Cohorts of Change!
Change is inevitable, Growth is intentional!!!
For this article, I’m going to name myself and my granddaughter as Cohorts of Change.
Of course, being typical of her generation, she wouldn’t appreciate being named ANYTHING. The cohorts are; the Silent Generation of my era, and “Her Majesty’s” generation; the Millennials.
The members of the Silent Generation was born between 1928 and 1942. They kept their heads down trying their best to be “seen not heard”, not wanting to upset the applecart. When the “Silent” began coming of age, after World War II, they tiptoed cautiously in a post-crisis social order that no one wanted to disturb.
Unlike the G.I.s, they rarely talked about “changing the system”, but “working within the system.” They did this because they didn’t want anything to go on their “permanent records”, so they kept their heads down during the McCarthy era. TIME Magazine gave them the label “Silent”.
The millennial’s, “Her Majesty’s” generation was born between 1982 and 2000. Surveys of political attitudes among Millennials have suggested increasingly social liberal views, as well as higher overall support for classical liberal economic policies than preceding generations. They are more likely to support same-sex marriage and the legalization of drugs. They are also more likely to oppose animal testing for medical purposes than older generations.
Ron’s generation, “The Baby Boomers”—those born between 1946 and 1964—cannot go unscathed! As a baby-boomer, he and his cohorts were considered the wealthiest, most active, and most physically fit generation up to the era in which they arrived, and were amongst the first to grow up genuinely expecting the world to improve with time.
They were also the generation that received peak levels of income; they could therefore reap the benefits of abundant levels of food, apparel, retirement programs, and sometimes even “midlife crisis” products. The increased consumerism for this generation has been regularly criticized as excessive.
These generational differences have brought about change within these two or three generations and all others in between. Regardless of the battle, change was the inevitable. With each generation’, we have experienced broad and definitive social and political trends. Most of these trends have become both continuous and permanent.
Lastly, Christianity has played an important role. It is responsible for the way our society is organized and for the way we currently live. So extensive is the Christian contribution to our laws, our economics, our politics, our arts, our calendar, our holidays, and our moral and cultural priorities that historian J. M. Roberts writes in The Triumph of the West, ‘We could none of us today be what we are if a handful of Jews nearly two thousand years ago had not believed that they had known a great teacher, seen him crucified, dead, and buried, and then rise again.’ ” (From the book What’s So Great about Christianity by Dinesh D’Souza.)
So, Her Majesty the Millennial, The Silent Generation defers to you! Be on the lookout for “Generation Z”. According to Forbes in 2015, the generation after Millennials, Generation Z, makes up 25% of the U.S. population; making them an even larger cohort than the “Baby Boomers” or the “Millennials. More change to come!
by Ron’s Mom
Mrs. Brown, you bring up excellent point and facts as well. I honestly do not trust the generation underneath myself. The dependence on technology have limited their growth and evolution as human beings. With real problems comes real adversity which means real heart and real fortitude. If these millennials have the so called “best” everything, why do their attitudes stink? Hahaha. I understand I am 33 years old but I’m no millennial.
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Thanks for the comments Tareau!
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Hey Tareau! thanks for your comments bruh, but….just call her Mom. She’s not a Brown LOL!
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Ohhhh man I’m sorry. Hahahaha man I am not in good graces with the ladies of your family today huh? Hahahah. Ok.
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Well said ! As times and eras change each generation is shaped by different situations and influences, and recognising this is important for helping us to move forward.
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Mom thanks you and I thank you. We have to recognize the problems before we can move on. Well said.
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Mrs. Brown – another wonderful post, by the way. I guess I am going to apologize on behalf of Generation X for the millenials. My generation is responsible for making this group in to the no accountability group. As a disclaimer, not every millenial falls into this description. There are exceptions. However, from a very early age, millenials were told that everything they did was worthy of praise. It didn’t matter what kind of work you did as long as you showed up. If a teacher didn’t give little Billy or Susie the grade that they felt they deserved, it must be the teacher’s fault. They just can’t see how brilliantly talented my son or daughter is! The same pattern repeats in college until finally the millenials enter the workforce. They have demands that most companies are accomodating because they are the future. They must have a social life so they have flexible schedules. If they don’t feel like working, they don’t show up. If they receive a poor performance review, they report their manager to HR because they deserved better! Believe me, I look forward to change.
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Thanks Susan!
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Very informative and I 100% agree.
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Thanks, Tareau!
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Thanks Susan, I love your response. And like you said, “not all millennials” are the same. It’s sometimes dangerous when we do generalize but on the scale of big change, it is almost impossible not to.
The good thing is, everything works towards achieving a balance. Balance is good. We may have wild swings this way or that way sometimes but balance is usually achieved. It may not be familiar to us when it is achieved, but it’s a balance nonetheless.
Thanks, and oh, just call Mom, Mom or Ms. Denson.
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Thanks for responding, Ron. I was a little hesitant to comment but I felt compelled to do so. I appreciate you letting me know how to address your Mom. I always strive for politeness!
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This is wonderful! Thank you Mrs. B! (sorry, may I call you Mrs. B?) 😀
Being from Generation X and raising a Generation Z child, I’m seeing a lot of humanity and love in these children. I think Generation Z are seeing the worst of the world and may actually aim to make this world a better place. The lockdown drills they have at school these days put the fear of God into them. I don’t know how it is with the rest of the country, but in the state of Washington, they’re taught to recycle, respect the earth and all living things, there is no tolerance for bullying, a lot of humanitarian stuff. My son’s elementary school taught (and the kids lived by) The Leader in Me principals, penned by Stephen Covey, every single day. Yes, I too see change coming… and it’s all good. I have faith. 🙂
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Thanks for the comments! Of course you may call me Ms.B!
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As a proud Baby Boomer, I salute this post, Mrs. Brown. I gave birth to 2 Millennials. Your use of “Her Majesty” is spot on. Thank you. ☺
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Yes Van! It’s me,me,me!!
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I wrote about my love for the Millenials a few months back 🙂
Poor Generation X—No love for us Aunt Jet?
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I think she put the Xers in the “between” category. Y’all get a post all to yourself Cuz!!!!! LOL!
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LOL!!
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Hi Gwin, you and your cohorts should not feel slighted!! Even though you have been cited as being “stuck in the middle” of the Baby Boomers and the Millenials, there’s one silver lining. Generation X is savvy, skeptical, and don’t give much of a hoot what others think of you. Or whether others think of you at all.
Yes, I do have love and much respect for your generation.
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Thanks Auntie!
Much love and respect right back to you and all of the Baby Boomers before us 🌹
And you’re right, we were kinda ‘stuck between’ two large generations.
I think as we have gotten older we are starting to be more concerned of what others think of us–especially our millennial children and boomer parents 🙂
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Hi Tareau, You may call me Ms. Brown! It’s perfectly ok with me. I was once Ms. Brown. Carry on, Son!
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Susan, my children are Browns! I have no qualms about being called Ms. Brown. Please don’t hesitate to comment! I enjoy reading them so very much!
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Great piece!
I want to echo some of the sentiments expressed above. Society tends not to have faith in the youth. Once upon a time there were “children are the future” bumper stickers. But nowadays, children are being frisked on their way to the lunch room at school. I honestly feel bad for the up and coming generation.
Glad to see some folks have faith =D
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Yes, the struggle is real Darryl. Thanks for your valued and insightful input.
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I liked the discussions here.
Fond Regards to everyone.
Shiva
🙏💟🙋
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Warm regards to you too, Shiva! Thanks for sharing!
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This was really interesting… different conditions and peer mentality really shaped people’s views. There do seem to be similar patterns of thinking across the generations.
Loved this, except you forgot mine! I’m tail-end of Gen X. We were all the rage for a while. 🙂
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HI delilahwahr,
Thanks for the comment! How could I forget your generation? “Your Majesty’s” mom was a tail-end Gen X, born 1980. You all being the lucky ones, the ones in between X and Millennial. The tail-end Gen X got some of the best of both worlds. Technological advances were made but you weren’t as beholden to them as “Your Majesty’s” Mellenials. In other words, you weren’t attached by hand and ear to a cell phone. Also, by no means were you immune to the Recession, but many of you were able to duck its heftiest blows.
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Humanity is busy doing … nothing. We are moving very fast going … nowhere.
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Hi Berni,
Thanks for commenting! I totally agree! Here’s a thought taken in part from a poem by GailForceWinds
Feb 18, 2015
Slow Down
Where am I going
Where have I been
Running in circles
Again and again
Trying to get things done
Do these things matter to me
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Excellent article Sir, it was a great read, I enjoyed it.
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O, and by the way Sir, I am going to reblog this one for you. Hopefully that will help get a few more eyes on it.
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Thanks, Mom and I appreciate that!
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