From webinar APF 2013: What is the Next Generation called? What will they be shaped by? And what is Generational Research anyway?

1. From Millennials to
Post-Millennials
Welcome To A New Generation
© After the Millennials

2. Why Do People Differ Across Age?
People Change
Circumstances Change
Zeitgeist
Volksgeist
© After the Millennials

3. What Affects A Generation?
• Karl Mannheim’s “Generational Location”
• Intrinsic generational dynamics (Strauss & Howe)
• Extrinsic macro-economic conditions (Kondratiev, Schumpeter,
Perez)
History does
not repeat
itself, it
rhymes
…the second
time it’s a
farce..
© After the Millennials

4. Generation X
1964- 1982
Archetype:
Nomad
(recessive)
Reactive
Childhood:
abandoned
Silent
1929 – 1949
Archetype:
Artist
(recessive)
Adaptive)
Adaptive
Childhood:
suffocated
Crisis
1929 –’46 &
2008 -?
War & Recession
Defining Events:
Great Depression/
Great Recession
World War II/?
Values:
Community
Technology
Protection
High
1946 – 1964
Reconstruction/ Gilded
Age
Defining Events
Cold War
Emerging youth culture
Emerging social justice
Values:
Conformity
Growth/ Affluence
Expertise
Unraveling 1984-
2008(’01)
Culture Wars
Defining Events
AIDS
Berlin Wall
Values:
Individualism
Pragmatism
Survivalism
© After the Millennials
Homelander
2004 - ?
Archetype:
Artist
(recessive)
Adaptive
Childhood:
suffocated
Boomer
1946 – 1964
Archetype:
Prophet
Idealist
(dominant)
Childhood:
indulged
Millennials
1984 – 2004
Archetype:
Hero
Civic (dominant)
Childhood:
protected
Strauss and Howe’ Saeculum = turning = generation
Awakening
1964 – 1982
Consciousness
Revolution
Defining Events
Assassinations
(JFK/MLK)
Vietnam war
Woodstock
Values:
Civil rights
Gender equality
Spiritualism

5. Frequency of Child Related Words in Books
© After the Millennials

6. Trends 1980s to Today
 The Fear Bubble
 Commercialization of childhood
 “Kid and Me” trend:
 Opt-out moms
 Attachment parenting (Dr. Sears)
Natural child rearing
 Breastfeeding (duration and frequency)
 Distrust in government institutions (FDA, USDA, NSA etc.)
 From Echo-Boomers to Baby Bust (2008 ->)
 Across all ages. Teenage pregnancy rate at historic low
 Across all ethnic groups. Steepest decline among Hispanics
 Recession driven
 Cyberbabies and Facebook mirrors; objectified childhood
© After the Millennials

7. Income Disparity Within
and Between Generations
…and down will come baby cradle and all…
Poverty age groups
Gini index in the USA
© After the Millennials

8. U . S . s c h o o l s w i t h
fewer than 10% poor
score higher than any
country in the world.
Yet it ’s the middle
class kids who flock to
private schools and
t u t o r i n g s e r v i c e s .
© After the Millennials

9. Fear and Fetishism
Children walking to school in:
1970: 66%
Today: 13%
© After the Millennials

10. The Reality
“We are probably living in the most peaceful
time in our species’ existence.”
~ Steven Pinker
© After the Millennials

11. Sledding hills and
risky activities
discouraged as
accidents are
thought too costly
Sedentary
lifestyles. 50% of
children no longer
allowed to climb a
tree
Childhood obesity
increases with 15%
from 1963 - 2010
$40 billion:
projected obesity
related cost
increase from 2010
to 2030*
Skyrocketing
health care costs
and insurance
premiums/ more
defaults on
medical debt
The Causal Loop of Rising
Healthcare Costs
- the sledding hill example -
* Newer studies suggest the obesity trends have stagnated© After the Millennials

12. From Wild Things to Vile Things
Child as Market
Dollars spent on marketing to kids per year:
1983: $100 million
2007: $17 billion
© After the Millennials

13. “Over the last generation, the gender segregation and
stereotyping of toys have grown to unprecedented levels.”
Elizabeth Sweet, Sociologist
Then Now
“Don’t You Wish Your Daughter Was Hot Like Me?” Harsbro’s
Pussycat Dolls were stopped after pressure from parents and the
CCFC
© After the Millennials

14. The DIY- generation ~ Creating Their Own Content
Unboxing Haul, Room tours
I’m gonna pop some tags, only got $20 in my pocket…
© After the Millennials

15. mirror mirror, facebook wall…
8-year-olds seek online validation
“Parent-friendly” sites like Facebook abandoned for sites like
Tumblr, Snapchat, Instagram
© After the Millennials

16. Shared Since Before Birth
92% of all 2-year-olds have digital footprints
© After the Millennials

17. Curators
Online scrapbooks, parent blogs
Anonymous
Give children a ‘clean digital slate’
“Over-Sharents”
“My baby pooped!!” (STFU parents)
Shamers
Social humiliation as disciplining tool
Internet Savvy
High
Low
Activity level
High Low
© After the Millennials

18. Who Are The New Kids On The Block?
and how will they be raised?
© After the Millennials

19. Betwixt and Between
© After the Millennials

20. Game Changers?
Born that way
The end of hyper parenting and “ hyper schooling”?
No more trophies just for
showing up
Decline of danger? Just play!
© After the Millennials

21. 10Q for watching =)
© After the Millennials