Them & US · The Inner Shift Society

Them & US

When I think about my generation (The Baby Boomers), and some of the differences between us and later generations come from the time and environment in which we grew up. We were raised in a world that was much less connected by technology. Communication was more local and often happened face-to-face, by telephone, or through letters. Later in life, we experienced major changes with the arrival of the internet, smartphones, email, Facebook, FaceTime, and other forms of digital communication.

I see both the good and the bad in these changes. Technology allows us to communicate with people all over the world and learn about experiences that are very different from our own. At the same time, hearing someone describe their life online does not mean we completely understand what it is like to live in their community, culture, or circumstances. We may hear about problems happening somewhere else and assume those same experiences apply to our own society, even when the conditions are very different.

I think this is one reason I have misunderstandings between generations. It may not be that our values are completely different. Instead, we have all been shaped by different experiences, different ways of communicating, and different periods in history. Being able to try and understand these differences can help me become less judgmental and more willing to listen before making assumptions.

“Connection gives us a window into another life, but not the whole view.”

1 comment

Them & US