The Differences Between the Older and Younger Generations

The upcoming generations are not like any other generation in history. We are evolving fast due to the rise in technology and it is changing the way we go about things. The way things worked in the past is changing drastically and we are introducing a new way of doing things. This is not to say that the way things have progressed have always been for the better. Some changes have actually regressed our impact on society, while others helped us move forward.

They work for theirs {VERSUS} we feel entitled to everything

The older generations understood that the world doesn't owe them anything. No one is going to be there to spoon feed you through life and it is your responsibility to make something of yourself. They were a more independent generation, as they didn't really have much of a crutch to lean on in comparison to our generation.

We are such an entitled generation, we're babied by our parents and society and it has really damaged our work ethic and the way we go about life. We expect things to be done for us and if something requires a little extra work or concentration, we are easily deterred from doing it. If we want to be successful in this day and age, it is required of us that we move past this idea of entitlement and actually get to work.

They're more inclined to listen to what they are told and to follow the laws of society.

{VERSUS} We are more rebellious

They have totally bought into this whole idea that society knows what's best for them. Many older generations did the whole high school, to college, to 9 to 5 with benefits and retirement thing and were completely fine with it. Because of the way it worked back then, they are more inclined to follow the rules and live the way society has shaped them to.

Our generation has this chip on its shoulder that for some reason makes it difficult to respect authority. Now this is not to say that we are a wild generation full of barbarians, but we are a generation that has trouble keeping within the guidelines that society has laid out for us. Then again this could stem from the fact that we see that the road society has paved for us leads to a menial 9 to 5, with a bunch of student debt to pay off.

They deal with what they have {VERSUS} We constantly want more

The older generations saw both a time of great need and great prosperity. Many of these people witnessed the tail-end of the Great Depression, as well as the end of WWII. Times were hard and it has helped the older generations appreciate all that they are given. They know that resources are limited and that they have to be more resourceful with what they have.

Our generation has been given everything since we were born. We never really had to work hard for anything and that has translated into the habits we develop today. Being that we were always given what we wanted, many of us don't appreciate the simple things around us. We are very wasteful and are always looking for more, rather than being content with what we have.

They got beatings {VERSUS} We get timeout

The older generations had it rough when it came to punishment; however, there is nothing quite like tough love. It actually whipped them into shape and made stepping out of line seem daunting, as there would be consequences for your actions. If you had a fresh mouth with your parents back in the day, you would receive a quick slap to the mouth, now this would make you rethink being wise to your parents next time you were presented the opportunity.

We are one of the softest generations because we have trouble listening to rules and regulations. This is in part due to the consequences of our actions. Now when we get in trouble, instead of getting a swift slap to the mouth, we get timeout. Now we all know time out is a slap on the wrist compared to actually getting a beating. Our generation takes full advantage of these light punishments and that is why we are more inclined not to listen after.

They have great attention spans {VERSUS} We have no attention span

The older generations have been blessed with the gift of great attention spans. Although they may not be working on a project that they wholeheartedly are interested in, they still somehow find a way to dig deep and get the work done. For them, paying attention isn't really a problem, as they are used to taking time with their projects and don't seek instant gratification for their work.

Apparently everyone in our generation has some form of ADHD. Many of us claim that we can't even complete work without Adderall. This is kind of pathetic as ADHD has only become a prevalent issue in our time and no generation seems to milk this more than ours. It is time we stop using this as an excuse not to get our work done. Although it is understandable that if we are not passionate about something, we won't be able to pay attention to it; we can't always choose the things we want to work on.

They experienced real life flirting and dating {VERSUS} We experience more online dating and we rely on social networks

The older generations were never concerned with being fooled as everything they did in regards to dating and flirting was done in person. If you wanted to date someone, you had to be there to actually meet them and talk to them. Although phones did exist, people still had to meet in order to spend time with each other.

Misrepresentation of yourself is easily done in today’s technological based society. This is due to the fact that we heavily rely on the internet and social media for dating and meeting people. Before we even get to know someone, we know something about them because of social media. People can search you up without ever meeting you and this leads to many fake accounts and time spent talking to fake people.

They say it to your face {VERSUS} We post it on Snap Chat

Back in the day when someone had an issue with you, they would either keep to themselves or personally confront you. This was the proper way of dealing with issues because if you weren't ready to brawl to protect yourself, then you were in trouble.

Today, there are hardly any face-to-face confrontations. There's no longer a sense of honor, as now everyone hides behind a computer screen. In our generation, there is a huge population of ‘social media thugs.' These people use snaps and comments posted to actually handle issues — which is extremely soft. There is nothing worse than someone who decides to handle issues over the social media.