Generations

The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents—and What They Mean for America's Future

By: Jean M. Twenge PhD

Narrated by: Madeleine Maby

Length: 16 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

A groundbreaking, revelatory portrait of the six generations that currently live in the United States and how they connect, conflict, and compete with one another—from the acclaimed author of Generation Me and iGen.

The United States is currently home to six generations of people:

• the Silents, born 1925-1945
• Baby Boomers, born 1946-1964
• Gen X, born 1965-1979
• Millennials, born 1980-1994
• Gen Z, born 1995-2012
• and the still-to-be-named cohorts born after 2012.

They have had vastly different life experiences and thus, one assumes, they must have vastly diverging beliefs and behaviors. But what are those differences, what causes them, and how deep do they actually run?

Professor of psychology and “reigning expert on generational change” (Lisa Wade, PhD, author of American Hookup), Jean Twenge does a deep dive into a treasure trove of long-running, government-funded surveys and databases to answer these questions. Are we truly defined by major historical events, such as the Great Depression for the Silents and September 11 for Millennials? Or, as Twenge argues, is it the rapid evolution of technology that differentiates the generations?

With her clear-eyed and insightful voice, Twenge explores what the Silents and Boomers want out of the rest of their lives; how Gen X-ers are facing middle age; the ideals of Millennials as parents and in the workplace; and how Gen Z has been changed by COVID, among other fascinating topics.

Surprising, engaging, and informative, Generations will forever change the way you view your parents, peers, coworkers, and children, no matter which generation you call your own.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Jean M. Twenge, PhD. All rights reserved. (P)2023 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

It’s interesting…

I bought this because I truly wanted to understand generations before me and how the future is looking. I know there’s a much larger picture than the one my social networks echo chamber discusses. Some of the facts seem really skewed. I’d be interested in looking at the sources. I also feel like the data for millennials and income is biased, like did it all come from Midwest residents who own homes? Because for those living in major metropolitan areas, the income may appear higher, but cost of living is 40-60% of an individual’s income. More so for me personally, a college grad, earning 20.00/hr in human services, and paying 2400/mo in rent…. Which was a steal.

Anyway, part of my job requires I stay apprised of COL data compared to the average income and the math in this book just isn’t mathing.

The way GenX and Millennials are talked about still perpetuates that negative tone and I was hoping for more factual, less disparaging.

I am feeling underwhelmed, I guess.

Excellent, superbly researched, strong recommend

I picked this book because it’s a strong research which underpins Dr Twenge’s work and to understand the dynamics in my workplace, and in my family. I feel more informed and more empowered by the information, data, and stories to illustrate the facts. I will be recommending this book strongly to human resource professionals, recruiters, educators, parents, and leaders of all kinds in religion, politics, business, nonprofits, government, and education.

Wonderful insights into who we are

I started reading this book thinking we are left or right leaning in thought. Generations demonstrates, with statistics and data, why we are who we are, think the way we do - and that we have more in common than it appears. A must-read for every generation.

This is really a must read

This is such an important book. I wish I had bought the physical edition because the narration of this is painfully robotic. I stuck to it, and am very glad i did.

Superbly organized and written!

Author Jean M. Twenge PhD utilizes the results of many surveys and studies which include over 39 million people to write this blockbuster book about the generations of US citizens beginning with the Silent Generation (1925 - 1945) the youngest of whom are 77 years old to the Alphas (2013 -2023) the oldest of whom are 10 years old. The audio book is 17 hours long and is supported by a 284 page PDF supplemental of charts and graphs. Realistically, absorbing the information requires a minimum of 50 hours. Generations is superbly organized and written. It is easily the best treatment of the topic available. Ideally Generations is a textbook for a one semester graduate level course.

Whether one wants a deep dive into the information included in Generations or simply to skim the topics for hundreds of interesting facts this book is ideal. It has my highest recommendation.

A must read for team human!

An entertaining data-based survey to enlighten every generation with understanding and empathy. A must read for team human!

Very insightful

A very insightful and well researched book. I’ve been able to learn and understand more about my own generation as well as the other living generations.

We are all in this together

Great researched information about secrets though polars. I learned why my children and grandchildren are so different from me

Food for Thought

Good to know a new and different perspective on how each generation's growth and development has in fact shaped the world. One cannot be the same if past generation doesn't affect how we live today and the tremendous contributions that can be made for the future.

a better understanding of generations of Americans that must learn to live with each other.

I found this book very interesting. Many of the concepts that were discussed were not foreign to me, having come from a generation that remembers rotary dial, telephones and getting do use primarily from paper and to this day, I have transferred into the area of understanding and reading Alba iPhone. I remember as a child, vacuum tubes and big cathode ray tubes in the TVs and I remember going to my father going with my father to Walgreens to select a YouTube of one that looked burned out. I remember vacuum tubes for radios and televisions, and never understood how they went from vacuum tubes to solid-state transistorized Radios in any case I’ve had the privilege of living during all these developments from Roy to reset from rotary phones to pocket cell phone to wrist watch phone. And today due to my severe arthritis I cannot type using a keyboard I must dictate my thoughts into an iPhone this opens up to a risk of typos or mixed words that bring a flavor of that what I meant on my communications. Thank you for this presentation. I understand my children. I understand my parents, where they came from, and how one sees the world to my hope that the reverse is true with my parents, grandparents, sons, and grandchildren. We are all in it together.