Generation labels are a joke.
They are the pinnacle of easy entitlement.
Another example of the celebration of averageness that democracy and consumerism have created.
One more way to weaken our tolerance of failure and to stop bettering ourselves.
Believing that potential, hard work and ambition are given by the decade you were born, is the same as believing that potential, hard work and ambition are given by your constellation.
Let’s keep making everyone think they are great.
After all, the next generations will have to pay for our “greatness.”
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Nice work with the Brevity sir. Here is a quote I came up with this past week.
Age is not a barrier, rather a number that can be silenced by ones ambition, passion, and ability to learn from those who are willing to teach.
Nice quote
Oh, I was doing so good at agreeing with your posts. I know most people will agree with this one, but there is something to generations. It shouldn’t be an excuse to get away with certain behaviors, but I strongly believe that generational differences are among the vast number of other attributes that define and shape us.
Yes, there is. But in my opinion is way less relevant than what we being forced to believe.
I also HATE the Gen Y Gen X, Gen everything (unless you spell it “Gin”), but really have never been able to articulate why. This doesn’t cover it all, but is definitely part of my jaded attitude towards the generational labels. So I don’t know where I was going with that, but, I liked the post
It’s hard to cover it all with one post, don’t worry about it
Hi Carlos,
I disagree heartily. There are exceptions to every rule, of course, but every generation has common experiences that help define them as a group.
Gen Y, for example, was the first generation to grow up with the Internet and mobile technologies. While we were children, there was a parenting trend to make every child feel special. And now we’re graduating into a recession. These experiences effected our development and they make an impact on our current personalities and habits.
Your desire to be unique from everyone else in your generation is a symptom of Gen Y, btw.
-Christine
You see, here’s the problem with these labels, they make us think that our “desire to be unique” is Gen Y, and not specific to certaing groups of people throughout history. This is the entitlement I’m talking about.
There have been people doing the same life decisions that we are doing since always, but we believe that since we were born with these tools, we are different and special.
And the other thing is that people don’t focus on the relevant. They focus on experiences, and they don’t shape your inner strengths. None of the things that you mention are relevant when it comes to a person’s qualities. The internet does not make you ambitious, or a hard worker, and if we believe those things are “gen y” then we have really reached a ridiculous point of feeling good about ourselves.
We only shared experiences. The qualities that matter are timeless.
Not a fan of Outliers, I presume.
We already agreed over chat
And Outliers is a great book.
I second Christine with this one. I can’t stand when people fall back on labels as an excuse, but most of the time (including in the cases I see the generation labels most often used) they serve as a relatively accurate shortcut to making a point by calling out the attributes developed through those shared experiences.
If you and I weren’t affluent members of the same generation, as it’s at least in part defined by society, we could never bond over me having had “the Rachel” for four years straight and you knowing every episode number of every random Ross quote I make.
No generation before ours could be as globally defined. As Christine says, we are graduating into a global recession. These labels are no longer location specific. That doesn’t make them the end all be all “we are the way we are because we’re a result of generation whatever” but rather “we are a generation whatever because of what we shared.” The attributes resulting from those experiences are always shifting, re-shaping, particular with our generation and those coming behind us.
So yeah, I get you with the whole “labels suck when they become an excuse” thing. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t relevant in some respect.
No, I don’t think they are relevant. They point out the obvious, like the fact that we were all shaped by our tools and circumstances. What really matters, what really makes you differentiate yourself is YOU. Put Einstein in any moment in history and his qualities will arise. Put the 95% of lazy gen Y in any other moment in history and they will still be lazy.
It’s just a label, a label so broad that it loses all its meaning. Every thing that you mention are experiences. I’m talking about hard work, team work, and other attributes that have nothing to do with the moment you are born BUT people like to think, write and say everywhere that they do.
Gen Y is like this, gen Y is like that…. give me a break, let’s go to a random college and interview those kids and you tell me what’s the real majority.
Then how can you justify your repeated statements that Gen Y is characteristically lazy? Some of Gen Y is, certainly, so is some of Gen X, so will be some of Gen Z.
I agree that ultimately what you are is a result of what you decide to become. But surrounding circumstances can’t just be brushed aside as meaningless. As a generation, we’re facing a unique set of circumstances with the economy being the way it is, and that will affect what we, as individuals and as a generation, are able to become.
This is not to disagree with your claim that in the end there will likely be only a small group of people from our generation who make a difference, who really become something.
“But you are talking about perceptions, not results. You are talking about desire, not capacity. In the end, only a select group will make a difference. And by labeling everybody, instead of bettering ourselves we just believe we are all part of that small group.”
I don’t see how this is a bad thing. Who cares if we all think we are part of that small group? Who cares if we all have this sense of entitlement? It creates competition and the lazy people still won’t make it because they won’t realize they weren’t entitled to it, they had to work for it.
The difference with our generation is that we’re aware that possibility exists. We’re aware that the opportunity to be a part of that small group is within our grasp, where previous generations didn’t get to have that vision.
I agree, as a generation, we do not all have that capability. And as such, labeling our generation according to capabilities is bullshit. But labeling our generation according to our shared desires and ambitions….why not? I don’t think it’s hurting anyone. Lazy people will be lazy no matter what. Let them dream whatever they want. And let those of us willing to put in the work, to build the necessary capabilities, walk away with the dream as a reality.
The whole generation label thing is pretty pointless indeed. Generalizing ourselves doesn’t really help anybody and limits us more likely. I do understand those that say there’s a reason for the labels, but I don’t think there’s really much benefit to them.
The only reason is because it sells, and because we are labels freaks. We love control that much.
Labels for generations may be pointless, but the demographic trends around those generations are very real. (Check out the book Outliers like Tyler Hurst suggested.)
If you graduated university from 2006 to 2008 when there was a shortage of employees, your opportunities and salary expectations were completely different then if you graduated in 2000-2005. The difference is much more pronounced if you compare Gen X to Gen Y opportunities. If there is a GenZ, they will be the first generation with a lower standard of living then their parents.
When there is lots of competition in the workforce (GenX), times are tough and you are more risk averse. In times of limited competition, (GenY) everyone thinks they are a rock star and new university graduates are getting V.P. and executive positions.
Generation differences can be huge, so there is merit to trying to label them.
But what does have to do with attributes that matter? You know, those that you can’t teach?
There have been rock stars all the time. We are just writing stories about the current ones.
You are mentioning experiences, not qualities. I truly don’t see a merit to trying to label them, and if there is, it’s hurting us more than it’s helping us.
Just to broaden the “labeling”, I’m pretty sure all of us hippie babyboomers thought we were much different and soooo well defined from our “greatest generation” parents. There probably were a few overall attitudinal trends. But really, with the exception of some social liberal kind of things that we see as progress and continue with you younger gens, it turns out we are more like our parents than not. I think generational attitude change comes more from specific current age of the group then any generational effects. Also, human nature is human nature. Every individual process’s information differently. Which is to say, I find Carlos refreshing and ALSO correct.
Here’s a question: What will you be like 30 years from now? As for me, and I think my gen: we have gotten more conservative based on our experiences of our 50 years. It’s inevitable dontcha think?
I understand your point Carlos. Generalizing doesn’t appreciate the skills and talents of individuals regardless of generation.
However, different generations have different expectations and opportunities.
There have been rock stars all the time, but GenY is the first generation where EVERYONE feels they are a rock star. No one wants to start at the bottom anymore.
I have interviewed numerous people with limited experience and skills who say things like they are, “more of an ideas person” or a “strategy person.”
GenY is the first generation that expects to start at the top. And you know what, they can! The tools and access to international markets are cheaper than ever. Carlos Miceli has the same opportunities and access to users as Seth Godin.
These are amazing times. Everything we think about work and life is drastically changing. These opportunities were near impossible just two decades ago.
Companies like Coca Cola have Facebook pages and Twitter accounts just like everyone else. We are all equal.
Generation labels are not about attributes or qualities of individuals they are about opportunities offered to an entire generation. The ‘desire to be unique’ is stronger than ever because of the affluence of developed societies and our universal access to technology and the Internet. It is very, very different then when I was in university.
But you are talking about perceptions, not results. You are talking about desire, not capacity. In the end, only a select group will make a difference. And by labeling everybody, instead of bettering ourselves we just believe we are all part of that small group.
Like I said, it’s more harmful than anything else, and the relevant abilities always rise to the top, regardless of the label o generation.
We all felt special at some point, what was the hippie movement if not that? The feeling of being able to accomplish anything. Just like Gen Y. In the future we will see how only some actually did something and then we’ll realize that all this desire is meaningless without the hard work to back it up. Hard work that the majority of gen Y does not have. We are a very lazy generation…
Great discussion.
Did you just label Gen Y as lazy?
How about this example.
Do you think a 20 year old born 20 years ago has more opportunities and a different perspective on life, work, marriage, leisure time, entrepreneurship, family, etc. than a 20 year old born 100 years ago or 500 years ago.
All may have the exact innate talents and ambitions, however I would suspect that the current 20 year old has more opportunities and plausible paths to a successful and experience rich life.
When change is gradual we don’t see the full effects, but it creates hugely different expectations on life. My grandmother still saves every single chipped plate, plastic bag, left over food and broken appliance. She can’t throw anything away because she was so poor as a child. GenX and GenY are definitely not afraid to consume and dispose.
I am with Christine, Kristin and Malcolm Gladwell on this one. When we are born makes a huge difference to our lives. (Where also matters too.)
I am with Malcolm as well. But you guys are all focusing on what the kids from this generation HAVE and not on what they ARE. Of course when you are born matters regarding your opportunities. So what? That’s the problem, believing that BECAUSE we HAVE those opportunities, we ARE better.
Perspective and opportunities have nothing to do with capacity. but we lazy kids constantly say it does. It will be very fun to see where all this “brilliant youngsters” end in 20 years… you know, once reality hits.
Since I was so critical of your personal branding post(s), I think it’s only fair that I throw in a positive note when I agree with you. Maybe that’s just my generational guilt talking.
I’ve been thinking about the generational label question a lot lately. There’s something about a 43 year old Penelope Trunk opining on Gen Y that feels a little too much like one of those stereotypical British guides speaking quietly as they point out species in their natural habitat while conducting wildlife tours through the Serengeti. It all kind of creeps me out.
Not a problem Andrew, disagree/agree away
I find amusing the idea that democracy creates a celebration of averageness. Theoretically speaking, wouldn’t something like communism do more to force its people to celebrate the averageness?
With the generational topic, aren’t you basically echoing Tom Brokaw’s thoughts about “the Greatest Generation”?