The United States is currently home to six generations of people:
-the Silents, born 1925–1945
-Baby Boomers, born 1946–1964
-Gen X, born 1965–1979
-Millennials, born 1980–1994
-Gen Z, born 1995–2012
-and the still-to-be-named cohorts born after 2012.
They have had vastly different life experiences and thus, one assumes, they must have different beliefs and behaviors. But what are those differences, what causes them, and how deep do they actually run?
Generations is a deep dive into a treasure trove of long-running, government-funded surveys and databases to answer these questions. Drawing from 24 national datasets including 39 million people, the book explores how the generations differ in mental health, political beliefs, sexual behavior, gender identity, attitudes about race, life goals, drug and alcohol use, income, self-confidence, trust, and materialism – complete with 282 charts.
Upending the usual focus on major events, Generations argues that the strongest driver of generational change is technology, from labor-saving devices to medical advances to smartphones. Changes in technology also lead to downstream effects, like a slower life (children and teens taking longer to grow to independence, young adults taking longer to settle down, and “60 is the new 50”) and individualism (more focus on the self and less on others, leading to more freedom and equality but also more disconnection). These drivers of change also provide a view into the future – of the workplace, consumer behavior, birth rates, and politics.
Generations will forever change the way you view your parents, peers, coworkers, and children, no matter which generation you call your own.
Table of Contents:
- Chapter 1: The How and Why of Generations
- Chapter 2: Silents (Born 1925–1945)
- Event Interlude: The AIDS Epidemic
- Chapter 3: Boomers (Born 1946–1964)
- Event Interlude: 9/11 and the New War
- Chapter 4: Generation X (Born 1965–1979)
- Event Interlude: The Great Recession and its Aftermath
- Chapter 5: Millennials (Born 1980–1994)
- Event Interlude: The COVID-19 Pandemic
- Chapter 6: Generation Z (Born 1995–2012)
- Chapter 7: Polars (Born 2013–2029)
- Chapter 8: The Future
