I haven’t lived in the United States for several decades, so I consume its news with the perspective of someone half in and half out of the frame. One thing (of many!) that mystifies me about my country of origin is how much is shaped by the way you all slice and dice the generations. I mean, how much needs to be anchored by the ages? Boomers, GenX, Millennials, GenZ, Generation Alpha (those being born now), even a few remaining from the Greatest Generation.
You might not know this, but the rest of the world doesn’t present people in this layer cake of age. Oh sure, if there’s a report about policies or social phenomenon that affect specific age groups, then citing age cohorts is relevant. But the delineation isn’t banged on about 24/7. And honestly, it’s not helpful (or accurate, especially for those of us who were born on the margins of a named generation. For more on this, see my Blog #7 Liminal Living).
Defining everything by generations is just one more way that the US practices politics of division. You’re not in my group, I can’t trust you. Just think of how many groups you belong to—race, gender, income, education, career, faith, red or blue, the list goes on and on. And for every group you’re part of, by definition, you’re NOT in so many others! And these distinctions create the thin end of the wedge that is used to separate us, manipulate us, pit us against each other for being “different.”
For example: I’m a 62-year-old cisgender, childfree white woman with an MA. See? Already you’re making assumptions about me. You may have even labeled me (bet it wasn’t complimentary if you did). As a society, we are so programmed to draw these lines. It’s in everyone’s interest to take a huge bite out of this gateau of ages! Cut through the layers and intermingle with those who are older or younger than you.
There is incredible richness in learning from, valuing, and respecting the lived experience and perspectives from the arc of ages. And I’m not just talking about elders finding teenagers to help them with a tech issue. I’m suggesting that we find real ways to connect with others who are a different age than we are.
I am fortunate to have friends whose ages range from 6-90. Just the other day, a newly-minted teenager told a roomful of people that I am “so funny and so fun and so sweet.” What a highlight!
What does it take to cultivate intergenerational connections? Engage! Move around spaces and groups that naturally attract different people. Challenge yourself! Listen to podcasts or music that spotlight views and inspiration from other age groups. Be curious! Ask people their opinions and listen to understand, not to inform, correct, or fix. Extra points for crossing multiple groups. At Wondercrone, we have approaches to open your ears, eyes, and heart. Join us at wondercrone.com
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