STATESIDE STORIES: Modern Era Generations
by Mary Foran
Intellectuals in the know might say that my premise stems from an unusual perspective on life, but I have a feeling that sometimes Sociologists have us all wrong!
Sociologists tend to put people into statistical categories, a penchant I’ve always found abhorrent!
In the States, this century’s generations have been named and analyzed thoroughly, similar to tropical storms and hurricanes!
Somehow, they think that putting “handles” on people, based on the year they were born, makes it easier to define them, as if people in the same generation actually have something in common!
The idea that each individual is unique doesn’t seem to be the way that statisticians, academics, or society in general, likes to think of people.
“People Watching”/Stephen R. Melling
Now then, it is very true that I am not an expert in the field. Yet after years of “people-watching”, the favorite pastime for many in Europe and even in the States, and around the world, one comes to the conclusion that there is a uniqueness in individuals that is amazing, no matter which generation they were born into.
This topic is based on the fascinating article done by Richard Fry of the Pew Research Center, dated April 25th, 2016. (http://www.Pewresearch.org/staff/Richard-Fry/).
His definitions of the generations in question are as follows:
1) The Millennial Generation–1981 to 1997.
2) Generation X–1965 to 1980.
3) The Baby Boom Generation–1946 to 1964.
4) The Silent Generation–1928 to 1945.
5) The Greatest Generation–before 1928. (Age in 2015: 88 to 100)
Millennial Mark Zuckerberg/TechCrunch
In facts gleaned from data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, Richard Fry states that Millennials have overtaken Baby Boomers as “America’s largest (living) generation.”
He adds that the population of Baby Boomers peaked at 78.8 million in 1999. In 2015, there were an estimated 74,9 million Boomers. “By mid-century, the Boomer population is expected to dwindle to 16.6 million.”
Immigration has contributed, commenters say, to the increase of the Millennial generation.
For more information on the subject, go to http://www.pewresearch.org/author/rfry/
Richard Fry is a senior researcher at the Pew Research Center who focuses on economics and education.
If you’ve ever been to a class reunion, you’ll see my point. You may notice that your life experiences and simply growing up have changed you along the way. You may have a common education, but everyone has turned out differently than you once imagined.
People are unique individuals, even within the same family!
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Images
Featured image/Takver via Flickr/ CC BY-SA2.0
“People Watch” /Stephen R. Melling via Flickr/CC BY-ND2.0
Mark Zuckerberg/ TechCrunch via Flickr/CC BY2.0
