Generation?

What is a generation? What does it show about the people in it? Are there different generations for each country? These questions arise when the phrase "Baby Boomer," "Generation X," "Generation Y," or others are mentioned. A generation is a series of important historical events that shapes the general opinions of those born and raised around the events.

What would one call someone born in a different country? If the generations are based on major historical events, then it will be different for each country because important events are valued differently for each country. The important historical events are determined by what they do to a country: for example, the conflict in Ukraine is shaping the minds for those in the country and not in the United States. There are many important historical events that are occurring in Africa and they are affecting the minds in those countries. They are not shaping the minds in other countries. It is affecting those who are experiencing it. The children are the ones who are shaped by historical events for parents react to certain events, which leads them to indirectly shape the child's mind. The child does not form his or her own opinions at youth, they are taught to him or her by events or by authoritative figures. Eventually the child will be old enough to start viewing the world in his or her way with hues of what they were taught in youth.

Furthermore, when generations are discussed, we clump people of the same age group together, ignoring economic, physical features, education factors, or other factors of their parents and the individual. This clumping of individuals distorts the picture of a generation. In America for instance, the color of one's skin complexion can determine many experiences and modes of thinking of that individual. In addition, the economic and educational factors are a major determination of a person's thoughts, reactions, and how they raise a child. As end result, clumping people together produces misinterpretation and generational bias. It makes us assume features of people without knowing their true experiences.

Even major technological advances change everyone's views and actions, positive or negative. They simply just redefine our view on how we think and interact with the environment. The current major technological advance has made the world a much smaller place, which has allowed people to communicate at levels never imagined before. These advances can shape a generation and reshape other generations.

Last, it must be noted that even though the historical events shape many features of a human's thoughts and interaction with the world. A human is still a biological creature that has distinctive features to it. Humans are not solely social creatures; we are also biological machines with predetermined characteristics. For example, humans need affection and other basic necessities that appeal to the simple side of us. Thus, when reading or assuming things about a generation, take a moment to reflect. Children learn from their parents, those children will eventually teach their children, and so on. Then events will shape and redefine the passing of information from parent to child. In addition, the generational picture is much more vast than what is portrayed currently.