all generations have expressed an economic concern with inflation. The generations of the U.S. may have a great variety of opinion on matters of economics and societal issues, such as same-sex marriage, but there are a few matters that citizens of all ages tend to agree on. While politics may be greatly debated between them, a general distrust of the government seems to be a bridge across the ever widening generational gap.


Source: The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Are there generational gaps in income and homeownership?


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The Generation Gap in the 2012 Election



One of the largest factors driving the current generation gap is the arrival of diverse and Democratic-oriented Millennials. Shaped by the politics and conditions of the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush presidencies, this group holds liberal attitudes on most social and governmental issues.


In contrast, the Silent generation – whose members reached adulthood between the late 1940s and early 1960s and now make up over 80% of Americans age 65 and older – has held relatively conservative views on social issues and the role of government for most of their lives. Their growing uneasy, and even angry, about the direction of the country in recent years has moved them further toward the GOP, largely erasing the Democratic Party’s advantage in affiliation.


Pew Research Center ⟶

Generational Power Index



Each generation is shaped by its own unique historical context and cultural experiences, creating a shared perspective about the world that is different from their elders. Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise us when any given generation takes the opportunity to shape the society around them, bending both political and economic structures to align with their values.


The Generational Power Index (GPI), aims to accurately break down the landscape of generational power in the current moment using three key categories: Economic , Political and Cultural Power


Generational Power Index ⟶