Every generation has a set of values that shape their culture, worldview, behaviour. These values differ from one generation to another thus creating a generation gap, a different way each generation sees the world around them. Generations usually don’t interact with each other unless within their homes and their immediate family.
The term generation gap first appeared in the 1960s. It was then that American researcher Karl Mannheim studied the differences that separate one generation from the other, that often appear during the transition into adulthood. His research was inspired by American baby boomers, a generation who went against everything their parents taught them, whether it was culture, music, or politics.
Generation Gap — Contributing Factors
There are several factors responsible for the separation of one generation from the other. One such characteristic is generation consciousness. Over time every generation realizes that they have a set of specific interests and values, unlike any generation before and after them. This realization often appears in the time of crises, whether those crises are political, social, economic, environmental, or others. This consciousness also leads generations to reshape the world around them to fit their needs and interests.
Another contributing factor to a generation gap is the unique language every generation creates aka slang. Every generation has its slang. Slang is composed of words and phrases invented to connect a certain generation. It is a language that bonds the group together, by inventing words and phrases understandable only to the members of the same group. Slang is temporary and fleeting. It ends with one generation, as the successive one develops its own set of words.
The Influence of Technology
The influence of technology is also an important factor in generation gap creation…
