20th+: Generational Sociopolitics

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Generational Sociopolitics

Lost Generation, 1883 to 1900: came of age during World War I and the Roaring Twenties.
Greatest Generation, 1901-1927 "G.I. Generation", Interbellum Generation): came of age during the Roaring Twenties, while younger G.I.s came of age during the Great Depression and World War II.

The economic turmoil of the Great Depression profoundly impacted the Greatest Generation, leaving its members with the desire to end poverty and create economic opportunities. As a result of their drive, this generation is recognized for their success in later years.

In part a result of the Great Depression and World War 2, this generation developed great resilience in surviving hardship and solving problems. Below are a few characteristics that define the Greatest Generation.

Personal Responsibility: The harsh reality of the Great Depression forced many to a higher standard of personal responsibility, even as children.
Humility: The Great Depression fostered modesty and humility in many of those who lived through scarcity.
Work Ethic: Hard work enabled survival during both the depression and the war. Many jobs at the time were physically demanding, with long hours.
Frugality: Saving every penny and every scrap helped families survive through times of shortage. “Use it up, fix it up, make it do, or do without” was a motto of their time.
Commitment: One job or one marriage often lasted an entire lifetime.
Integrity: People valued honesty and trustworthiness, values fostered by the need to rely on one another.
Self-Sacrifice: Millions sacrificed to defend their country or support the war effort from home.

The Silent Generation, (Traditionalist Generation, "Lucky Few"), 1928-1945: came of age in the post–World War II era, Korean War, Vietnam War.
Baby boomers (sometimes shortened to Boomers) 1946-[1954]-1964: relatively large demographic cohort, Vietnam War, counterculture of the 1960s.
Generation Jones (later Boomers), 1954-64: came of age in the "malaise" years of the 1970s.
Generation X (Gen X, baby bust) 1965-1980: includes different subcultures or countercultures since the 1950s.
Millennials, 1981 to 1996, Generation Y, Gen Y grew up around the turn of the 3rd millennium. The Pew Research Center reported that Millennials surpassed the Baby Boomers in U.S. numbers in 2019, with an estimated 71.6 million Boomers and 72.1 million Millennials.
Generation Z (Gen Z, "Zoomers"), 1997 to 2012 [include whiny, self-obsessed weakists]
Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha), early 2010s to mid-2020s. First born entirely in the 21st century. As of 2015, there were some two-and-a-half million people born every week around the globe, and Gen Alpha is expected to reach two billion in size by 2025.