Generational Psychologies

[IMPress Polly]

Just a casual observation today:

In looking back at the span of American history, we can see a general pattern of generational rotation in mentality. A progressive generation is followed by a conservative generation, which in turn is followed by another progressive generation, etc. And the beat goes on. Why? Well it is rooted in not so much the circumstances under which one grows up themselves so much as the directionality of the way in which they change as one matures into adulthood.

Progressive generations are born into favorable circumstances, like an era in which peace and (relative) prosperity prevail perhaps, only to mature into a less idyllic world. This perception of downward mobility, connected up with the memory of better times (and thus the knowledge that a better world is possible) leads such generations to embrace activism. Tracing the last century for example, we can see that this is what characterized the G.I. Generation, which grew up in the prosperous 1920s and matured into adulthood during the Great Depression and World War II. We can likewise see it in the Baby Boomers, who grew up in the prosperous 1950s and matured into the less idyllic Cuban missile crisis / stagflation era of the 1960s and '70s. We can also see this in my generation, Millennials, who grew up in the prosperous 1990s and matured into the post-9/11 age of perpetual war, the Great Recession, etc.

Conversely, conservative generations might experience the opposite trajectory, being born into unfavorable circumstances, which leads them to be less wide-eyed and idealistic and more practical in orientation, to which end such generations become diligent workers who don't challenge the status quo much. They benefit from the activism of the preceding generation and mature into more favorable circumstances, which in turn provides them with the illusion that it was but their diligence and hard work that made a better life possible. We can see this, for example, in the Silent Generation that grew up during the Great Depression years and World War II and matured into the prosperous 1950s. We can also see it in Generation X, which grew up during the economic malaise, crime waves, social upheaval, and chilling Cold War of the 1960s and '70s and matured into the more prosperous, peaceful, and promising 1980s and '90s. And I think we can likewise see a similar trajectory happening for Generation Z, as today's under-18 youth are currently being called, for it is a generation that grew up in the post-9/11 era of perpetual war and the Great Recession and are maturing into what could be considered, at least in some ways, better times.

You see what I'm saying about the rotational nature of generational psychologies in this country? I would also observe that these same rules generally apply to individuals. For example, someone who is born into poverty and experiences upward social mobility over the course of their life (i.e. "lives the American dream") is probably going to become a conservative-minded person, while someone who is born into better circumstances and experiences downward mobility over the course of their life is probably going to be a more progressive-minded person.

I have no point with this post. These are just general observations that I felt like sharing today. What do you think?

[Chloe]

I’d be curious how this ends up with kids now, especially considering all people born between 2001 to today have only known the country to be in an endless war on “terror”.

[DGUtley]

Just a casual observation today:
In looking back at the span of American history, we can see a general pattern of generational rotation in mentality. A progressive generation is followed by a conservative generation, which in turn is followed by another progressive generation, etc. And the beat goes on. Why? Well it is rooted in not so much the circumstances under which one grows up themselves so much as the directionality of the way in which they change as one matures into adulthood.

Progressive generations are born into favorable circumstances, like an era in which peace and (relative) prosperity prevail perhaps, only to mature into a less idyllic world. This perception of downward mobility, connected up with the memory of better times (and thus the knowledge that a better world is possible) leads such generations to embrace activism. Tracing the last century for example, we can see that this is what characterized the G.I. Generation, which grew up in the prosperous 1920s and matured into adulthood during the Great Depression and World War II. We can likewise see it in the Baby Boomers, who grew up in the prosperous 1950s and matured into the less idyllic Cuban missile crisis / stagflation era of the 1960s and '70s. We can also see this in my generation, Millennials, who grew up in the prosperous 1990s and matured into the post-9/11 age of perpetual war, the Great Recession, etc.

Conversely, conservative generations might experience the opposite trajectory, being born into unfavorable circumstances, which leads them to be less wide-eyed and idealistic and more practical in orientation, to which end such generations become diligent workers who don't challenge the status quo much. They benefit from the activism of the preceding generation and mature into more favorable circumstances, which in turn provides them with the illusion that it was but their diligence and hard work that made a better life possible. We can see this, for example, in the Silent Generation that grew up during the Great Depression years and World War II and matured into the prosperous 1950s. We can also see it in Generation X, which grew up during the economic malaise, crime waves, social upheaval, and chilling Cold War of the 1960s and '70s and matured into the more prosperous, peaceful, and promising 1980s and '90s. And I think we can likewise see a similar trajectory happening for Generation Z, as today's under-18 youth are currently being called, for it is a generation that grew up in the post-9/11 era of perpetual war and the Great Recession and are maturing into what could be considered, at least in some ways, better times.

You see what I'm saying about the rotational nature of generational psychologies in this country? I would also observe that these same rules generally apply to individuals. For example, someone who is born into poverty and experiences upward social mobility over the course of their life (i.e. "lives the American dream") is probably going to become a conservative-minded person, while someone who is born into better circumstances and experiences downward mobility over the course of their life is probably going to be a more progressive-minded person.

I have no point with this post. These are just general observations that I felt like sharing today. What do you think?

Read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Generations-H.../dp/0688119123

I did. It basically stands for the concept that there are by-and-large four (4) generations that have rotated on pretty-much a regular basis all throughout American history.

[Chris]

Not buying it. You've merely associated what's good with progressivism and what's bad with conservatism. You did well to avoid the usual leftist deterministic argument with "it is rooted in not so much the circumstances under which one grows up themselves" but then came up with some rather meaningless: "so much as the directionality of the way in which they change as one matures into adulthood." The directionality? UNless that just another leftist way of saying the past determines who we are, a rejection of individual will and choice. Besides, the left is generally the war mongers Wilson, FDR, LBJ, Bush 2, Hillary.

I would agree that one generation rejects and rebels against the previous generations values and such, but it's not merely left-right-left-right with history repeating itself. Each generation is educated enough to build onto the previous two or more generations and create something new. And that sodmething new can be god or bad or both. Postmodernism is something new, a rejection of both modernism and pre-modernism, a rejection, one might say, even of itself. Identity politics is something new. Snowflake safe spaces from ideas is new.

[Captdon]

Just a casual observation today:

In looking back at the span of American history, we can see a general pattern of generational rotation in mentality. A progressive generation is followed by a conservative generation, which in turn is followed by another progressive generation, etc. And the beat goes on. Why? Well it is rooted in not so much the circumstances under which one grows up themselves so much as the directionality of the way in which they change as one matures into adulthood.

Progressive generations are born into favorable circumstances, like an era in which peace and (relative) prosperity prevail perhaps, only to mature into a less idyllic world. This perception of downward mobility, connected up with the memory of better times (and thus the knowledge that a better world is possible) leads such generations to embrace activism. Tracing the last century for example, we can see that this is what characterized the G.I. Generation, which grew up in the prosperous 1920s and matured into adulthood during the Great Depression and World War II. We can likewise see it in the Baby Boomers, who grew up in the prosperous 1950s and matured into the less idyllic Cuban missile crisis / stagflation era of the 1960s and '70s. We can also see this in my generation, Millennials, who grew up in the prosperous 1990s and matured into the post-9/11 age of perpetual war, the Great Recession, etc.

Conversely, conservative generations might experience the opposite trajectory, being born into unfavorable circumstances, which leads them to be less wide-eyed and idealistic and more practical in orientation, to which end such generations become diligent workers who don't challenge the status quo much. They benefit from the activism of the preceding generation and mature into more favorable circumstances, which in turn provides them with the illusion that it was but their diligence and hard work that made a better life possible. We can see this, for example, in the Silent Generation that grew up during the Great Depression years and World War II and matured into the prosperous 1950s. We can also see it in Generation X, which grew up during the economic malaise, crime waves, social upheaval, and chilling Cold War of the 1960s and '70s and matured into the more prosperous, peaceful, and promising 1980s and '90s. And I think we can likewise see a similar trajectory happening for Generation Z, as today's under-18 youth are currently being called, for it is a generation that grew up in the post-9/11 era of perpetual war and the Great Recession and are maturing into what could be considered, at least in some ways, better times.

You see what I'm saying about the rotational nature of generational psychologies in this country? I would also observe that these same rules generally apply to individuals. For example, someone who is born into poverty and experiences upward social mobility over the course of their life (i.e. "lives the American dream") is probably going to become a conservative-minded person, while someone who is born into better circumstances and experiences downward mobility over the course of their life is probably going to be a more progressive-minded person.

I have no point with this post. These are just general observations that I felt like sharing today. What do you think?

I think it's bogus. It's your opinion but it's still bogus. My older siblings are Depression babies and were
young adults in the progressive WWII era. One is a Liberal and three are Conservatives. I've known of examples like this all my life. I don't, and have never, seen any correlation like this.

People just like to give the other side a shot at their ideas from time to time.

[Chris]

Read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Generations-H.../dp/0688119123

I did. It basically stands for the concept that there are by-and-large four (4) generations that have rotated on pretty-much a regular basis all throughout American history.

I would suggest Frank Chodorov's essay "About Revolutions" in his One is a Crowd:

A revolution is a thought-pattern born of curiosity and nurtured on an ideal. Every generation thinks up its own thought-pattern, but because the preceding generation hangs on to what it is used to, the transition from the old to the new must be gradual. From the perspective of history it seems that on a certain date one revolution died and another was born. We think of the nineteenth century, with its tradition of natural rights, and its laissez-faire doctrine, as suddenly ushering in a reversal of the feudal tradition. But, Voltaire, Adam Smith, Rousseau and others were plowing and planting some time before 1800, and if you do some digging you'll find the roots of the nineteenth century in much earlier times. Even so, while we are enjoying, or rueing, our own revolution, it is a certainty that youth is critical of it and is building its successor.

Online @ https://www.cooperative-individualis...tions-1952.htm

[Mister D]

I’d be curious how this ends up with kids now, especially considering all people born between 2001 to today have only known the country to be in an endless war on “terror”.

The "endless wars" have had very little effect on your average American. These are imperial wars fought far from home and by a volunteer army. Aside from their despicable hypocrisy that is one reason why the anti-war movement proved to be such a joke.

[Peter1469]

Just a casual observation today:

In looking back at the span of American history, we can see a general pattern of generational rotation in mentality. A progressive generation is followed by a conservative generation, which in turn is followed by another progressive generation, etc. And the beat goes on. Why? Well it is rooted in not so much the circumstances under which one grows up themselves so much as the directionality of the way in which they change as one matures into adulthood.

Progressive generations are born into favorable circumstances, like an era in which peace and (relative) prosperity prevail perhaps, only to mature into a less idyllic world. This perception of downward mobility, connected up with the memory of better times (and thus the knowledge that a better world is possible) leads such generations to embrace activism. Tracing the last century for example, we can see that this is what characterized the G.I. Generation, which grew up in the prosperous 1920s and matured into adulthood during the Great Depression and World War II. We can likewise see it in the Baby Boomers, who grew up in the prosperous 1950s and matured into the less idyllic Cuban missile crisis / stagflation era of the 1960s and '70s. We can also see this in my generation, Millennials, who grew up in the prosperous 1990s and matured into the post-9/11 age of perpetual war, the Great Recession, etc.

Conversely, conservative generations might experience the opposite trajectory, being born into unfavorable circumstances, which leads them to be less wide-eyed and idealistic and more practical in orientation, to which end such generations become diligent workers who don't challenge the status quo much. They benefit from the activism of the preceding generation and mature into more favorable circumstances, which in turn provides them with the illusion that it was but their diligence and hard work that made a better life possible. We can see this, for example, in the Silent Generation that grew up during the Great Depression years and World War II and matured into the prosperous 1950s. We can also see it in Generation X, which grew up during the economic malaise, crime waves, social upheaval, and chilling Cold War of the 1960s and '70s and matured into the more prosperous, peaceful, and promising 1980s and '90s. And I think we can likewise see a similar trajectory happening for Generation Z, as today's under-18 youth are currently being called, for it is a generation that grew up in the post-9/11 era of perpetual war and the Great Recession and are maturing into what could be considered, at least in some ways, better times.

You see what I'm saying about the rotational nature of generational psychologies in this country? I would also observe that these same rules generally apply to individuals. For example, someone who is born into poverty and experiences upward social mobility over the course of their life (i.e. "lives the American dream") is probably going to become a conservative-minded person, while someone who is born into better circumstances and experiences downward mobility over the course of their life is probably going to be a more progressive-minded person.

I have no point with this post. These are just general observations that I felt like sharing today. What do you think?

Plenty of serious people think about this stuff.

Abstract

Purpose
This article reviews the evidence for generational differences in work values from time-lag studies (which can separate generationfrom age/career stage) and cross-sectional studies (which cannot). Understanding generational shifts is especially importantgiven the coming retirement of Baby Boomer workers and their replacement by those born after 1982 (GenMe/GenY/Millennials).
FindingsMost studies, including the few time-lag studies, show that GenX and especially GenMe rate work as less central to their lives,value leisure more, and express a weaker work ethic than Boomers and Silents. Extrinsic work values (e.g., salary) are higherin GenMe and especially GenX. Contrary to popular conceptions, there were no generational differences in altruistic values(e.g., wanting to help others). Conflicting results appeared in desire for job stability, intrinsic values (e.g., meaning),and social/affiliative values (e.g., making friends). GenX, and especially GenMe are consistently higher in individualistictraits. Overall, generational differences are important where they appear, as even small changes at the average mean thattwice or three times as many individuals score at the top of the distribution.
ImplicationsTo recruit GenMe, companies should focus on work–life balance issues and flexible schedules. Programs based on volunteering,altruistic values, social values, or meaning in work will likely be no more successful than they were for previous generations.
The lack of generational differences in job hopping suggests that GenMe workers who are satisfied will be retained.
Originality/valueNo previous review has summarized all of the available studies examining generational differences in work values.
KeywordsWork values-Generations-Work ethic-Leisure-Extrinsic values



A Review of the Empirical Evidence on Generational Differences in Work Attitudes (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publica...Work_Attitudes [accessed Feb 06 2018].

[Kacper]

Just think, some day nursing homes will be filled with X-box and rap battles in the community room.

Every generation is in it for themselves. That may be economic, that may be to feel good. It is all the same. Circumstances just change.

[Peter1469]

I’d be curious how this ends up with kids now, especially considering all people born between 2001 to today have only known the country to be in an endless war on “terror”.

How many of those people have actually been part of it?