iGens to the rescue?

richard hawkey
Sep 4, 2018 · 2 min read

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_teens_today_are_different_from_past_generations?

“woman using phone” by qi bin on Unsplash

As a parent of a teenager this headline caught my eye. Too often I hear people lamenting ‘the youth of today’ — probably much like people have done since the dawn of time — but I’m always slightly shocked they don’t realise these youngsters are largely the product of the environment we created. We moan about them always being ‘online’, yet we developed that technology and the multiple devices and platforms to entice and ensnare them (and we are often guilty of leading-by-example — take a look around your child’s school hall at the next parent’s assembly!). The downsides to this virtual existence are well researched, with links to self-esteem and mental health issues now fairly irrefutable.

But, we have also inculcated a sense of fairness and understanding of human rights. According to psychologist Jean Twenge’s research, these so called ‘iGens’ (born 1995 to 2012) have a more developed sense of righteousness and social justice than is currently evidenced by contemporary society. They see through the ‘spin’ and the politicking and are frankly astounded that so many of us stand by and do nothing. The naïveté of youth? Perhaps. But I prefer to interpret this as something we, as a generation of GenX parents, have gotten right in spite of ourselves!

Of course, one research report does not make science, and ‘big data’ studies need to be understood for what they are (a search for trends and correlations, with all the inherent dangers of affirmatory bias that goes along with that). However, the overwhelming message for me is positive — yes, we need to take extra care to ensure our children lead a balanced lifestyle that includes their thoughts and emotions (not just nutrition and exercise), but they may just have the drive to fix some of the things we broke in our quest for ‘success’.

Thrive Global

More than living. Thriving.

richard hawkey

Written by

Digital health catalyst. Passionate about holistic health & driving ‘wellbeing’ as the new GDP.

Thrive Global

More than living. Thriving.

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