What Defines a Generation?

According to William Strauss and Neil Howe just as history molds generations, so do generations mold history.

Strauss and Howe's first book, Generations (1991), tells the history of America as a succession of generational biographies circa 1584 to present. The authors identify a pattern in these generations: each can be seen as belonging to one of four archetypes, that repeat sequentially. The four types of generations in their theory are as follows:

Prophet/Idealist. A Prophet (or Idealist) generation is born during a High, spends its rising adult years during an Awakening, spends midlife during an Unraveling, and spends old age in a Crisis. Prophetic leaders have been cerebral and principled, summoners of human sacrifice, wagers of righteous wars. Early in life, few saw combat in uniform; late in life, most come to be revered as much for their words as for their deeds.

Nomad/Reactive. A Nomad (or Reactive) generation is born during an Awakening, spends its rising adult years during an Unraveling, spends midlife during a Crisis, and spends old age in a new High. Nomadic leaders have been cunning, hard-to-fool realists, taciturn warriors who prefer to meet problems and adversaries one-on-one.

Hero/Civic. A Hero (or Civic) generation is born during an Unraveling, spends its rising adult years during a Crisis, spends midlife during a High, and spends old age in an Awakening. Heroic leaders are considered to have been vigorous and rational institution-builders, busy and competent in old age. All of them entering midlife were aggressive advocates of technological progress, economic prosperity, social harmony, and public optimism.

Artist/Adaptive. An Artist (or Adaptive) generation is born during a Crisis, spends its rising adult years in a new High, spends midlife in an Awakening, and spends old age in an Unraveling. Artistic leaders have been advocates of fairness and the politics of inclusion, irrepressible in the wake of failure. 

Every living generation therefore shows a remarkable parallel in character with generations of the same type throughout history. "Generations" plots a recurring cycle of spiritual awakenings and secular crises in American history, from the founding colonials through the present day. The list (partial) of generations are as follows:

• Lost Generation (1883–1900) 
• G.I. Generation (1901–1924)
• Silent Generation (1925–1942)
• Baby Boomer (1943–1960)
• Generation X (1961–1981)
• Generation Y/Millennial Generation (1982–1998)
• Generation Z (1999–2019) 

Gen Y, the American teens and twenty-somethings who are making the passage into adulthood at the start of a new millennium, are confident, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat and open to change. They are more ethnically and racially diverse than older adults. Currently, they are on track to become the most educated generation in American history. 

According to a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers and Retail Forward, entitled The New Consumer Behavior Paradigm: Permanent or Fleeting?, for the first time in the last three recessions, it will not be Baby Boomers at the heart of the economic recovery, as the recession has taken a bite of their savings and retirement accounts. This time it is the Gen Xers and Millennials who will be driving the recovery.

Generation Y (Millenials) are history's first "always connected" generation. Gen Y connects through words, voices and images. Steeped in digital technology and social media, they treat their multi-tasking hand-held gadgets almost like a body part. 

Perpetually connected through text messaging, social media sites and instant messaging, Gen Y turns to their friends for advice on life, products and services. They demand products to be suited specifically to their needs and feel empowered to influence the systems that do not through the vast amount of social resources available. Gen Y has the power to make or break a brand or product through a singular post by using tools that deliver messages faster and in different forms.

Politically, Millennials were among Barack Obama's strongest supporters in 2008, backing him for president by more than a two-to-one ratio (66% to 32%). They are extremely civic minded and believe strongly that their generation can make a difference.

Why does this matter? Because this limitless communication has a revolutionary impact on the way they interact, socialize, work and play and they are redefining our world today. An increasingly complex and technology driven world has exacerbated social and economic inequality for low-income, disadvantaged individuals, particularly underserved youth. Many approaches and technologies, addressing different issues and requirements, can be used to ensure this segment of the population is not excluded from participation.

What can be done and how do we leverage different technologies to enable this group to fully engage and be part of the revolution - that's what Generation ZD will address.