Talking about Generations

True to the “baby boomer” frame of mind, I catch myself thinking that Generations “Y” and “T” don’t have the faintest idea of the effort we “Boomers,” make to understand a world which is completely different from the one we created for them.

After all, Boomers created the microwave.  The invention which saved or perhaps destroyed family dinners.  Then came fast food, drive thrus, and even the web cam.

Back then, time was slower.  Our conception and perception of time was different.  It’s important for Generation Y to comprehend this. It explains the difficulty boomers sometimes have in understanding generation Y and their constant desire for “instant gratification.”

I was born at the same time as the television.  World War II had ended only ten years ago.  My father had been a volunteer in the war.  He was Jewish, and if he had been caught by the Nazis, his death would have been a certainty.

I was raised in a very traditional manner.  Our entire family ate together every night, as soon as my father got back from work.   Obedience was the norm.  My parents were raised in an environment where the collective mentality was more important than the individual.  They had been victims of war, they had to survive, and they had done it by thinking collectively.  And of course, during war, obedience is also crucial to one’s survival.

When the new generations realize that four generations are coexisting in the same environment, perhaps they can explore the questions of the “past” with their parents, professors, and bosses, to create a more peaceful, harmonious, and productive setting.

The theme of coexistence among generations, isn’t talked about in Brazil-at least not yet.  However, we must understand the way in which generations’ past histories, influence their behavior.  And we must dialogue to truly understand those around us.

Tags: Baby boomer, Family, Generation, generation t, Generation Y, Job