History Main / TheGenerationGap

Many social historians will tell you that the Generation Gap was always to a large degree a "manufactured controversy", and that most of the cultural clashes between young people and old people were concerned not as much with values and belief systems as with codes of decorum and behavior. It's been noted, for example, that most members of the WWII generation disapproved of racism; it's just that [[DontShootTheMessage they disapproved even more of the (to them) radical tactics used to combat it]]. Same with the Vietnam War, although at least there was a fairly solid consensus behind that. The values of baby boomers weren't that liberal to start with: many polls in the late 60s and early 70s saw a rather large proportion of young adults espousing relatively conservative views, with members of the "Silent" Generation having far more liberal opinions, also being the ones to lead the numerous protests of the 60s. To boot, most people between 18 and 25 voted for ''UsefulNotes/RichardNixon'' of all people in the 1972 election[[note]]The first since the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18[[/note]], something that contributed to his landslide win, and high rates of conservatism among the baby boomer generation can also be attributed as a factor on the rise of the "conservative revolution" of the 1980s.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': A major reason why Renly doesn't get along with both Robert and Stannis, is that both of them are over a decade older than him.
* ''Series/TheMonkees'' TV show was undeniably symbolic of this trope. At the time, it was radical to even think about placing youth rebellion (with no parental figures) as protagonists on a prime time sitcom. However, the show attempted to create an understanding between the gap, and prove that America's youth wasn't all what it seemed, despite outside appearances. Their groovy theme tune (written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart) says it all:

* ''CyberGeneration'' was based a Generation Gap, in this case between the cynical parental generation (the protagonists of the ''[[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TabletopGame/Cyberpunk Cyberpunk]]'' role playing game) and their vastly more idealistic and NanoTech-mutated children (the protagonists of this game)

->''

However, there have been signs of a renewed Generation Gap between [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism the jaded, conservative younger "Boomers" and older "Gen-X'ers" squabbling with the idealistic, progressive younger members of the latter generation as well as "Millennials"/"Gen-Y'ers" and "Gen-Z'ers"/"Zoomers", with "Gen-Z'ers" also mocking "Millennials" in the process]][[note]]While there are conflicting timespans, officially the Pew Research Center defines that Generation X were born between 1965 and 1980, Millennials/Gen Y between 1981 and 1996, and Gen-Z between 1997 and 2012[[/note]], [[GenerationXerox this essentially being another far-reaching confrontation between those over 45-50 and those younger]], the main difference being that the late-2000s financial crisis and the resulting strain on welfare state has put economics on a prominent position, whereas it had been a non-issue during the 60s (to say nothing of how most Western institutions failed to account for inflation rates over the course of roughly half a century, give or take a decade). Gun control, a minor issue for most of the 20th century (save for a brief flareup after the failed assassination attempt on UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan in 1981 and the 1994 ban on assault weapons), has become more prominent as well thanks to a multitude of high-profile mass shootings from 1999 onwards.

However, there have been signs of a renewed Generation Gap between [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism the jaded, conservative younger "Boomers" and older "Gen-X'ers" squabbling with the idealistic, progressive younger members of the latter generation as well as "Millennials" and "Zoomers"/"Gen-Z'ers"]][[note]]While there are conflicting timespans, officially, X'ers were born between 1965 and 1980, Millennials between 1981 and 1996, and Zoomers between 1997 and 2012[[/note]] , [[GenerationXerox this essentially being another far-reaching confrontation between those over 45-50 and those younger]], the main difference being that the late-2000s financial crisis and the resulting strain on welfare state has put economics on a prominent position, whereas it had been a non-issue during the 60s (to say nothing of how most Western institutions failed to account for inflation rates over the course of roughly half a century, give or take a decade). Gun control, a minor issue for most of the 20th century (save for a brief flareup after the failed assassination attempt on UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan in 1981 and the 1994 ban on assault weapons), has become more prominent as well thanks to a multitude of high-profile mass shootings from 1999 onwards.

* ''{{Series/Vida}}'': Eddy is confused by younger LGBT people, as they embrace "queer" as a self-descriptor (it was a dire insult in her youth) while not understanding the idea of being non-binary, which has become a common identity in their generation. They in turn view her as an out of touch "elder".

However, there have been signs of a renewed Generation Gap between [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism the jaded, conservative younger "Boomers" and older "Gen-X'ers" squabbling with the idealistic, progressive younger members of the latter generation as well as "Millennials" and "Centennials"/"Gen-Z'ers"]][[note]]While there are conflicting timespans, officially, X'ers were born between 1964 and 1981, Millennials between 1982 and 1999, and Centennials from 2000 onwards[[/note]] , [[GenerationXerox this essentially being another far-reaching confrontation between those over 45-50 and those younger]], the main difference being that the late-2000s financial crisis and the resulting strain on welfare state has put economics on a prominent position, whereas it had been a non-issue during the 60s (to say nothing of how most Western institutions failed to account for inflation rates over the course of roughly half a century, give or take a decade). Gun control, a minor issue for most of the 20th century (save for a brief flareup after the failed assassination attempt on UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan in 1981 and the 1994 ban on assault weapons), has become more prominent as well thanks to a multitude of high-profile mass shootings from 1999 onwards.

* In the ''Roleplay/GlobalGuardiansPBEMUniverse'', the heroes of past decades sometimes have very different attitudes toward crime and crimefighting than the younger crimefighters. The heroes who are still active from the 40s and 50s, for example, tend to hold a black-and-white view of morality and are much more conservative than the ones who were born in the 80s.

A trope commonly from the period in which it was named, the 1960s. The Generation Gap is the idea that the psychological differences between members of the "G.I./Greatest Generation"[[note]]Born between 1915 and 1930 approximately[[/note]] that lived through TheGreatDepression and fought in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII and their "Baby Boomer" children[[note]]Born between 1946 and 1963[[/note]] were so significant that they were incapable of understanding each other, and so were in conflict, often devolving into KidsVersusAdults. This mostly occurred because, at the time, the United States' political climate was changing, with many boomers vehemently protesting things like racism and the Vietnam War, all the while using [[ThePowerOfRock rock-and-roll]] as a weapon against these issues. Many World War II-era adults disapproved of this (as did many MoralGuardians), so the generational gap became a widespread phenomenon.

However, there have been signs of a renewed Generation Gap between [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism jaded, conservative younger "Boomers" and older "Gen-X'ers" squabbling with idealistic, progressive younger members of the later generation as well as "Millennials" and "Centennials"/"Gen-Z'ers"]], [[GenerationXerox this essentially being another far-reaching confrontation between those over 45-50 and those younger]], the main difference being that the late-2000s financial crisis and the resulting strain on welfare state has put economics on a prominent position, whereas it had been a non-issue during the 60s (to say nothing of how most western institutions failed to account for inflation rates over the course of roughly half a century, give or take a decade). Gun control, a minor issue for most of the 20th century (save for a brief flareup after the failed assassination attempt on UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan in 1981), has become more prominent as well thanks to a multitude of high-profile mass shootings from 1999 onwards.

Many social historians will tell you that the Generation Gap was always to a large degree a "manufactured controversy", and that most of the cultural clashes between young people and old people were concerned not as much with values and belief systems as with codes of decorum and behavior. It's been noted, for example, that most members of the WWII generation disapproved of racism; it's just that [[DontShootTheMessage they disapproved even more of the (to them) radical tactics used to combat it]]. Same with the Vietnam War, although at least there was a fairly solid consensus behind that. The values of baby boomers weren't that liberal to start with: many polls in the late 60s and early 70s saw a rather large proportion of young adults espousing relatively conservative views, with members of the "Silent" Generation having far more liberal opinions, also being the ones to lead the numerous protests of the 60s. To boot, most people between 18 and 25 voted for ''UsefulNotes/RichardNixon'' of all people in the 1972 election[[note]]The first since the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18[[/note]], something that contributed to his landslide win, and high rates of conservatism among the baby boomer generation can also be attributed as a factor in spurring on the 1979-1992 "conservative revolution."

Many social historians will tell you that the Generation Gap was always to a large degree a "manufactured controversy", and that most of the cultural clashes between young people and old people were concerned not as much with values and belief systems as with codes of decorum and behavior. It's been noted, for example, that most members of the WWII generation disapproved of racism; it's just that [[DontShootTheMessage they disapproved even more of the (to them) radical tactics used to combat it]]. Same with the Vietnam War, although at least there was a fairly solid consensus behind that. The values of baby boomers weren't that liberal to start with: many polls in the late 60s and early 70s saw a rather large proportion of young adults espousing relatively conservative views, with members of the "Silent" Generation having far more liberal opinions, also being the ones to lead the numerous protests of the 60s. To boot, most people between 18 and 25 voted for ''UsefulNotes/RichardNixon'' of all people in the 1972 election[[note]]The first since the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18[[/note]], something that contributed to his landslide win, and high rates of conservatism among the baby boomer generation can also be attributed as a factor in spurning on the 1979-1992 "conservative revolution."

However, there have been signs of a renewed Generation Gap between [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism jaded, conservative younger "Boomers" and older "Gen-X'ers" squabbling with idealistic, progressive younger members of the later generation as well as "Millennials" and "Centennials"]], [[GenerationXerox this essentially being another far-reaching confrontation between those over 45-50 and those younger]], the main difference being that the late-2000s financial crisis and the resulting strain on welfare state has put economics on a prominent position, whereas it had been a non-issue during the 60s. Gun control, a minor issue in the 1970s and 1990s, has become more prominent as well.

Many social historians will tell you that the Generation Gap was always to a large degree a "manufactured controversy", and that most of the cultural clashes between young people and old people were concerned not as much with values and belief systems as with codes of decorum and behavior. It's been noted, for example, that most members of the WWII generation disapproved of racism; it's just that [[DontShootTheMessage they disapproved even more of the (to them) radical tactics used to combat it]]. Same with the Vietnam War, although at least there was a fairly solid consensus behind that. The values of baby boomers weren't that liberal to start with: many polls in the late 60s and early 70s saw a rather large proportion of young adults espousing relatively conservative views, with members of the "Silent" Generation having far more liberal opinions, also being the ones to lead the numerous protests of the 60s. To boot, most people between 18 and 25 voted for ''UsefulNotes/RichardNixon'' of all people in the 1972 election[[note]]The first since the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18[[/note]], something that contributed to his landslide win.

As Boomers eventually grew up and became parents, [[DiscreditedTrope this trope lost some of its purpose]], especially as Generations X[[note]]Those born between 1964 and 1979[[/note]], Y[[note]]Born between 1980 and 1993, dubbed as "Millennials"[[/note]] and Z[[note]]Born between 1994 and 2011, dubbed as "Centennials" or the "[=iGeneration=]", with older members (born before 2004) being called "Neo-Boomers", and those born after 2001 being referred as the "Homeland (or 9/11) Generation"[[/note]] adopted their liberal views on social issues. However, intergenerational disagreements did not go away: in the 1980s, [[Series/FamilyTies older "Boomers" who once were hippies faced Reaganite/Thatcherite older "Gen-X'ers"]]; in the 1990s, younger, more conservative "Boomers" tangled with laid-back/bohemian younger "X'ers"; and in the 2000s, the older "X'ers" and older "Millennials" often had differing opinions on TheWarOnTerror. In TheNewTens, BabyBoomers have largely supported UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump while younger voters backed UsefulNotes/HillaryClinton in the 2016 general election. During the Democratic primary, a gap emergeed between Clintonite Boomers/X'ers and Bernie Sanders-supporting Millennials and Centennials. Beginning in the mid/late-1990s, a "technology gap" between tech-savvy kids and their neophyte parents arose, only becoming larger as [[TechnologyMarchesOn technologic advances have piled up with time]].

Frankly, the trope has long been appropriated and manipulated by the popular media and the business community as a marketing gimmick - just look at TheManIsStickingItToTheMan. Many social historians will tell you that the Generation Gap was always to a large degree a "manufactured controversy", and that most of the cultural clashes between young people and old people were concerned not as much with values and belief systems as with codes of decorum and behavior. It's been noted, for example, that most members of the WWII generation disapproved of racism; it's just that [[DontShootTheMessage they disapproved even more of the (to them) radical tactics used to combat it]]. Same with the Vietnam War, although at least there was a fairly solid consensus behind that. The values of baby boomers weren't that liberal to start with: many polls in the late 60s and early 70s saw a rather large proportion of young adults espousing relatively conservative views, with members of the "Silent" Generation having far more liberal opinions, also being the ones to lead the numerous protests of the 60s. To boot, most people between 18 and 25 voted for ''UsefulNotes/RichardNixon'' of all people in the 1972 election[[note]]The first since the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18[[/note]], something that contributed to his landslide win.

As Boomers eventually grew up and became parents, [[DiscreditedTrope this trope lost some of its purpose]], especially as Generations X[[note]]Those born between 1964 and 1979[[/note]], Y[[note]]Born between 1980 and 1993, dubbed as "Millennials"[[/note]] and Z[[note]]Born between 1994 and 2011, dubbed as "Centennials" or the "[=iGeneration=]", with older members (born before 2004) being called "Neo-Boomers", and those born after 2001 being referred as the "Homeland (or 9/11) Generation"[[/note]] adopted their liberal views on social issues. However, intergenerational disagreements did not go away: in the 1980s, [[Series/FamilyTies older "Boomers" who once were hippies faced Reaganite/Thatcherite older "Gen-X'ers"]]; in the 1990s, younger, more conservative "Boomers" tangled with laid-back/bohemian younger "X'ers"; and in the 2000s, the older "X'ers" and older "Millennials" often had differing opinions on TheWarOnTerror. In TheNewTens, BabyBoomers have largely supported UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump while younger voters backed UsefulNotes/HillaryClinton in the 2016 general election. During the Democratic primary, a gap emergeed between Clintonite Boomer/X'ers and Bernie Sanders-supporting Millennials and Centennials. Beginning in the mid/late-1990s, a "technology gap" between tech-savvy kids and their neophyte parents arose, only becoming larger as [[TechnologyMarchesOn technologic advances have piled up with time]].

As Boomers eventually grew up and became parents, [[DiscreditedTrope this trope lost some of its purpose]], especially as Generations X[[note]]Those born between 1964 and 1979[[/note]], Y[[note]]Born between 1980 and 1993, dubbed as "Millennials"[[/note]] and Z[[note]]Born between 1994 and 2011, dubbed as "Centennials" or the "[=iGeneration=]", with older members (born before 2004) being called "Neo-Boomers", and those born after 2001 being referred as the "Homeland (or 9/11) Generation"[[/note]] adopted their liberal views on social issues. However, intergenerational disagreements did not go away: in the 1980s, [[Series/FamilyTies older "Boomers" who once were hippies faced Reaganite/Thatcherite older "Gen-X'ers"]]; in the 1990s, younger, more conservative "Boomers" tangled with laid-back/bohemian younger "X'ers"; and in the 2000s, the older "X'ers" and older "Millennials" often had differing opinions on TheWarOnTerror. Beginning in the mid/late-1990s, a "technology gap" between tech-savvy kids and their neophyte parents arose, only becoming larger as [[TechnologyMarchesOn technologic advances have piled up with time]].

* ''RebelWithoutACause'': Probably the first major movie to explore and deconstruct this.

Frankly, the trope has long been appropriated and manipulated by the popular media and the business community as a marketing gimmick - just look at TheManIsStickingItToTheMan. Many social historians will tell you that the Generation Gap was always to a large degree a "manufactured controversy", and that most of the cultural clashes between young people and old people were concerned not as much with values and belief systems as with codes of decorum and behavior. It's been noted, for example, that most members of the WWII generation disapproved of racism; it's just that [[DontShootTheMessage they disapproved even more of the (to them) radical tactics used to combat it]]. Same with the Vietnam War, although at least there was a fairly solid consensus behind that. The values of baby boomers weren't that liberal to start with: many polls in the late 60s and early 70s saw a rather large proportion of young adults espousing relatively conservative views, with members of the "Silent" Generation having far more liberal opinions, also being the ones to lead the numerous protests of the 60s. To boot, most people between 18 and 25 voted for ''UsefulNotes/RichardNixon'' of all people in the 1972 election[[note]]The first since the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18[[/Note]], something that contributed to his landslide win.

As Boomers eventually grew up and became parents, [[DiscreditedTrope this trope lost some of its purpose]], especially as Generations X[[note]]Those born between 1964 and 1979[[/note]], Y[[note]]Born between 1980 and 1993, dubbed as "Millennials"[[/note]] and Z[[note]]Born between 1994 and 2011, dubbed as "Centennials" or the "[=iGeneration=]", with older members (born before 2004) being called "Neo-Boomers", and those born after 2001 being referred as the "Homeland (or 9/11) Generation"[[/note]] adopted their liberal views on social issues. However, intergenerational disagreements did not go away: in the 1980s, [[Series/FamilyTies older "Boomers" who once were hippies faced Reaganite/Thatcherite older "Gen-X'ers"]]; in the 1990s, younger, more conservative "Boomers" tangled with laid-back/bohemian younger "X'ers"; and in the 2000s, the older "X'ers" and older "Millennials" often had differing opinions on TheWarOnTerror. Beginning in the mid/late-1990s, a "technology gap" between tech-savvy kids and their neophyte parents arose, only becoming larger as TechnologyMarchesOn.

However, there have been signs of a renewed Generation Gap between [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism jaded, conservative younger "Boomers" and older "Gen-X'ers" squabbling with idealistic, progressive younger members of the later generation as well as "Millennials" and "Centennials"]], [[GenerationXerox this essentially being another far-reaching confrontation between those over 45-50 and those younger]], the main difference being that the late-2000s financial crisis and the welfare state crisis has put economics on a prominent position, whereas it had been a non-issue during the 60s.

Frankly, the trope has long been appropriated and manipulated by the popular media and the business community as a marketing gimmick - just look at TheManIsStickingItToTheMan. Many social historians will tell you that the Generation Gap was always to a large degree a "manufactured controversy", and that most of the cultural clashes between young people and old people were concerned not as much with values and belief systems as with codes of decorum and behavior. It's been noted, for example, that most members of the WWII generation disapproved of racism; it's just that [[DontShootTheMessage they disapproved even more of the (to them) radical tactics used to combat it]]. Same with the Vietnam War, although at least there was a fairly solid consensus behind that.

** And let's not forget Mr. Weir's blind bitterness towards TheSexPistols!

* This basically happens on the Internet on a daily basis with [[WhenIWasYourAge older generations]] complaining about how lazy the new generation is on the very same [[{{Hypocrite}} technology they use]] and the new generation blaming them for causing those problems in the first place. Both in [[{{GIFT}} the most melodramatic, angry way possible]] and with very degrees of credibility.

n's mindset, becoming quite conservative, [[GenerationXerox much like their baby boomer grandchildren did in their later years]].

However, there have been signs of a renewed Generation Gap between [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism jaded, conservative younger "Boomers" and older "Gen-X'ers" squabbling with idealistic, progressive younger members of the later generation as well as "Millennials" and "Centennials"]], [[GenerationXerox this essentially being another confrontation between those over 45-50 and those younger]].

A trope commonly from the period in which it was named, the 1960s. The Generation Gap is the idea that the psychological differences between the UsefulNotes/WorldWarII generation and the Baby Boomers were so significant that they were incapable of understanding each other, and so were in conflict, often devolving into KidsVersusAdults. This mostly occurred because, at the time, the United States' political climate was changing, with many boomers vehemently protesting things like racism and the Vietnam War, all the while using [[ThePowerOfRock rock and roll]] as a weapon against these issues. Many World War II era adults disapproved of this (as did many MoralGuardians), so the generational gap became a widespread phenomenon.

A second and arguably milder generational gap occured between the politically motivated Baby Boomers and more laid-back/openly hedonistic Generation X'ers; a third gap may now be occurring between [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism jaded Gen-Xers and idealistic Millennials]]. For some time, with many mid/late-born Boomers, Generation X'ers and some Generation Y'ers becoming parents, this was gradually becoming a DiscreditedTrope. However, if recent debates over things like same-sex marriage and Internet surveillance prove anything, it's that the generation gap will never fully disappear as long as [[SocietyMarchesOn social standards change]] and [[TechnologyMarchesOn technology advances]].

* ''Literature/TheCatcherInTheRye'' is a pre-gap example. Holden is disgusted with the superficiality (ie "phoniness") of the World War 2 generation and decides to embark on a life of rough living and debauchery.