Review: Generations by Jean M. Twenge

I was very skeptical going into this book, but I found it to be surprisingly insightful and well-researched. The book offers convincing explanations for trends across all aspects of American society, such as the decline in birth rates, the increase in suicide rates and mental health problems, why someone might vote for Trump, whether previous generations really “screwed” other generations, and so on.

A few of the most interesting takeaways for me:

Individualism vs collectivism

Each progressive generation in the US has shifted more and more from collectivism to individualism. This is largely made possible through technology: in the past, you had to rely on collectivism to survive, but now, we live in a land of plenty, and individualism is more more possible. This has many advantages and drawbacks.

Example advantages of individualism: a more just society that is more accepting of individual diversity, including race, gender, sexuality, and so on; more opportunity for individuals to pursue self-fulfilment.

Example drawbacks of individualism: a shift away from communal units (e.g., marriage, church), which contributes to the loneliness epidemic; resistance to doing things that benefit from collective behavior, such as wearing masks during COVID.

The gender and education divide

A common belief amongst Millenials, and to some extent Gen X, is that they were screwed by previous generations (especially Boomers), so as they reach their 30s and 40s, they make less money and can’t afford houses compared to Boomers at the same age. As it turns out, this is an incomplete picture. For example, Millenials have a higher income (adjusted for inflation) on average, and nearly the same levels of home ownership, as Boomers… But that’s only true if you look at Millenials as one unit; if you zoom in, the reality is a bit different.

In particular, the reason Millenials make more income is because income for women has grown considerably compared to Boomers; income for men is the same or lower. Moreover, while income for college graduates has grown, income for people who didn’t go to college has decreased.

So if you’re a male without a college education, you really are doing worse than previous generations. Can you guess which demographic voted for Trump more than any other? Not that Trump will in any way solve this problem, but it is a real problem, and I can see why people would be mad about it.

Social media is toxic

A trend that is affecting all generations, but especially the younger ones (Gen Z), is the horrifically toxic effect of social media. It has led to:

1. Higher rates of depression and suicide. The book makes a very convincing case that the more hours you spend on smartphones using social media, the worse your mental health.

2. A more polarized country. Social media is the perfect confluence of vast quantities of disinformation, easy manipulation by state actors, vicious attacks (due to lack of face-to-face interaction), and information bubbles. The result is a country that is more polarized than ever.

Social media isn’t connecting the world; it’s destroying it.

Key characteristics

I jotted down a few key characteristics about each generation:

1. Gen X: lack of trust for authority. This explains so much of the distrust around COVID and vaccines.

2. Millenials: self-esteem. Man, did I hear that term a lot in middle and high school. It seems like it hasn’t done much good, and may have done some harm.

3. Gen Z: safety. This generation is highly focused on safe spaces, trigger warnings, and mental health. In some ways, this is good (e.g., removing taboos from mental health), but taken too far, it becomes a generation that sees itself as a victim at all times. And they can even use their victimhood as a weapon, something known as “crybuylling.”

Worrying future trends

1. Plummeting fertility rates. We are well below replacement rates (2.1 kids) in the US, and it’s only dropping. What happens when most of the country is elderly and can’t work? Will housing prices plummet?

2. Increasing polarization. The horrors of social media; the 2024 election; Harvard students requesting segregated graduation ceremonies.

Rating: 5 stars