Can We Please Stop Talking About Generations as if They Are a Thing? The research on generations is flawed.
We spend a lot of time debating the characteristics of generations—are baby boomers really selfish and entitled, are millennials really narcissists, and the latest, has the next generation (whatever it is going to be called) already been ruined by cellphones? Many academics—and many consultants—argue that generations are distinct and that organizations, educators, and even parents need to accommodate them. These classifications are often met with resistance from those they supposedly represent, as most people dislike being represented by overgeneralizations, and these disputes only fuel the debate around this contentious topic.
But the science on “generations” does not back up these distinctions. In fact, solid evidence supporting generations, their characteristics, or even their existence, is lacking. In short, the science shows that generations are not a thing.
Some good examples are given in the article and I observe the same thing. You can't just generalise that all older generations are not going to like or understand technology. I notice pro-tech and anti-tech people across all generations. Similarly, with the so-called narcissistic tendencies, we have cheaper available tech now that was not freely available say 40 years ago so it may appear that today's youth tends more towards these tendencies but it is not a fair comparison at all.
See https://slate.com/technology/2018/04/the-evidence-behind-generations-is-lacking.html
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Can We Please Stop Talking About Generations as if They Are a Thing? The evidence is lacking. |