Boomers and Generational Theory?

eagleseven

Quod Erat Demonstrandum
Jul 8, 2009
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Strauss and Howe state that Generations last the length of time of one phase of life--the same length of time as a turning. Like turnings, generations come in four different archetypes, defined in "The Fourth Turning" as Prophet, Nomad, Hero, and Artist.[2]

* Prophets are values-driven, moralistic, focused on self, and willing to fight to the death for what they believe in- and they can convince other people to join them in the fight. They grow up as the increasingly indulged children of a High, come of age as the young crusaders of an Awakening, enter midlife as moralistic leaders during an Unraveling and are the wise, elder leaders of the next Crisis. The Boomers are an example of a Prophet generation.[2]

* Nomads are ratty, tough, unwanted, diverse, adventurous, and cynical about institutions. They grow up as the underprotected children of an Awakening, come of age as the alienated young adults of an Unraveling, become the pragmatic, midlife leaders of a Crisis and age into tough, post-crisis elders during a High. Generation X and the Lost Generation are examples of Nomad generations.[2]

* Heroes are conventional, powerful, and institutionally driven, with a profound trust in authority. They grow up as the increasingly protected children of an Unraveling, come of age as the Heroic, team-working youth of a Crisis, become energetic and hubristic mid-lifers during a High and become the powerful elders who are attacked in the next Awakening. The G.I. Generation that fought World War II is an example of a Hero generation. Millennials are expected to emerge as the next generation of this example.[2]

* Artists are subtle, indecisive, emotional and compromising, often having to deal with feelings of repression and inner conflict. They grow up as the over-protected children of a Crisis, come of age as the sensitive young adults of a High, rebel as indecisive midlife leaders during an Awakening, and become the empathic elders of an Unraveling. The Silent Generation is an example of an Artist generation.[2] The Homeland Generation is expected to emerge as the next generation of this example.

Each of the four turnings is composed of a unique constellation of generational archetypes. During an Awakening, for example, the children are always a Nomad generation, the young adults a Prophet generation, the mid-lifers an Artist generation, and the elders a Hero generation. During a Crisis, by contrast, the children are always Artists, the young adults are Heroes, the mid-lifers are Nomads, and the elders are Prophets. In "The Fourth Turning", Strauss and Howe state that this has held true with remarkable consistency over 500 years of Anglo-American history, since the birth of modernity.

Strauss and Howe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Insight or bullshit?
 
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The older I get the more I believe in generational shifts. However, in this time of crisis, I don't see todays young adults as heros. I guess that remains to be seen. I'll give them some time.
 
Damn! I thought this thread was gonna be about 'shrooms.
It can be...

magic-mushrooms.jpg
 
I wasted too much time studying history at Uni; this Strauss and Howe have revealed what should have been my major, the fine art of gross generalization.

Still there is something true in most generalizations.

These categories may hold vaguely true through the stages of life, hell if you drink heavily you can progress through them all in one day.
 
Extremely generalized. All generations have elements of each classification to one degree or another. Most individuals have elements of each classification to one degree or another.
 

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