Ideas on generation gaps

[Milk-Drops]

I was having a discussion earlier on a different site and was slightly influenced by a thread here that was talking about the current generation.

What I found interesting was on this other site the discussion was over how the Baby boomer generation caused a lot of problems with current youth and how the "greatest Generation" that participated in World War 2 was actually superior. I also here that there is discussion of how the current generation is very narcissistic.

I think the problem with comparing these three generations is that there is a huge technology gap.

The greatest Generation was suffering through a huge economic slump in US history and there was a call to arms after the US was attacked at Pearl harbor. Because of this there was a huge spark of patriotism and a need for new work. With this the country went to work by fighting and manufacturing. It was a call to arms and a need to improve. Because of this the Country was able to get itself into a position where we had a lot of power and prosperity.

With the baby boomer generation, we saw that with the prosperity that was put into play from WW2 and our new power that the average US citizen was way better off. New Social programs came into play that help stabilize the economy and growth in business allowed for new frontiers to be explored and the populace was allowed to be comfortable. Because of this the government grew in size and the populace became complacent. The height of this can be seen in the late 80s to 90s where we start seeing a new frontier open up on the internet.

With this frontier, massive economic changes came into place and it was a game changer. Now because of just a jostle to the market the methods that worked during the baby boomer generation are now not so sustainable and we suffered a crash in the market place. Now the current generation is poised and already exploiting the new market that is coming into play with the internet. The problem is that the transition is very messy and we are having problems adapting to the new structure.


Anyone else think this might be a good way to look at it?

 

[farouk]

Well, my first and foremost comment would be that those who love and trust the Lord Jesus await His return (1 Thessalonians 4.16-18). This has been the longing of many generations.

It's true that each generation, however, thinks it's unique. Well, it ain't.

Ecclesiastes says there is 'no new thing under the sun' (Ecclesiastes 1.9).

 

[Milk-Drops]

My comments are more about how I think generations go in cycles and how now because of the recent economic problems, we are about to see the cycle renew with this current generation.

 

[farouk]

My comments are more about how I think generations go in cycles and how now because of the recent economic problems, we are about to see the cycle renew with this current generation.

Well, history does tend to go in cycles, as the writer of Ecclesiastes would probably have agreed.

Tax and spend eventually comes round; what goes round, comes round. Trying to 'have it both ways' won't last for ever; those who try to make it so will find themselves eclipsed by other, rising dynamic economies, I reckon.

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

Farouk is right. Love and trust in the Lord is first and foremost, and there ain't nothin' new under the sun.

That said, I'd point out that technology was mentioned, but not really discussed by the OP'er. Technology and the social programs that you credit with doing so much good have actually stifled the drive of succeeding generations to be successful, to confront adversity and power through it. Today, when adversity arises, most young people just plain give up. That's an issue that leads to the oversized egos of a bunch of severe underachievers, which is exactly what this generation is.

 

[Milk-Drops]

I'm going to point out that blaming technology isn't going to get us anywhere because technology always changes the playing field. It was technology that brought us into the bronze age, the Iron Age, the industrial age, the age of reason, the Renaissance, and now we are in the information age. When new technology comes into play, it changes the way life is lived. Trying to compare the industrial age to the bronze age shows us that Industrial age people would be considered lazy to the Bronze age people, because the bronze age required more of an individual.

Also, the thread I was influenced here, was by Numbers and it was a thread about how the 20 something generation thinks its the best generation, wich shouldn't be surprising considering that most generations think they are the best generation. I bet if we looked up studies and survey's of the same ilk we'd find that most generations think they are the best generation.

 

[farouk]

There was a man called Ned Ludd in England, who, during the Industrial Revolution there, thought that he could turn back the clock and by destroying machines in factories, re-create more manual work for him and his friends. (Hence the term: Luddite.)

It ain't like that.

Anyone today trying to turn back the clock won't succeed, either.

 

[huntm282]

I beilieve your right in some instances. But in the most part there is a mass amount of distraction put forth by technology advancements and this has created mainstream corruption in that all that was taboo twenty years ago is now mainstream and which has caused desensitization to everything from economical problems to morale thinking. But in this i beilieve that the current generation needs to fight harder and have a much stronger faith and conviction in order to stay afloat in an evermore corrupt and challenging world. So i do believe the gap only comes in that our predessesers id not have the mass of issues that our generation faces today with the exeption of those young men and women who served in major millitary conflicts over the years