Young people to older adults, "We know better, leave us alone!" Survey, page 3

Originally posted by paperplanes
To understand the culture of the current group of under-30s, let's look at the technological age they are living in. The world is connected in a profound way as technology supersedes geographical boundaries, most notably with internet accessibility. There are far fewer lines of separation between individuals. While older adults are experiencing this exceptional change during adulthood, those under 30 have been able to experience and capitalise on this advantage during that period of great growth and maturation. They have begun to establish the sort of worldviews that older adults often find difficulty relating to. As in the American cultural revolution of the 1960s, the youth have bucked the prejudices of past generations en masse. This is not endemic to America; it is occurring in all areas reached by modern technologies.

Individuality is once again receiving favor over adherence to traditional ideas. As people of all ages become more tolerant and aware of other cultures through exposure and study, worldviews tend to move toward flexible culminations of personal exploration rather than reliance on established views. There is an openness to the younger generations that past generations have not displayed. It is an inescapable result of so many cultures meeting one another for the first time.

As further evidence of the new globalisation of youth, has anyone done a bit of international travel in the past several years? The amount of teenagers and 20-somethings traveling independently to foreign countries is just astonishing. I am required to travel frequently, and I cannot count how many young international volunteers and travelers I've run into in the past year alone. When their parents (primarily those born in the 1930s, 40s and 50s) were this age, international travel and the independence it fosters were rarely available to youth outside of participation in foreign wars.

In my view, the discrepancies we see between those under 30 and older adults are principally due to technology and the resulting mass globalisation. In light of today, established worldviews often seem representative of xenophobia and intolerance to minds that have developed in the presence of so many varying ideas and cultures. It should then be anticipated that younger adults will search for more suitable conceptions.

As for why they might take the advice of their elders with a pinch of salt, have you looked at the world lately? The global economy is in a state of limbo, nations appear to be on the verge of collapse, the threat of another major war is looming overhead, the health of our environment is in constant question...do I need to go further? Those who were children or teens during the building of this mess see leaders and the status quo as responsible for our current disaster. Why should they not be trying to establish alternatives of their own? This is the result whenever those in control fail to support the populace; we've experienced it many times before. It is more significant and startling this time around due to the extent of the present fear and uncertainty, the current population level and the international sharing of worries through media (e.g. internet and television).

As a far aside, you have an excellent avatar OldThinker !

[edit on 30/6/09 by paperplanes]

VERY well written! I have friends from all over the world, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England, even Romania and Singapore ... and the similarities are far more striking than the differences.

The only disappointing thing is it seems other countries are becoming more and more American, and this is especially true with the youth.