The generational divide.

The basic characteristics of Generation NeXt—motivated by a search for new experiences and treated with suspicion by its elders—are not new. Just about every generation has been described in exactly the same way, and differing points of view often create friction.

Attitudes are a choice.

The most significant (and to some, the only) reason is age (see: Who are you?). People have different priorities and operate in different ways because of their stage in life. A second divisor is the current economic, social, and political conditions. People are products of their times, and these act upon people of different ages in different ways. As a result, Gen NeXt and Boomer parents and grandparents perceive each other, and themselves, quite differently:

NeXters (as seen by NeXters):

“Many Millennials work very hard to earn their own money and pay their own bills. Many care deeply about the state of society and take action to improve it. How can anyone of the Baby Boomer generation pretend to be surprised at how the Millennial generation has turned out when they raised it?”
“I have been working for half a decade and am still in debt from college. A nice chunk of my salary each month goes to Social Security/Medicare and subsidizing costly insurance premiums for those who are over the hill. The Boomer generation doesn’t have the balls to discuss the problem; any politician who might mention it is immediately attacked by the AARP.”
“I rarely see an older worker wanting to really communicate with a younger one. They don’t trust them because they dye their hair an odd color or have a pierced eyebrow. We can accomplish a lot more than the older generation thinks, if they will only pay attention.”

NeXters (as seen by Boomers):

“I teach in a university and see Millennials daily. They are the most educated, competitive, and technologically savvy generation of all. Their economic concerns are modest compared to the generation that has built a benefit structure for itself that is unsustainable.”
“A lot of my students who post questionable content on-line feel entitled to act like idiots AND get jobs. Before we start trumpeting how Gen NeXt “gets it” we ought to take a very serious look at the things they are NOT getting:
- Myth 1: I don’t want to work for the kind of employer who would judge me based on my exhibitionist videos.
- Fact 1: Employers regard questionable behavior as a risk. Their question is not one of morality but pragmatism: “How can I trust you with responsibility for our clients when you clearly do not possess sound judgment?”
- Myth 2: I am a different/creative/interesting individual and can get away with things others cannot.
- Fact 2: In addition to your outlandish behavior, you’d better have some very special insights, experience, or talent to support your value to an employer. Being simply interesting, cool, or fun means zero to an employer who is hiring you to DO A JOB.”
“As NeXters get more responsibilities (family, mortgage, aging parents, saving for college and retirement, etc.) they will be no different than other middle aged folks. Boomers were idealistic in the 1960s and 1970s; now they are the establishment.”

Boomers (as seen by NeXters):

“Boomer mentality = NO SAVINGS + ME FIRST + OVER-STRETCHED CREDIT + NO LONG TERM DECISION MAKING + BOTOX”
“Feel sorry for Boomers? No way. Feel sorry instead for those who are young now. They will be stuck with having to pay huge taxes to pay for Boomer entitlements and the federal deficit.”
“Most of my friends have parents with multiple divorces, insatiable appetites for stuff they cannot afford, and little to no retirement. My parents (no longer married) squandered tons of money trying to ‘out do’ the Joneses and declared bankruptcy three times.”
“How many 21–25 year olds will end up using their college degrees to work at Wal-Mart because some old farts didn’t plan for their retirement and can’t vacate their positions?”

Boomers (as seen by Boomers):

“A lot of Boomers WILL go broke and I don’t feel sorry for them! I have been in the financial services industry for 38 years and have been preaching saving that entire time, mostly to deaf ears. Spend-spend-spend! That’s the mantra of these people. Vacations, huge houses, credit cards to the max. Save? Buy insurance? Invest? Not a chance. No, I don’t feel sorry at all. But I DO feel sorry for my son and his son . . . their generation will be stuck with paying the debts of ours.”
“People in their 50s have difficulty finding work that actually pays for a living. Don’t tell me to go back to school. I went back 10 years ago and added an MBA and a CPA to my credentials, now I’m told repeatedly that I’m overqualified. People in the 20- to 30-year range have no idea what it’s like trying to find a decent job when your only disqualification is your age.”
“A substantial number of Boomers have prepared well for retirement. Being prepared is not the result of some sudden flight of fancy and fortune. It began 40+ years ago with career choices, education, discipline, sobriety (for the most part) and planning.”

So, mastermind, ask whether your point of view helps widen or narrow the generational divide. Remember, it isn’t what you know that will get you in trouble. It’s what you know that just ain’t so.