Communicating Between the Gaps

Did you know that today we have SIX generations all living at once?
Six!
Can you imagine the differences between them?

The oldest American Citizen is 114. She was born in
1896 and is part of what was known as The “Silent Generation”.

That generation was just that, too - "Silent".
They did not discuss family problems, mental illness or indiscretions
such as infidelity or out of wedlock pregnancies.
You just did not "air the family's dirty laundry".

Those living through WWII were members of the “Greatest Generation”.
They were Great in deed!! Yet, they still didn't talk about it much.
It was their duty. Everyone pitched in, did what was required and
that was that. No bragging! Just a bit of gossip from time to time
over the back fence. My step father served at Iwo - never could,
or would, discuss it. I'm sure many of those memories were horrible
and in some way, perhaps, preferred to be forgotten. Although I'm
sure he remembered every day and every fallen hero - he just didn't
want to talk about it.

Then came the Baby Boom with their sexual revolution and their
technologies. Haight Ashbury is a destination point for many
that didn't get to experience it first hand in the 60s. And who hasn't
heard of Woodstock? (Although many who were there cannot really remember it.)

The Millenniums brought miniaturization to those, ahem, "older"
technologies along with Disco and Break Dancing and so much more.

The Gen-X'ers keep moving forward with smaller, fancier more complicated
and better everything. I sit in awe of the abilities of some of these kids.

The current generation has yet to be named. btw (oh, that's text
[short]hand for "by the way")
It is estimated that many children born today are "expected" to see more
than 100 years of life. The Aging Research Center at the University of
S. Denmark reported that Japanese children born in 2007 will likely
see 107 years. Children in the UK born that same year would probably see
103 years. Given proper diet, exercise and good overall health care,
we can expect the same for American children.

Given all the years and events that have passed, our seniors have
seen a lot!! Here's a few examples of what all that 114 year old,
previously mentioned, has witnessed in her younger days.

•Women’s rights -1920
•The Noble Experiment –1920-1933 –AKA Prohibition
•The Great Depression –1929-1942
Where unemployment was at a peak of 27.6% in 1940
The Dow plunged a total of 89%
Savings lost due to bank failures
25% of the population out of work
the phrase “waste not, want not”, was mantra.
•Our Government “Saved the Day”: Congress passed the Social Security Act
in 1935 providing two social insurance programs plus grants
–a Federal system of old-age benefits for retired workers
–a Federal-State system of unemployment insurance
–Federal grants to the States for additional old-age assistance,
aid to the blind, and aid to dependent children
–The passage of the SSA and the Wagner Act signaled the beginning
of the concept of compensation as more than just traditional
straight-time pay for time worked
–Union membership increased from 917 (6.5%) in 1900 to 3,337 (14.2%)
in 1935 and on to 15 million in 2009
–Compensation went beyond the traditional scope of collective bargaining
–wages, hours, working conditions and now retirement fund
•1929 saw the first telephone installed on the President’s desk
•1931 Star Spangled Banner becomes the National Anthem
•1930's Milk was 14 cents a quart and bread 9 cents a loaf
•Discrimination was common
•Life expectancy rose from 59 in 1930 to 77 in 2007
•Workforce changed from agricultural to industrial to high tech & computers
•Presidents came and went: some died in office, were impeached,
or even resigned
•Flights to space: both successful and tragic
•War in several lands, including our own: some won, some not

Let's compare these facts and views to today’s 45 year old.

–Born in the middle of the Vietnam War – which ended in 1975,
when they were 10.
•one could watch the broadcast on TV - every night
–The Beatles were new - Elvis was not
–they don’t remember life without:
•Color TV -introduced in 1967
•Computers
•Computer Games in the home
•Fuel Injection vehicles
•Calculators
•McDonald’s
•Ford Mustangs
•Portable/cell phones
-Professionals earned as much as $500 a week in ’65 but most earned
only $2 an hour.
–Equality for all is expected, even though it may not always be the reality.

I'm told that today's children spend 11.5 hours per day utilizing
technology. They don't write snail mail letters, they email or text.
They don't phone friends. They tweet or Face Book them. Face to face
conversations seem strained and uncomfortable. Instead of board games
they play video games - on their iPhones.
Nothing is sacred, secret or goes without discussion.
They discuss their dating, cheating and bathroom habits openly.
And for all to see! Utilizing Twitter and Face Book etc.
They have expectations of luxuries that they've not worked for.
Some would call it "entitlement".
That's all a far cry from the "Silent" and "Great" generation's behavior.
Now, I'm not knocking today's kids. My Grand-daughter is one of them.
It's just that they are so very different from previous generations.
Us "old folks" sometimes struggle just to keep up.

I, for one, am somewhat concerned for them, actually. What will they do if
something ever happens to the satellites or the main power systems???
Have you ever tried to buy something at McDonald's when there's a power outage?? They have to shut down as most of these kids can't do the math without the computers. How will they manage to communicate without texting, emailing or
tweeting?? How often do we see them texting another person while sitting in the
very same room???

Is it any wonder that we might be having trouble communicating with our seniors?
When communications break down don't we often see anger, frustration, resentment?

What ways do you think work best to help communicate within multiple
generations?? I am leaving this open for discussion.

Please leave your comments so that we might all learn from each other.