Destiny is not a matter of change, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."- William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925)41st US Secretary of State After having a giggle at the daft names demographers have given the generations born in the 20th Century, I found myself drawn into the findings and profiles of each category. It's actually quite fascinating - and telling.
Like for instance, the children born 1990 onwards have been titled by demographers as the 'Net Generation'... and now that the early born ones of this generation have hit the age of majority, personality traits are being documented. Turns out the this latest brood have more in common with kids born at any time in the 20thcentury except those born mid 1970's through to the end of the 1980's. This is because the Net Generation have a three question mantra:
I for one am unsurprised. WHY am I unsurprised? Well it makes total sense to me... every other generation have had passion in their belly. Every other generation have fought for something they believed in. They made their destiny from the changes the chose to show they wanted. Be it marches of the suffrage movement, the peoples marches against unemployment,or the legendary marches of the baby boomer generation – social change has been the end result of passionate generations who realised putting up and shutting up is a choice.
The children born pre 1946 (Veterans) in the late 40's- 50's (Baby Boomers) and 60's-mid 70's(Generation Jones) all were very invested in upsetting the status quo and creating a brave new world. They were very passionate that short term unrest causes questions which generate answers for the greater good. The children born into Generation X (mid 70's – mid 80's) and Generation Y (mid to end 80's) however seem to be uneasy with upsetting the apple cart and are a much more passive set. Generations X and Y have a deep held passion- that a sensible question to ask is what is in it for me. As a consequence Generations X and Y are the least likely to cause any civil unrest and the most likely to be bewildered by the Net Generation's return to protesting about the state of the nation and demanding change.
I am so glad the children of the so called 'Net Generation' (1990 onward) have more gumption than the generation that proceeded them. Thank heaven for them. I had come to the very sad conclusion that living in a democracy was destined to be something we could find only in a history book.
My generation followed the famous baby boomer generation. It was a hard act to follow as they were phenomenal. That post war generation were very concerned about the world they lived in and wanted to ensure that the mistakes of the past were not compounded and visited upon us their children. They sang songs about children being the future, they organised and marched on the authorities around the world calling for an end to unjust wars , the suppression of women, unfair social policies, frightening nuclear weapons and created a counter-culture in which the mantra was 'If you are not part of the cure you are part of the problem'. They felt people should 'Come together' to express their ideas of how the world should be and that the voices of dissent or approval should be heard. They taught generations to follow to recognise the word politic meant idea and to state you were not into politics meant that you were not into ideas. The children of the baby boomers were instructed from the cradle that having ideas was a human state and to forbid you expressing your ideas was to remove your humanity.
With that for an example my generation (Generation Jones) observed the world we lived in and made it clear about the ideas we thought worth keeping and the ideas we thought worth rejecting by coming together en mass. We marched on parliament about the racism of the 70's-80's, we marched on parliament about US Cruise Missiles being parked on UK soil, we marched on parliament about the North South Divide, we marched on parliament about the introduction of a tax payable for the right to vote. We believed it was our duty as young people to express our approval or disapproval of what the powers that be wanted to do with our world. Yes we did get a little side tracked by acquiring stuff during the 80's and lifestyle design became a mild obessession for life but over all, we were and remain an unashamedly a political generation – we're into ideas and into expressing them. And we've changed a lot of things about life in the UK:
The Anti Nazi league changed the persception of the acceptability of the growth of white nationalist groups. It would be impossible for the 18-25's of today to have any idea how the increase in racial conflict of the 1970's and 1980's affected daily life back then, and I for one am so pleased that they have not to experience it. I recall 100,000 young people turning up each time at the 2 marches and subsequent Rock Against Racism gigs.
CND's protest against 160 US missiles being parked at Greenham saw a quarter of a million people march on parliament to register their disapproval. This went on to generate the highest support for nuclear disarmament post WW2 . It would be impossible for the 18-25's of today to have any idea what it was like to live during the cold war and the constant threat of nuclear weapon usage, and I for one am so pleased that they do not have to experience it. I recall public support for unilateralism being such that 3 million marched in October 1983 to ensure their voices were heard.
Protests regarding the segregation of the North from the 1980's wealth of South seem irrelevant today but the closure of the heavy industries based in Northern England under the 'New International Division of Labour' saw these areas decline rapidly . At a time where Southern England's fortunes rose, the economic and cultural differences between the areas gulfed. I would not expect the 18-25's of today to understand the incredible social strife this divide caused – especially as today many Northern post-industrial cities and towns are now experiencing renaissance. However unexpected support came when 50,000 students demonstrated to draw attention to the lack of investment in the North with 33% of the country backing them which triggered the renaissance we see today.
What seems most unbelievable today is that 'The Mother of Democracy' once considered charging people for the right to vote. Now this had been done in the UK before... in the 14th century, but people were breathless to find that it was reintroduced in the 20th. The system was deeply unpopular as as it was based on the number of people of voting age living in a house rather than its estimated price - never the less the government of the day forced it through. I would not expect the 18-25's of today to understand how a shift of the tax burden from rich to poor (1 voting adult in a mansion paid less than 5 voting adults in a semi) angered people when they discovered the only realistic way to get a reduction was not to register to vote. From1986 there were mass protests, called by the All-Britain Anti-Poll Tax Federation, as millions took to the streets in every town and city in the UK. This unrest was instrumental in toppling the government leadership at the dawn of the following decade and the removal of the Poll Tax.
As many 20th Century generation discovered, a key tenant of the right to democracy is the right to protest. And throughout that century massive strides in social and cultural improvements were made through protest. All though the right to civil protest is not exclusively for the young, it is usually the 18-25 group who are the torch bearers... unencumbered with children and unshakeled to the status quo as they are. Besides, to look back and know you made a difference when you were young by being politically aware became more and more important as the world moved away from forcing change by war. The Veteran generation - who protested for better conditions for the working man and the vote for women, handed the torch down to the Baby Boomers - who protested for equal pay, and a ban to the bomb, handed the torch to Generation Jones who protested for an end to apartheid at home and abroad who gave the torch to Generation X and Y... who worried as to weather a burning torch should be a wall sconce or a garden accessory. Or if Health and saftely had any advice about what sort of fire extinguisher to get for it. |
Yes...while Generation Jones took time out to have the babies that were to become the Net Generation.... Generation X and Y did not shirk the whole making choices thing. They were very active in making choices... they went shopping.(The rise and rise of the shopping mall is down to Generation X and Y's obsession with this activity). They certainly didn't waste the freedom to make choices on just shopping to be fair they also went on holiday. (Generation X and Y are the most well travelled generation ever). Passion is a private affair for the X and Y's who are the least likely generation to organise and take to the streets. They really don't feel there is anything to get publicly passionate about and find it all a little embarrassing all that radical stuff.
Thankfully they have handed the torch (designer,H&S approved and co-ordinates with EVERYTHING) to the Net Generation. The Net Generation however are less worried about what is in for them and more worried about the futures of those who will follow. They want to be heard about the environment, they want to be heard about tuition fees... they want to be heard about broken promises. They (courtesy of the Net for which they are named) seem to know how to organise. And they will be marching on a street near you. They figure that change is crafted through the choices you make.
I have been accused of being unfair to Generation X and Y. That their destiny was to maintain the status quo and that as a member of Generation Jones I am unable to recognise that things are fine the way they are - that there are higher things to think about than shaking up the system.
A very good friend of mine is a Generation X and Y member and works in the legal profession. Together we watched the demo's in Dublin and I noticed she shuddered violently. I asked her what she was reacting to and she said ( I quote):
"For heaven sake... what scruffy little herberts...surely they must have known there was a good chance this would be shown on TV, SURELY they could have worn something nicer"
To which I said very quietly under my breath...
"The prosecution rests mi'lord!"
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