Generations
A Background Perspective
Having reached a stage in life where there are more years behind me than ahead, I can’t help but stop in awe at the path that the good Lord has put before us. Coming from a difficult childhood, I never considered myself a victim, and chose to use the experience as a means to make me stronger. As much as the situation sucked, it shaped the person I am today. I’m certainly not perfect, but I think I turned out pretty well despite the odds.
I was lucky to find the love of my life at a very young age, and just 5 days after my 18th birthday, I gladly took on his name. The journey has certainly had its ups and downs, but here we are 40 some odd years later, and I must admit, I still get butterflies when he comes home from work.
Gen X (Born 1965-1980)
I grew up as a GenXr teen in the 80s, where MTV actually played music videos and heavy metal ruled the air waves.
Big hair, neon clothes, parachute pants, Jordache jeans, leg warmers and LA Gear sneakers were all the rage.
We grew up in a day where Friday nights were spent at the roller rink, and Saturdays were spent at the pizza parlor playing video games.
If you couldn’t afford to buy the latest album, you’d sit by the radio waiting to hear that first note of your favorite song so you could quickly hit the record buttons on your cassette player. (I would have killed it on “Name that Tune”)
Since you couldn’t check out reference books (encyclopedias & such), research was done in a library, and good penmanship was important if you wanted a good grade on your handwritten report.
Vacations were truly about getting away from it all, and the only way someone could reach you was if you left the name and number of the place you were staying at. There were no calls from the boss, or telemarketers for that matter. Families actually spent time together, and children were able to experience the amazing world around them instead of observing it through a small screen.
I learned early on the importance of hard work, and what it takes to make a dollar. If you wanted something, you earned it. No one was going to do it for you, and there were always consequences for your actions. Despite an endless list of chores and responsibilities, life somehow seemed so much simpler.
As a young mother in the 90s, I saw my girls growing up in a world where the majority of their schoolmates came from broken or single parent homes. To be considered a good parent, time outs were the acceptable form of punishment vs. spanking, and it seemed everyone had an opinion on childcare. Afterschool sports were encouraged as a great way to burn up all of that youthful energy, but no matter how much effort you gave, everyone got a trophy in the end.
I’ve always felt a connection with God. I remember my mother reading stories to me from a children’s bible at a very young age, which somehow stuck with me through the years. Although we didn’t belong to a particular church, it was important to me that my girls knew about God, Jesus, and the stories I remembered as a child. So, each night, I would read a couple of biblical accounts to them at bedtime.
It was around this time in my life that I became interested in writing. I had a story in mind, but the research it would take to make it plausible would require hours at the library. Something not easy to do with two young children at home. So, after attempting to devise a plot using my handy Brother word processor, hubby convinced me that it was time to get a home PC.
Suddenly this new world was open to us. Information on any topic you can image was literally at the tips of our fingers. Research could easily be done at home, and a whole new way of keeping in touch was introduced to the household.
As I look back at it today, that first PC purchase was a game changer for us, as both hubby and I ended up with careers in IT. Mine is more on the process side, where his is the more technical. It was one of the things that opened up doors that we never knew were there, and eventually brought us to Florida.
In today’s day and age, instantaneous information has become the norm. Nearly everyone has a personal phone, and an uninterrupted quiet getaway has become a thing of the past. Cars drive themselves, robots vacuum our floors, and you don’t have to go to a store to purchase… anything really. You can literally stay home for months on end in your pajamas, maintain an income, and never run out of supplies.
While I fully appreciate the information age, I must admit I am afraid of where it’s leading us. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to feel the impact of the headlines. The ones you can believe paint a frightening picture of the state of our nation, and it’s not looking all that much better worldwide. Considering myself a reasonable person, I get that the generations of today don’t have the same values as I do. I fully believe that it is our experiences that shape us, but it doesn’t make me any less concerned about the future my grandkid’s will have to endure. Trying to understand and relate to another’s philosophy is one thing, but sooner or later, you will have to decide upon your own and choose a side. (Great lesson by Mr. Miyagi from the Karate Kid: “Walk on road. Walk right side, safe. Walk left side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later, you get squished just like grape”).
The Greatest Generation (Born 1901-1927)
I often think I was born in too late of an era.
When I hear the stories about the greatest generation, I can’t help but admire the stamina and courage of the individuals of this day and age.
My grandmother and grandfather both came through the great depression. My grandmother grew up in Lancaster, PA working on a Pennsylvania Dutch farm, and my grandfather served honorably in WWII.
Although I was young when my grandfather passed on, I do remember my grandmother being the ever-dutiful homemaker. The house was always spic and span, and dinner was always on the table when “Pop-pop” walked through the door.
It was the traditional lifestyle of the time, where the husband was the breadwinner, and the wife tended to the home.
At the time, families could survive with one income, and divorce was uncommon. People openly practiced their faith, and those born at this time were often described as courageous, patriotic and resilient.
The Silent Generation (Born 1925-1945)
If you’ve never heard of the Silent generation, well it might be because they’re silent, silly. 😊
The Silent Generation are the offspring of the Greatest one. They were born somewhere in between those who overcame the great depression and WWII and the Boomers, who came of age during the turbulent 60s.
Both my mother and uncle were born during this time, but there are many famous names who were also born during this age. It might surprise you to know that Dr. Martin Luther King was part of the Silent Generation, and left an incredible legacy that made a tremendous impact on society. Other famous people from the Silent Generation include Patrick Stewart (hail to my fellow Star Trek fans), James Earl Jones (Who brought Darth Vader to life), and Morgan Freeman, who’s voice I can listen to for hours and hours.
Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
“Baby Boomers” got their name from the post WWII phenomenon known as the baby boom. The end of WWII and the subsequent (ahem) celebrations were followed by a tremendous uptick in birth rates. Over 3 million babies born in 1946 alone resulting in the largest of the generations.
Boomers grew up in extremely tumultuous times. The 60s brought forth the sexual revolution with free love and psychedelic drug use defining the hippy movement. The Vietnam war, women’s liberation, and the Civil Rights were polarizing topics of the day, and protests across the country were common.
In the fashion world, tie dye clothing, miniskirts and bell bottoms became popular in this age, and no one can deny the impact of Woodstock on the music industry.
Having a completely opposite mindset of the generations before, many in this group hold highly influential and powerful positions today. Whether it be in politics or large corporations, they have a great deal of influence on the media and the flow of information.
Generation “Y” AKA – Millennials (Born 1981-1996)
My daughters give me a hard time when I say this, but dealing with Millennials can be just painful.
Putting on my “Let’s be reasonable hat”, I understand that this generation grew up with participation trophies, and time outs.
Computers were a part of their early years, but cell phones became a thing during their teens, and smart phones became the icing on the cake.
Instant gratification is what this generation grew up with, so it shouldn’t be any surprise that the majority have no patience, no manners, and expect to become CEO after just 6 months on the job.
On the positive side, this generation had the benefit of seeing the technological age evolve, so there was some exposure to reality. On the other hand, most millennials would have a hard time surviving a zombie apocalypse.
Overall, Millennials are not DIYers, and would rather hire somebody to do the hard work for them.
Side note, both of my girls are tough as nails, and could do quite a number on a band of zombies. Just give us all a crowbar, and we’re good. We did play Half-Life after all. 😊
Generation “Z” (Born 1997-2010)
And this is the generation starting to enter the work force today.
It you thought millennials were a delight, just wait until you find yourself working with a Gen Zr.
Never have I encountered a more self-serving, entitled group, and good heavens they are offended by everything.
Expecting them to actually work for a paycheck is an insult, and anything that could be taking as criticism hurts their little feelings. They should be able to wear anything they want, act anyway they want, and show up to work whenever they want. They have no self-discipline, and expect you, as an employer, should cater to their every need.
Okay, so perhaps my rant is a little over the top, but seriously, if this is the work force of tomorrow, we are in some serious trouble.
I understand that this particular generation has never had to wait for anything. Conversations are done via text, and human interaction is not their forte. They’ve been conditioned by a society that tells them nothing is their fault, and they feel victimized if someone suggests otherwise.
Hard work is something you pay someone else to do, and responsibility is a foreign topic.
Future Generations (Born 2011-Present)
In the next several years, the Alpha Generation will be coming of age.
These are those who came through Covid, many left behind due to schools being closed, and forced into remote education.
Social skills never being able to fully develop because being near people was taboo and dangerous.
God help us when these poor souls have to navigate their way through the real world.
What I worry about!
In a 1948 speech to the British House of Commons, Winston Churchill stated that “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” The original quote is often attributed to George Santayana, a Spanish philosopher who actually said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”.
We are experiencing a pivotal point in history, where what was once evil, is now supposed to be embraced. Those of faith are chastised as intolerant, and everybody who questions why criminal behavior is allowed to run rampant is called racist. Where cancel culture attempts to erase history because they don’t agree with it today, even when at the time, it was considered normal.
While I don’t agree with much of what our founders did years ago, erasing the history, good or bad, will only doom us to repeating the same thing in the future. Imagine if the term “Good Morning” suddenly becomes offensive in the future. It’s a perfectly acceptable term today. (Except for Gen Z. They might take offense that you’re trying to tell them what to do)
Will generations of the future erase pictures from the history books (Will books even exist?) of anyone who ever used the term?
We’ve become a society where boys can pretend to be girls and girls can pretend to be boys, and even though they aren’t old enough to tie their shoes, they can make a life altering decision that will impact them for the rest of their lives.
When our enemies, who treat women as property, are celebrated by the youth of today, and where wrong is right and right is wrong, we are in trouble my friends. If an attack were to come upon our shores, who are we going to send to the front lines? Do we honestly think that an invader is going to worry about our feelings, or if our nail polish is chipped?
Thoughts to Ponder!
What would things be like if the mainstream news hounds and politicians weren’t always trying to convince us that we hated each other? Would we be more united? Would we (oh the horror) question them?
What if more of us started paying attention, and instead of buying in to all of the things we are being told to think, started questioning why we should be thinking that way?
What if we were told the truth about…
- Where our tax payer money goes and what we are funding
- Why the border is being left wide open
- Why criminal behavior is acceptable but enforcement of laws is not
- Why there’s a double standard depending upon your political or religious views
- How much the populace is being manipulated by those in power, and the techniques being used to influence public opinion
- Why child mutilation is okay at an age when a child is too young to know what’s best for them
- Why sex trafficking of children is being ignored
- How politicians end up becoming multimillionaires while in office
- The origins of the pandemic and the subsequent vaccine campaign
- What really goes on at area 51 (Cmon, don’t tell me you aren’t curious)
- The climate change agenda, and who stands to benefit from it
- Why things that were once considered evil are suddenly okay, and those that think the same things are still evil are label as extremists, racist, homophobic and/or intolerant
- What’s in the missing Nikola Tesla’s files
Regardless of your political leanings, those in power will do whatever it takes to maintain that power, and if the people are divided and mad at each other, they’re not looking at them.
The divide and conquer approach is nothing new, and has been applied across all generations. We are constantly being fed someone else’s views, whether it be by social media, news, Hollywood or politicians. It’s up to us the decide whether we will allow ourselves to be manipulated. These days, there’s a great deal of effort to keep us divided.
Ask yourself, who stands to benefit from it? It certainly doesn’t seem to be the American people, regardless of the generation.
Rant over… for now!