Why is each generation so critical of each other?

Since the first human species had their own children, there's a pretty good chance that the generations have argued with each other. They've disagreed over who has had it worse, the lack of appreciation and understanding of past or present social norms, and how entitled/lazy/old-fashioned/immodest/insert critical word of your choice the other generations are.

We've all seen the memes attacking Millennials and GenZers for being self-involved and those criticizing Boomers for basically everything. Me and my GenX posse (who use words like posse) have been somewhat left out of the finger-pointing, but I think it's only because everyone forgets about us. Our kids haven't, though, and at least mine constantly points out how I Just. Don't. Get. It.

So what's really behind the beef between our older and younger homies (sense a pattern?) I'd say it mostly boils down to three things:

1. Jealousy. For the older population among us, watching today's youth have countless career options can seem unfair, particularly to Boomer women who grew up when there were fewer paths for women to explore. These opportunities, along with greater societal acceptance for those who live or date non-traditionally, make those who didn't have these choices wistful for what might have been and what they didn't have.

On the flip side, today's youth might be jealous that their parents and grandparents lived in simpler times with less anxiety about school shootings, environmental catastrophes, and no cyberbullying.

2. Fear. Let's get real; most of us don't embrace change. In fact, we often fear that which we do not know. My grandparents' generation thought that rock and roll was the devil's music. My parents didn't understand the heavy metal my brother listened to and the multiple piercings many of my friends had. Today, the pace of technological innovations and societal change is breathtakingly fast. Teenagers have always been a mystery to their parents, but today's teens' experience is so far removed from their own parents' youth. My fellow GenXers and I grew up with phones that we couldn't take with us, limited TV options, and no social media.

I admit, as a parent, I'm terrified of the world my daughter is growing up in. Will an inappropriate photo or post she makes online follow her later in life? What are the long-term effects of social media on her mental health? Is the spread of misinformation so wide that no one will be able to tell the difference in a few years, and we'll forever be dumber and worse off because of it? Will AI take over most of the current jobs and leave her with fewer options instead of more?

The unknown is scary, but taking our fear of the future out on Gen Z by getting angry with them or trying to overprotect them isn't helpful.

3. Lack of Empathy and Understanding. We are all a product of our environment and the time period we grew up in. It's unfair for older generations to criticize the younger ones for being raised during a time of phone and video game addiction and information overload. It's also unfair for today's youth to criticize what we did or said growing up before we knew better or to blame us for not immediately understanding current teenage slang, customs, and norms.

We all need to take a chill pill and take the time to truly understand different perspectives and the reality of each other's circumstances. Each generation deeply wants the other's love, respect, and approval, but when we treat each other with contempt and annoyance, we lose each other.

As Billy Joel sang in Keeping the Faith, "The good old days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems." I think so many of us see our own past through rose-colored glasses. Things weren't nearly as hella good as we remember. We forget how hard it was to be a teen and compare today's kids to this misperception of a wonderful, carefree youth. We also forget that what might have been great for some (cough, many white males, cough) wasn't so great for women, minorities, and those who followed non-traditional paths. Gen Z and Gen Alpha (those born since 2010) will be dealing with the fallout of our and our ancestors' financial and environmental mistakes and neglect for years to come. It's a lot, even if it's not productive to point fingers.

The kids and teens of today will find their way, even when, they stumble and fall. Just like we did. We just need to support them when they do. And they need to work on the eye-rolling and finger-pointing. One day they'll recognize that we were cooler than they realized. At least, that's what I keep telling myself.

Finally, to tweak one of the greatest Gen X movie quotes of all time:

"You see us how you want to see us. In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a slacker, a narcissist, a hot mess, a taker, and a giver. Does that answer your question?

- Sincerely, The Generation Club

Cue the song Don't You Forget About Me.