Project on the topic: generation gap is parents’ fault

By Anna Matuik, group 501

Introduction

The generational gap is a term popularized in Western countries during the 1960s referring to differences between people of younger generations and their elders, especially between children and their parents.

Although some generational differences have existed throughout history, modern generational gaps have often been attributed to rapid cultural change in the postmodern period, particularly with respect to such matters as musical tastes, fashion, culture and politics. These changes are assumed to have been magnified by the unprecedented size of the young generation during the 1960s, which gave it the power and inclination to rebel against societal norms.

However, sociologists also point to institutional age segregation as an important contributing factor to the generational divide. Those in childhood phases are segregated within educational institutions or child-care centers, parents are isolated within work-based domains, while older generations may be relegated to retirement homes, nursing homes, or senior day care centers. Social researchers see this kind of institutionally-based age segregation as a barrier to strong intergenerational relationships, social embeddedness, and generativity.

History of the generation gap

Usually the term generation gap is applied to Western countries because Eastern cultures and Muslim world have their own traditions and hence their own problematic fields. Refering to Western culture let me start with the 1940s.

As the 1940s ended and the 1950s began, marked differences between teenagers and parents began to emerge. From a transformation of the dating system (going steady and early marriage became the norm, as opposed to the "rating and dating" trend that was fashionable before the war), to the new medium of television gaining widespread popularity and often portraying teenagers as juvenile delinquents. 'JDs' followed the standard black leather and denim jeans look set by Marlon Brando in the 1953 film The Wild One. The widespread adoption of rock and roll also helped emphasize differences between parents and teenagers.

The rise of counter-culture hippieswas in the mid and late 1960s with diverging opinions about the draft and military involvement in Vietnam as well as the use of drugs which were significant topics of the generation gap of this era.

The 1970s and 1980s are characterized as being an era rampant with child neglect as shown by such phenomenon as latchkey kids. The media notably labeled Generation X as "slackers". Sometimes referred to as the “lost” generation, this was the first generation of “latchkey” kids, exposed to lots of daycare and divorce. Gen X is often characterized by high levels of skepticism, “what’s in it for me” attitudes and a reputation for some of the worst music to ever gain popularity.

Gen Xers are arguably the best educated generation with 29% obtaining a bachelor’s degree or higher (6% higher than the previous cohort). And, with that education and a growing maturity they are starting to form families with a higher level of caution and pragmatism than their parents demonstrated.

Gen Y kids are known as incredibly sophisticated, technology wise, immune to most traditional marketing and sales pitches as they not only grew up with it all, they’ve seen it all and been exposed to it all since early childhood.

Gen Y are less brand loyal and the speed of the Internet has led the cohort to be similarly flexible and changing in its fashion, style consciousness and where and how it is communicated with.

Gen Y kids often raised in dual income or single parent families have been more involved in family purchases.

Generation Z is highly connected, as many members of this generation have had lifelong use of communications and media technologies such as the World Wide Web, instant messaging, text messaging, MP3 players, mobile phones and YouTube, earning them the nickname "digital natives". No longer limited to the home computer, the Internet is now increasingly carried in their pockets on mobile Internet devices such as mobile phones. A marked difference between Generation Y and Generation Z is that older members of the former remember life before the takeoff of mass technology, while the latter have been born completely within it. This generation has also been born completely into an era of postmodernism, multiculturalism, and globalization.

In much of the world, especially in parts of Asia, Generation Z is the first generation born into a perceived developed world society. For example in China, it was rare to own a car through the 1990s, while as of 2012, about 6 cars exist in China for every 100 people, mainly among urban Chinese. In much of Africa, Generation Z's parents grew up without electricity while their children have access to the Internet and other technologies.

Generation Z is known for curating information online at a rapid pace: sharing thoughts and observations on a variety of media, topics and products.

Parents of Generation Z are working part-time or becoming stay-at-home parents so that children are raised by them and other family members instead of a day care facility, which forces children to be in groups. However, soccer moms and helicopter parents are just as common with these members as with children of the previous generation

Who is to blame for generation gap?

At least a quarter century separates the older generation from the younger one. In most cases the gap is of over half a century. Naturally an imperceptible biological evolution takes place and the nature wants the survival of the fittest. The young generation can’t survive if it doesn’t change. No power on earth can prevent the natural gap owing to this evolution. Nature equips each succeeding generation with mechanism to survive the rigors of the new environment. The question is how to deal with this new generation, how to understand them and how to teach respect towards the old generation.

Discussing generation gap society usually divides into two groups, one is blaming solely parents and the other blaming children and society itself.

The arguments proving the blame of parents.