For over a decade now, we have been using our understanding of generational cycles to predict that today’s youth and young adults were likely to respond to social change by becoming more socially conservative. This would include reductions in hard drug use, reductions in anti-social behaviour, a more caring attitude towards to environment and generally more wholesome living.
The drug, sex and rock n roll fuelled young adulthood that many Boomers remember from the 1960s and 70s, and that Xers re-enacted in the 1990s, would be replaced by a very different looking generation.
Well, all around the world social science is showing that this is in fact happening. A recent article in The Telegraph went so far as to call them “Generation Yawn”. It’s actually an excellent article with great research to back it up. And I think you’ll be both amazed and uplifted by the information. Read it here.
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. And all of life lives on normalised bell curves. So I am sure you know of a few very anti-social youths. But, in general, what is your experience of today’s young people? Does The Telegraph’s research ring true for you?