I was interested to read a new study from the Pew Research Center about U.S. generations and their political views. Here are the generational groupings the study used:
| Generation | Birth Years |
| Millenials | 1981-1993 |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 |
| Baby Boomer | 1946-1964 |
| Silent | 1928-1945 |
| And here are my own extensions: | |
| G.I. (I don’t care for Brokaw’s ‘Greatest’ appellation) | 1901-1927 |
| Lost | 1883-1900 |
| And who is now sitting in my classes? | |
| Internet | 1995-present |
My father is from the G.I. generation, my mother from the Silent, most of my closest friends at work are Baby Boomers, and I’m from Generation X. Over the course of my career I’ve taught students from Generation X, then Millenials, and now I’m teaching what I term the Internet Generation.
Here are some fascinating comparisons of the generations I found in the report:
Greater Diversity and Later, Fewer Marriages
Look at how much views on gay marriage have changed
Interracial Dating
More Religiously Unaffiliated
Fewer viewing religion as a key to nation's success
Trust in government declines and anger rises sharply
More conservatives than liberals
Huge age gap in recent presidential elections
Democratic party viewed as more concerned, less extreme
Declining patriotism and less exceptionalism
Young folks are still optimistic
Many old folks just don't get the internet
Gen-Xers like me are not confident about their retirement
We Gen-Xers are the gloomiest about the major social programs
There's a reason Occupy Wall Street exists...
Social issues roundup
Reefer madness
Most realize the earth is warming, but many don't want to accept responsibility
There is lots more in the report if you care to read it or you can zip through all of the charts.
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