Generational Divide
by Andrew Trent
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Lifestyles vary from generation to generation. As the years pass, each particular generation makes its mark, adopting practices and modes of behavior that define the cultural milieu writ large. Let’s take a look at how three distinct types of generations have “codified” certain lifestyles.

The Baby Boomer Generation (those born anywhere between 1946 and the early 1960s) are oftentimes identified with what I like to call “progressive traditionalism.” As the first generation to be raised with the television, Baby Boomers, for the most part, have embraced technological innovation (and the trends that go along with it) while not loosing hold of the “old school” traditionalism associated with physical human interaction. In other words, Baby Boomers are ready and willing to jump on the latest techie bandwagon, yet are also more than happy to roll up their sleeves for some down and dirty manual labor. Their sense of routine is impeccable, and their viewpoints and outlooks have been informed by the complex convergence of 1950s Cold War traditionalism and the cultural upheaval of the 1960s. For the most part, Baby Boomers are practical and have a defined sense of duty to create a lasting impact for both themselves and future generations.

Generation X (Those born between the years 1965 and 1982) has become the product of post-Cold War ideology. Exemplifying the split between “communist containment” and globalization, Generation X, at first, rejected the cultural values of the preceding Baby Boomer generation. Disillusioned with the trappings of traditional society as defined by the Baby Boomers, Generation X became synonymous with the term “slacker.” The early 1990s saw the rise of grunge music and a general “revolution” in attitude that posited Generation X as “pseudo beatniks.” For many members of Generation X, employment and educational success became replaced by angst and rebellion, marked by a struggle to define themselves as individuals.

As the years have gone by, however, members of Generation X (some of whom are approaching their 40s) have adopted the values, outlooks, and behavior of their predecessors, embracing a “can do” attitude toward hard work and resilience. Many have hopped on the bandwagon of technological innovation associated with globalization (some have even been technological visionaries), yet, like the Boomers, hold on to the traditional lifestyles that they were raised with.

And now we come to Generation Y (A.K.A. the Millenials), a band of flip-flop donning cyber sleuths born roughly between the years 1980 and 1994. Generation Y is globalization embodied, and multitasking has become the electronic norm of this group. Raised on MTV, chat rooms, and SMS messaging, Generation Y is synonymous with being perpetually “linked in.” This cell-phone wielding cohort of hip trend setters has defined a lifestyle complicit with the communication age---they are always on the move, and they are always connected with one another. Web savvy, they have defined a workplace standard that embraces flexibility, informality, and a leisurely ethic. They accomplish tasks effectively, yet they do so on their own time and with a creative degree of imagination. They are innovators, always ready and willing to embrace the next best trend.