Gap between generations a challenge for the future

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Gap between generations a challenge for the
future

• DEMOGENE-network Intensive Course, University of
• Ljubljana, Slovenia 19.4. 29.4. 2009
• Focus Behind the Screen Living in the Home for
• Older People Preddvor
• Heikki Suhonen
• Lecturer
• University of Turku
• Department of Social Policy and Social Work
• heikki.suhonen_at_utu.fi

2
Relations between generations

• Each generation imagines itself to be more
  intelligent
• than the one that went before it, and wiser than
  the
• one that comes after it. (George Orwell)

3
What influences each generation?

• Historical events
• Economy
• Family life
• Societal expectations
• Communication
• Mass media
• Current technology
• Work life
• Culture as a wholeness

4
Every generation

• Rebellion challenging tradition
• Recklessness risks and invincible
• Naiveté pioneering and denial
• but all this often in different ways
• (Howe Strauss 1997)

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Generation Gap (1)

• The term generation gap was coined by
• sociologists and anthropologists in the
• 1960s and is often still used today. One
• concept of the generation gap is that
• parents and offspring have different
• values and beliefs. As a result, many
• parents fear that they will lose influence
• with their children when peer pressure
• becomes too highly valued. (English Bell
• 2009 Falk Falk 2005)

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Generational gap (2)

• Parents and their children find it hard to
• learn from each other, so they point their
• fingers at each other instead. Grown
• children often boast a better education
• and more secure finances than their
• parents, while the older generation may
• be richer in experience. (ibid.)

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What we mean by generation

• Biological generations (about 20 years)
• Family generations (parents/children)
• Age cohort the point of birth time (a year or
  some years time period/war generation, hippy
  generation etc.)
• Social generations common generational
  experiences

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Definition of generation

• In professional and scientific discussions has
  been a
• tradition to speak about three or five
  chronological
• generations children/youth, adults and the
  elderly or
• children/youth, young adults, adults/middle age,
  3. age
• and 4. age
  
• 
  (Laslett 1998)

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Important questions in the society

• What is the base and forms of solidarity between
  generations?
• What is the justness between generations?
• If generations belong to different cultures?

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Younger people

• They have better education
• Their economical situation is better during their
  whole lifespan
• They have higher living standards
• Their health is better
• They will live longer
• They take more risks in their lives

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In western welfare societies

• Children and young people are supported by their
  30-40 years old parents
• Young people in puberty live together with their
  40-50 years old parents
• As 60 years old, people are living perhaps most
  independent life, even if they are supporting on
  many ways their 30 years old children
• In the age of 75 and over, people begin to get
  support from their about 45 years old children
• People in 30 years old age are seldom links to
  the reality of 15 or 45 years old people same is
  with 45 years old they have few relations to
  the life of 30 or 60 years old people
• 
  (Simpura 1998)

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7-generations model

• We can also speak about 7 generations model,
  where
• each one is about 15 years age periods (0-15,
  15-30,
• 30-45, 45-60, 60-75, 75-90, 90)
• 0-7 years old ? 30 years old ? 60 years old
  ? 90
• 15 years old ? 45 years old ? 75 years
  old
• (Arrowhead points the direction of support and
  help)
• 
  (ibid.)

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Problems of 7-generations model

• Nowadays there are a lot of so called
  reconstituted families where children might be in
  different ages
• There are a lot of single persons in the
  societies
• Many people can do voluntary work for other
  generations in associations etc.
• To link the term generation to biological
  parenthood or child-hood can be too idealistic
  from the viewpoint of solidarity and support
  between generations
• Possibility to find earlier or later generations
  in the society doesnt automatically mean
  solidarity between generations
• 
  
  (ibid.)

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Generations

• Silent generation
• Baby Boom generation (Boomers)
• X generation (Busters)
• The Millennial generation (Y- and Z-generations
  etc.)
• (Zamke Raines Filipczak 2000 Lancaster
  Stillman 2003 Codrington Grant-Marshall 2004)

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Boomers vs. Xers

• What Boomers thinks/
• says about Xers
• (Busters)?
• Disloyal
• Impatient
• Materialistic
• Egoistic
• Unprepared
• Disrespectful
• Uncommitted
• Shameless etc.

• What Xers thinks/says
• about Boomers?
• Judgemental
• Impractical
• Arbitrary
• Controlling
• Unfocused
• Workaholic
• Political
• Opinionated
• Hypocritical etc. (ibid.)

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Silent generation

• Born before World War II
• Critical influences during youth
• World War I
• Great Depression
• World War II
• Industrial era

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Silent generationCore values

• Dedication
• Duty before pleasure
• Adherence to rules
• Hard work
• Law and order
• Respect for position
• Cautious
• Self sufficiency

• Delayed reward
• Sacrifice
• Conformity
• Modesty
• Patience
• Reticent to express emotion
• Waste not want not
• (ibid.)

18
Baby Boom generation

• Born 1946-1964 (in Finland 1945-1950)
• Critical influences during youth
• Grand vision
• Relative wealth and freedom
• Beginning of the empowered individual

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Baby Boom generationCore values

• Idealism
• Image
• Optimism
• Team orientation
• Personal growth
• Personal gratification
• Group together by similarity of beliefs
• Media savvy

• Excellence
• Big talkers
• Youth
• Work
• Involvement
• Health/wellness
• Nostalgia
• (ibid.)

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Generation X

• Born late 1960-1980s
• Critical influences during youth
• Globalisation
• Information revolution
• Social, political and economical turmoil
• Project world

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Generation XCore values

• Change
• Choice
• Creativity
• Global awareness
• Techno-literacy
• Lifelong learning
• Immediate gratification
• Individualism
• Diversity

• Survivors
• Informality
• Whiners
• Thrill seekers
• Experiencers
• Pragmatism
• Not scared failure
• Self-reliance
• (ibid., Copland 1991)

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Millennial generation

• Born 1990s 2000s
• Critical influences during youth
• World is for them the global village
• The internet and cell phones
• 11.9. 2001 World Trade Centre
• Global terrorism and protectionism
• School shootings

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Millennial generationCore values

• Optimism
• Confidence
• High self-esteem
• Media and entertainment overloaded
• Street smart
• Diverse
• Conservative
• Networkers
• 24/7 society
• Sceptical
• Civic duty

• Achievement
• Multi-tasking skills
• Impatient
• Morality
• Social responsibility
• Naiveté
• Lifestyle centred
• Techno-savvy
• Global citizens
• Aware
• Informal
• (ibid., Tarbell Bruno 2002)

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A Generations outlook on life

• Adversity
  Diversity
• Values
• Attitudes
• Expectations
  
• Technology
  Complexity
• Economy

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Young and old have much in common 

•  
• They are the groups most likely to experience
  inequality, poverty, abuse and disadvantage.
•  
• They are the most likely to be marginalised from
  decision-making.
• They are the groups most often characterised as a
  problem or issue and described in terms of
  deficit or burden.
•  

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Summary

• Decreasing contact between generations
• Increasing suspicion and distrust
• More children lacking positive adult contact
• Increase in isolated older people
• Increased worry about community and social
  cohesion
• Importance of sustainable change

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Healthy Community

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes a
• Healthy Community as one in which there are good
• social networks, a culture of mutual respect and
• understanding and one where people feel empowered
• to make decisions.
• Thank You!

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References

• Codrington, G. Grant-Marshall, S Mind the
  Gap! Penguines Books, Johannesburg 2004
• Coupland, D. Generation X Tales for an
  accelerated culture. St. Martins Griffin, New
  York 1991
• English Bell online Generation Gap.
  http//englih-bell.com/info2/text/level6/generatio
  n-gap-17.pdf. 7.5. 2009
• Falk, G. Falk, U.A. Youth Culture and the
  Generational Gap. Algora, New York 2005
• Howe, N. Strauss, W. The Fourth Turning. An
  American Prophecy. Broadway Books, New York 1997
• Lancaster, L.C. Stillman, D. When Generations
  Collide Who they are. Why they clash. How to
  solve the
• generational puzzled at work. Harper Collins, New
  York 2003
• Laslett, P. A fresh Map. The emergence of the
  third age. Weidenfield Nicholson, London 1998
• Simpura, J. Seitsemän sukupolvea. Näkökulma
  sukupolvien välisiin hyvinvointisuhteisiin.
  (Seven generations.
• A viewpoint to welfare relations between
  generations) Yhteiskuntapolitiikka 63(1998)5-6
  461 - 468