Every Generation Explained in 10 minutes

“You kids and your TikToks! When I was your age,  we were working in the mines!” Grandpa grumbles between mouthfuls of mashed potatoes. “Okay, boomer!” your 12-year-old cousin fires back, eyes glued to his iPhone.”Ski bidi toilet!” And there you are, frantically scrolling through job listings, trying to find a side hustle to cover… well, living. But how did we get here? Why does it feel like the generations are at war? It wasn’t always like this.

Sure, back in the 1800s, they probably complained about how those darn ‘1812-ers’ were ruining the Revolutionary War generation’s hard-fought legacy. But this idea of labeling people by generations and turning it into a culture clash? That’s actually a 20th-century invention. Generations used to be simple family labels—until someone decided, “Hey,  let’s study this… and fight about it!” And now we have seven distinct generations, each thinking they’re doing things right.

But why does it feel like a battleground for who’s really to blame for the world’s problems? That’s exactly what we’re breaking down in this episode of The Infographics Show- Every Generation Explained.

Find out exactly where  YOU fit in this generational showdown. The Greatest Generation – 1901 to 1927 This Generation was born at the start of a new century filled with promise, progress and excitement – but naturally, history had different plans. The early years of this generation would be filled with massive upheaval, with many seeing World War I unfold and being haunted by the specter of the Spanish Flu.

But amid this, they saw many leaps in culture – as the roaring twenties took off and brought Jazz and Swing music into the mainstream. But with every up comes a down – and the Great Depression hit as many of them were approaching adulthood, plunging the entire world into economic uncertainty. And then the rumblings of war started… And that’s how this generation earned their name.

Most of this generation were of fighting age when World War II broke out, and they became associated with the most iconic military triumph the United States had ever seen. Although there were many losses, they returned home to celebrations and went on to great success in business, culture – and of course, you’re lucky enough to know one, ask them to tell you a crazy story about the good old days. With a legacy this large, it’s no surprise that the next generation was sort of overshadowed. Silent Generation – 1928 to 1945 The Silent Generation was also shaped by these world events – but not in the same way,  as they grew up in a world in flux. The depression shaped their childhood, leading to many growing  up in unsettled circumstances, and the war caused wartime rationing. Many saw parents die in combat,  and grew up in a deeply patriotic environment. Speaking out against the government was frowned upon, and a strong sense of collectivism was encouraged.

And that’s how this generation got its name – because as soon as one war ended, another began. This was the first generation largely defined by the Cold War.

The threat of Communism was already alive and well in America before this generation was born, but once the Soviet Union got nukes, it was all hands-on deck. The name comes from the fact that most of them were silent during the McCarthy era, keeping their heads down and maintaining a strong work ethic that had been instilled in them in childhood. The term “Baby Boomers” comes from the baby boom of the late 1940s and 1950s, as all the World War II veterans returned home, and the economy recovered from the depression and wartime footing. The result? A higher standard of living for Americans, a fast advance in commerce and technology, and a whole lot of woo-hoo! And soon, the babies started coming, resulting in a massive generation of over 76 million Americans alone – making them the largest generation. And they grew up in a world that saw progress come fast – this was the age of the Space Race, of the Civil Rights Movement, of Woodstock, and of the changes that led to what most people view as a “typical American Childhood”. But it was also an age of uncertainty and terror.

If the words “Duck and Cover” cause you to dive under the nearest table, you might just be a Baby Boomer! This was the era when nuclear annihilation was the clearest and most present threat, as events like the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink.

Thus, Baby Boomers were raised to be cautious and deeply patriotic. But this was also the era of the Vietnam draft and the massive anti-war movement that followed – something that continues in how they impact politics to this day. They’ve had four Presidents – Clinton, Bush Jr., Obama, and Trump. They have a reputation for leaning conservative, and their easier road in the economy and employment rankles the younger generations, but they’re as ideologically diverse as the other generations – and as they reach retirement age by the millions each year, they show no signs of their influence waning. With the Boomers casting such a long shadow,  is it any surprise that the next generation is a little more…zen? Generation X – 1965 to 1980 Known as the slacker generation by many of the older generations, Generation X largely escaped one major trial by fire – a major war that swept them up. While the Baby Boomers largely fought in Vietnam, this generation saw the latter days of the Cold Wars as tension started to slowly ease.

The most significant war of this period, the Gulf War, was a limited conflict that didn’t involve a draft. And that led them to become far more involved in domestic affairs – and far more willing to question the powers that be.

This was the era where LGBT rights became a key issue, and when the AIDS epidemic swept the world. And while the world might not have been in as much danger of immediate annihilation, change was going to come fast. And much of that cultural shift would be on…the TV?

Today, Generation X is most associated not with what they did – but with what they watched and listened to.

This is the era that MTV came on the air, and the beginnings of the grunge movement stepped onto the stage. It also saw a disturbing rise in kidnappings and the rise of the Satanic Panic, as fears shifted to the homefront and parents became more protective of their kids – spelling an end to the age of free-range childhood and the beginning of helicopter parenting.

Much like the Silent Generation, this generation is often seen as overshadowed by the ones sandwiching it – and it has never had a President even as its older members approach sixty. Now it’s time to shift to the kids – wait, they’re how old now?

Millennials – 1981 to 1996 Coming of age as the Cold War breathed its last and a new era began; the Millennials are associated with one thing more than any other – technology.

This generation experienced a lot of whiplash in their early years – growing up in the era of Toys ‘R Us and wall phones as kids, seeing the internet born as they grew up, and entering a new digital landscape as they hit high school or college. For the millennials, especially those who saw the calendar roll over to 2000 as they approached adulthood, the world seemed full of promise and excitement. Surely it was all uphill from here! But just like the Greatest Generation, History had its way of throwing a spanner in the works.

As soon as the new millennium rolled over, chaos seemed to ensue.

A near-tied Presidential election with a controversial resolution led many millennials to become disaffected with politics.  The 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington kicked off a global war on terror – and while there was no draft like in previous generations, it cast a pall over young adulthood for many. Then, the  2008 financial crisis upended many millennials’ career plans. This has set them back in many ways, with many living at home with their parents long after previous generations and struggling to find long-term employment.

This has also led this generation to become highly liberal, with many of the generations young politicians being iconoclasts like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.  But while millennials are still often used as shorthand for “Young people”, here’s a scary  statistic. The older millennials are now over 40 – which means some of them are already grandparents. Which means it’s time for someone else to say “Okay, Millennial”. Generation Z – 1997 to 2010 If the Millennials got a crash course in technology as they grew up, Gen Z are digital natives, with almost all of them growing up with the internet being a part of everyday life.

They likely got cell phones at a relatively young age, and those quickly changed to smartphones – essentially giving them a computer in their pocket at all times.

When the boomers talk about “Kids these days will never understand – “they mean this generation – the majority of Gen Z has likely never worked on a typewriter, used white-out, or scanned a newspaper for movie listings. To which they would answer…why would we need to? But if you think that means they’re checked out of reality…think again. One thing that’s been clear about this generation as they get older is that they are highly engaged in politics and social issues, with the internet being key in increasing their awareness.

They’ve played a key role in the anti-war, gun control, and anti-climate change movements – but often prefer confrontational protest movements to voting and organizing in the traditional way. This has caused no shortage of headaches for older generations, but progress usually only goes one way, and it’s still uncertain how they’re going to impact politics around the world as they get older. Which raises the question – what is the next generation going to look like? Gen Alpha – 2011 to ? How do you judge a generation that’s just barely started?

Well, if you ask most older people, they have no problem! Much like Gen Z were digital natives, Gen Alpha are smartphone natives – which means they’ve never known a world without the constant stream of information at their fingertips.

This has led to worries from teachers about them having trouble with reading and attention span, as they’re so used to getting their information from short-form video like TikTok – and they’re growing up just as AI becomes a massive concern. But like with every generation, there’s another side to that. Even more so than Gen Z, Gen Alpha is highly engaged in activism and passionate about justice.

They’re also the most tech-savvy generation ever, not just playing it but creating it.

More than half of American kids under sixteen are members of Roblox, a site that allows them to code games.  But they’re growing up in a world that’s more unsettled than it has been since the cold war.

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