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The various layers of our being and identity

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Complex layers of factors and influences shape who we are as individuals and as generations. In following up on my previous column on this subject, I’m going to focus on some of what I find most interesting: the significant events of each generation as they came of age and their work ethics and values. See if you resonate with or argue against the characterizations of your generation and consider the impact of these pivotal or defining moments in yours and others’ lives. Years ago, when I had an opportunity to share my life story, I reflected on what I was doing at certain ages and how old my mom was at that time; then I flipped it to consider what my mom would have been doing at those same ages in her life and what was happening in her personal universe and the wider world. Similarly, I wondered about my father and how world events might have affected him differently as a male. They had both been dead over 20 years, but my many-faceted reflections brought me to a deeper understanding of who they were, their behavior, and the choices they made.

Note: The first three generations are often lumped together as “the traditionalists.”

The Lost Generation, 1883-1909. They came of age during World War I, and many felt disillusioned after the war. A decade later they were thrown into the Depression. Many sought relief through alcohol, and many wandered, aimless, never settling down. Gertrude Stein gave the name “the lost generation” to a group of ex-patriot artists and writers including Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Dos Passos, T.S. Elliot, and Ezra Pound, who wrote about the loss of innocence and sense of identity of their peers. Ezra Pound wrote, “And the days are not full enough/And the nights are not full enough/And life slips by like a field mouse/Not shaking the grass.”

The Greatest Generation, 1910-1927, 92-118 years old. WWI, WWII, and the Great Depression impacted them deeply. They were characterized by high levels of humility, dignity, and modesty, as well as personal responsibility. They valued careful saving, a good work ethic, and keeping their commitments.

Silent Generation, 1928-1945, 74 to 91. These were children of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, World War II, the first atomic bomb, and McCarthyism with his fear-mongering hunt for communists through the House Committee on Un-American Activities. Their “Silent” label refers to their image as conformist and civic-minded with general attitudes of pessimism, unrest, and fear, even though the post-WWII optimism and economic boom prompted returning soldiers to marry and spark the Baby Boom. They were able to buy homes and get an education through the GI bill. The economy was brimming with new ideas, many of them spinoffs from research done for the war effort like plastics and fertilizers. Work was considered a commitment and obligation, and people often expected they would have their job for life. Values included working hard, respecting authority, and putting duty before pleasure.

Baby Boomers, 1946 to 1964, 55 to 73, were also known as “the me generation” who nurtured the birth of personal growth and self-help groups. As children of the 50’s and 60’s, they grew up in the heart of the civil rights movement and the violence that ensued with the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, and civil rights leaders Martin Luther King, Malcom X, and Medgar Evers among others. Politically, it was the era of the Cold War, televised politics, and the Watergate investigation with President Nixon’s resignation, causing or deepening the citizenry’s distrust of government. It was also the era of Woodstock and flower children, love and peace.

At the same time, we entered the space age and saw men walk on the moon. Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society, intended to eliminate poverty and racial injustice, brought in Medicare and Medicaid, Head Start and a Job Corps. Boomers were considered independent, rebellious, optimistic, and extremely good consumers. Work characteristics included crusading for causes, questioning authority, and a desire to work efficiently. With productivity and quality work valued highly, workaholism was often a result.

Generation X, 1965 through 1980, 39 to 54. Gen X’rs, also known as the MTV generation and the latchkey kids, came of age experiencing the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Challenger explosion, AIDS, the Iranian hostage crisis, and Desert Storm. With the advent of the personal computer in the 80s, work, home, and communication would never be the same. Gen X’rs can be cynical and challenging, but also resourceful, self-reliant, and flexible, adapting well to change. They value freedom and fun in the workplace and dislike micro-managing as either employee or manager.

Millennials, 1981-1997, 22 to 38, came of age with the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, Y2K, 9/11, the Columbine school massacre, and the recession of 2008-2009. They were the first generation to have cell phones, then smart phones, along with Facebook, Google, Twitter, and video games as part of their young lives. They have been known as the “the me, me, me generation.” While Gen X’rs were largely ignored as the “middle” generation, Millennials have been the most maligned, accused of being overconfident, self-involved, and narcissistic. In fact, they are noted for their sense of adventure and concern for the environment and other important causes.

In the work environment, they are often entrepreneurial, goal-oriented and tenacious, with an attitude of “what’s next?” They may challenge traditional values, gender roles, religion, and issues concerning abortion and homosexuality. In spite of the changing global economy, huge student loans, and a difficult job market, they remain hopeful, not cynical.

Generation Z, 1998-2010, 9 to 21. Gen Z’rs experienced the extremes of President Obama and President Trump in power during their youth. Their world also was impacted by ISIS, Sandy Hook, Arab Spring, and marriage equality. Racial or ethnic minorities make up 48 percent of this generation, which is expected to be the most well-educated generation. Progressive readers will be happy to hear that Gen Z’rs, a generation comfortable with social change, show the highest disapproval rating of President Trump in public polling. They are entrepreneurial, tech savvy and want to be part of reinventing the culture.

A new one I discovered this week: Generation Alpha, 2011-2025, children of the Millennials, described as “Millennials on steroids” by Henry Rose Lee, an intergenerational speaker and author.

I know a number of young people, I’m impressed by their passion. They will bring their energetic resilience and their challenges to us older folks, as they are meant to do, and we will all be on board for the adventurous ride into the future.