The Generalization of Generations

The most recent example I can recall of an “abuse” of the idea of generations is within my father’s Facebook page. My father is known for his argumentative nature, and though I agree with most of his points, he attracts some misinformed people to his posts. I rarely join in on the arguments, because I believe the people who comment on his posts are unlikely to change their viewpoints. The few times I comment on the posts, I’ll often get dismissed due to my age. Despite providing sources to support my points, people often tell me things like, “you don’t understand what you’re talking about,” without a counterargument. Louis Menand, pondering about generations wondered if, “are they a helpful way to understand anything?” A problem with generations is the tendency for the abuse of their concept with sweeping generalizations.

Something I think is important to note is I am not without my own biases. Though I often find myself enjoying conversation with members of any generation, I’ve bought into some generalizations. Due to my previous experiences with members of older generations, particularly baby boomers, I tend to distrust their viewpoints. To me, they often seem out of touch and misinformed with current world events, however, I have attempted to rectify this viewpoint in recent years. Generations may be a way to define the historical events and technological advancements that shaped an era of people. However, generational stereotyping often sparks conflict across generations.