What Is Wrong With Generations?
What is the origin of Generation theory, and what things do you need to remember when referring to it?
Baby boomers, millennials, generation Z, generation X - these words are frequently used in newspaper articles, social research papers, on TV, and so on. How were these classification system formed? Do they have any scientific background? What stands behind the popular names?
The Generation Theory was developed and explained by two American scientists, Neil Nowe and William Strauss, in 1991. There, all humanity was divided into specific groups based on the time period when the group members were born. Nowe and Strauss chose gaps of 21 years. It is scientifically proven that the first 21 years of human life are essential for personality formation - all the decisions and cognitive processes an individual performs throughout their life are mainly influenced by the experience of the first 21 years. Nowe and Strauss believed that the previous generation influenced the current one by shaping the environment in which the current generation is raised. In other words, this theory explains the popular concept - bad times create strong people, strong people create good times, good times create weak people, weak people create bad times, and so on.
Obviously, each classification is made to simplify our perception of the reality. Such a strategy is rational from an evolutionary point of view - our brain is only 2 percent of our body weight, while it consumes around 20 percent of our energy. Simplifying and conceptualizing the events helps us save energy and time.
However, the problem with simplification is that by doing so, we disregard the specific features of the subjects, which can be essential in rating the influence it has on our environment.
The first critique of generational theory is based on its origin. The theory was developed by two Americans; thus, the theory was formed with reference to Western history and Western society only. The cultural difference is the aspect that needs to be remembered. For example, when baby boomers (the generation born between 1943 and 1964) in the US promoted hippie culture, which was a symbol of freedom for them, the same generation in the USSR was repressed because of the thoughts that did not correspond to the ideas of the Soviet government. In other words, the Nowe-Strauss classification system totally disregards the cultural circumstances of the individuals in each generation.
The second critique that the theory faces is the boundaries between generations. When do you define when one generation starts, and another generation ends? People born on the “border” between generations will be raised in the same environment and will make similar contributions to society, however, will be considered the representatives of different generations.
Generations theory might be useful for understanding the concept of human development and history, however, in events that require deep analysis the use of this concept can lead to false conclusions, that is what you should keep in mind when referring to the Generation Theory.