Sometimes I wonder if it’s actually too dark to call someone a boomer. The name thereby sounds like an insult isn’t it? These names are used on people as per the generation or rather the year of birth they belong to. Tracing down these names and the basis of these names on the people is one of the motives of this piece. Besides, let us also race parallel to the inequalities and bias that is creating a heat between these generations.
How are Generations Named?
Generations have a typical gap of 15 years to be segregated in naming them. They are mostly seen to be named in the order of Greek alphabets. The generations after Alpha who we are yet to witness and excluded in this article are the Beta(2025-2039), Gamma(2039-2054) and Delta (Second half of 21st Century). Having said that, Alpha is the first generation to enter the world in the 21st century.
The Baby Boomers
“Baby Boomers”, often termed to be the boomers, are those who were born between 1946 to 1964. They must be around the age of 57 to 75 at present. They succeeded the silent generation and were succeeded by the Generation X. “Okay Boomer” is a quite famous catch phrase to make someone stop being close-minded and conservative, referring to similarities between the people who actually belonged to that generation whose referral is used in order to denote their backwardness in being upgraded for the current generation.
Generation X
Popularly known as Gen X, they follow the Boomers and are followed by the Millennials. They are the one’s born between 1965 to 1980. Their age revolves between 56 to 43. They are also known as the latchkey, lost generation etc., They are also prominally praised for the changes that drove the society into, for example the beginning of nuclear families and new-age full-time careers.
Millennials
Following the Generation X and preceding the Generation Z, Millennials were born between the 1980s to 1995. They are around 44 to 30 years old currently. This term was first used in the book ‘Generations’ by 1991. BBC used reference of this word in 2017 to refer to this age range National Records of Scotland. They’re known as the first generation to grow in an efficiently connected world. They were known for their climate change activism and being the first engagement in social media.
Generation Z
Generation Z or Gen Z are those who were born between 1996 to 2012. They are around 28 to 12 years old. They follow the Millenials and are followed by the Generation Alpha. They are known for revolutionizing today’s world. The main reason behind the prevailing inequalities and bias between generations is also backed by the development of Gen-Z. The diversity and branches of their extended upgradation cannot be put in short words. Bringing together the corners of every culture, tradition and practice with advanced technology and intelligence, Gen-Z has put together a whole lot of a standard that is set as high as a peak. Setting up trends has never been out of style for the ‘always in competition’ generation.
Generation Alpha
People, technically kids born between late 2010s to 2024 are known as the Generation Alpha. They’re known for taking over the empire that Generation Z had built, like dust in no time. They are between the ages of 11 to 0. They are known for the technical knowledge and beyond age maturity that they possess due to the over advanced exposure and upgradation that has been accessible to them. Though they are known for being inclined towards creativity and innovation, they are also known for their hunger to consume their choices.
Bias and Inequality
There has always been a heat amongst successive generations that is visibly notable. This can also be termed as an unfair means to discriminate against humans on the basis of their age and generation. It can occur due to the efficiency of the world following what the affected must have witnessed. This form of bias can also be termed as ‘ageism’.
Popularly stated reasons why this takes place are as follows
Different and unfavorable experiences: Better upbringing, unique career contexts and favorable experiences faced by the new-age generations might have been missed out as a yearn concluding to an unfavorable experience for the preceded generation. The baby boomers may be traditionally strong as leaders whereas the latest generations might be technically sound. Ultimately, everything lies in the eyes of the person looking.
Psychological Conservatism: The reluctance to change is indeed spread amongst the baby boomers and gen X. The inability to cope up with the speed of the latest generations in their technological skills makes them hate the idea of introducing and implementing the best.
Unconscious Bias: While half go with the prior stated reasons, the other half follow their unconsciousness in discriminating on the basis of age.
Breaking the bias
We’ve heard a saying that says good communication can make one’s vision clear. Maybe, who ever knew, that’s exactly what we lack? Empathy and curiosity to teach and learn from one another can make each and every one, irrespective of their generation or age, reach their destined goals. Often, misunderstandings and stereotypes lead to unnecessary conflicts and misleads people to build grudges against each other. Keeping in mind the totally different environments and incidents that various generations go through in their everyday lives, it is a successful society only when there is mutual respect and not competition that prevails.
~ S Keerthana Manasswini
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