Given our recent conversations on marriage equality and kids in the workplace, I thought I’d share results from a Pew Social and Demographic Trends that I came across. Turns out that researchers at Pew are reporting the largest generation gap since 1968. Apparently we disagree “increasingly on social values ranging from religion to relationships.” Almost 80% of those interviewed thought “there is a major difference in point of view of younger people and older people today.” That’s the highest spread since 1969, “when about 74% reported major differences” and “just 60% in 1979 saw a generation gap.” Ah, the 70s! We were so much calmer then. Must have been all that big hair and gel.
Relevant to our discussion on marriage equality, the report shows that younger people have greater tolerance on “cultural issues such as gay marriage and interracial relationships.”
I thought this was interesting:
“[T]he generation gap in 2009 seems to be more tepid in nature than it was in the 1960s,… Today, it’s more of a general outlook, a different point of view, a general set of moral values.” A kinder, gentler generation gap?
And this:
“While more than half of those under 65 think they will experience memory loss when they are older, only one-quarter of people 65 and older say they do so.” Um, I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be unkind, but er, couldn’t they have FORGOTTEN that they’ve experienced memory loss? I mean, isn’t that the POINT about memory loss? Never mind.
And not surprisingly:
“Americans differ on when old age begins. On average, they say 68. People under age 30 believe it begins at 60, while those 65 and older push the threshold to 74.” Duh! You don’t hear 20 somethings saying 20 is the new 10, do you? But have you talked to a 40 something who doesn’t claim that 40 is the new 30?
And lastly:
“Of all those surveyed, most said they wanted to live to 89.” I don’t have such a precise goal, do you?
What do you think?
80% claim there is a gap now? 80% of whom? What ages were interviewed? Yes, there is a huge spread between the tat'd teens and the weekly salon-going blue-haired Buick LeSabre owners. But really, there can't be that big of a spread between the up-and-coming baby boomers and their grandkids. The baby-boomers are refusing to age. In fact, they seem to be out finding their soul mates in Argentina. Need more data!
ReplyDeleteOn this issue of aging... I'll be lucky to make 89. I don't claim to be thirty, however if someone guesses my age in the 30's I'll be demur but secretly despise them. I discussed with my kids that if they agreed to have kids at age 30, and those kids had kids at age 30, then I would be able to see my great-grandkids when they reached age 5 if I lived to 100. I would have reached the point my grandmother had when she passed away... being with her great-grandchildren when they were 5. A pie-in-the-sky dream, but grounded with the knowledge that when you have kids you should have NO expectations.
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ReplyDeleteBTW, my grandmother lived to be 89. =)
ReplyDeleteDear Sandy,
ReplyDeleteThere wasn't enough room to provide all the info on the survey, which is why I *conveniently* provided a link to the survey itself. However, I'll try to accommodate an answer to some of your questions; never want to inconvenience my readers--even the really lazy ones. ;)
Pew interviewed almost 3,000 people from ages 18 to "65 and older." 80% of *them* think there's a huge gap. And Pew is reporting, that based on the answers of the participants, they also see a large gap.
Come on, kids, don't be such engineers! Don't be so right brained! Think big thoughts, make huge jumps to conclusions. It's fun! And it's much easier than slogging through the data.
And lastly, thanks for the reference to Gov. Stanford. I think we've all been showing amazing restraint not throwing some stuff at that guy. How do you spell hypocrite, anyway?
-mttw
P.S. I would gladly live to 89 if I could be guaranteed that I'd be as delightful as your grandmother was. I think, tho, that I'd have to start being delightful now--and I don't see evidence of that...yet.