HISTORICALLY, the term ‘generation’ is used to explain relationships amongst family members — grandparents, parents and children. However, the word now alludes more to (six) social generations: the Silents (1925-1945), Boomers (1946-1964), Gen X (1965-1979), Millennials (1980-1994), Gen Z (1995-2012), and Gen Alpha (born after 2013). The era in which one is born sometimes changes one’s deportment and personal attributes more than the family that brings him up.

The study of generations is a useful tool to understand history as well as look at the future. Historic perspectives associate generations with events in history; like the Vietnam War for Boomers; fears of nuclear war with Russia for Gen X; 9/11 for Millennials; and the Covid-19 pandemic for Gen Z. The problem with this approach is that it does not account for cultural changes encountered during the intervening years. Expressing one’s views on politics by attending a protest or writing a letter to the editor in the past is now accomplished by the inscription of a few words on a smartphone. As opposed to major events like wars and pandemics that revolve in circles, these cultural changes are linear, moving year after year in the same direction. So, what drives this cultural change? The answer is technology.

In today’s world, the way we think, live, communicate, and interact has been completely revolutionised by technology. As expressed by Prof Jean Twenge, this technological model of generations is a new generational theory for the modern world. Technology has shattered the spokes of the old generational cycle with everlasting impact on the world today by influencing our societal norms. According to this model, technology has made individualism possible. Mere existence was a challenge up until the 20th century, with almost no time for thinking about oneself in the absence of clean drinking water, refrigeration, automobiles, central heating and washing machines. It was a collective integral living effort by societies. In comparison, as technology has relieved us of the chores of life, we have more time to think of our aspirations.

In addition to the direct linear impact of technology, generational differences are better understood by two intertwined factors that define the 21st-century generation: individualism and a slower life ambit. Whereas the former focuses on the self, the latter pertains to longevity. Individualism has different implications in different world cultures. Whereas the individualistic culture of the US considers personal space and freedom and equality as important factors, inclusive cultures such as South Korea emphasise group consensus and abiding by the rules. Although every industrialised nation cannot be individualistic, every individualistic country is an industrialised nation. Individualism also promotes equality based on sex, race, ethnicity, and transgender status. Recently, equality has been one of the most important forces driving cultural generational change evident in the Civil Rights Movement, Black Lives Matter, #Me Too and transgender rights awareness.

We have more time to think of our aspirations.

Another cultural shift shaped by technology is the impact it has on society by making the average lifetime longer. Infant mortality has dropped from one in six in the late 1800s to one in 200 in 2020, resulting in an overall slower life course, as shown by a recent study utilising eight aging biomarkers where 40-59 years old Americans were two to three years and those from 60-79 years about four years younger biologically than the same age group in 1988-94. Today, fewer children are doing things on their own, teens are becoming less independent, young adults are postponing adult milestones, middle-aged people are younger, with 50 being the new 40 and people remaining healthier past retirement. Modern healthcare, birth control, labour-saving devices and a knowledge-based economy requiring more years of formal education are among the factors causing sluggish life curves.

Propitiously, we live in the era of Big Data that can compare generations of the past with those of the present and get a glimpse of the future. Individuality in the current generation means choices based on personal preferences alone, whereas societies are interconnected and dependent on personal interactions. Since the surging popularity of social media, the lives of people of all ages have been affected, with the largest effects observed in younger people. As a result, we see that their social and communication skill sets is different from those of older people; they prefer to stay indoors and do work from home. The technologically-advanced data-driven generation of today might create interesting political, workplace and domestic dimensions in future societies. As generations grow, so does the world.

The writer is an assistant professor at West Virginia University School of Medicine.

X: @mohsinfareed

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2024