iGen

The 10 Trends Shaping Today's Young People - and the Nation

By: Jean M. Twenge Ph.D.

Narrated by: Madeleine Maby

Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's Summary

An entertaining first look at how today's members of iGen - the children, teens, and young adults born in the mid-1990s and later - are vastly different from their millennial predecessors and from any other generation, from the renowned psychologist and author of Generation Me.

With generational divides wider than ever, parents, educators, and employers have an urgent need to understand today's rising generation of teens and young adults. Born in the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s and later, iGen is the first generation to spend their entire adolescence in the age of the smartphone. With social media and texting replacing other activities, iGen spends less time with their friends in person - perhaps why they are experiencing unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

But technology is not the only thing that makes iGen distinct from every generation before them; they are also different in how they spend their time, in how they behave, and in their attitudes toward religion, sexuality, and politics. They socialize in completely new ways, reject once sacred social taboos, and want different things from their lives and careers. More than previous generations, they are obsessed with safety, focused on tolerance, and have no patience for inequality. iGen is also growing up more slowly than previous generations: 18-year-olds look and act like 15-year-olds used to.

As this new group of young people grows into adulthood, we all need to understand them: Friends and family need to look out for them; businesses must figure out how to recruit them and sell to them; colleges and universities must know how to educate and guide them. And members of iGen also need to understand themselves as they communicate with their elders and explain their views to their older peers. Because where iGen goes, so goes our nation - and the world.

©2017 Jean M. Twenge (P)2017 Simon & Schuster Audio

Really, Amazon, no PDF?

This is a fascinating topic, written by a great scholar in the subject matter. Unfortunately, the narrator frequently refers to graphs and studies that are presumably shown and/or are sourced in footnotes. Unlike with other Audible titles, there does not appear to be a companion pdf for this book.

Interesting study of today's youth

First, Madeleine Maby's performance was perfect. So many readers mispronounce or make incorrect inflections. She is also pleasant to listen to, with just the right pacing.

Ms. Twenge both intrigues and frightens with this in depth study. Having both Millennial and iGen children I have noticed to contrast in thinking, confidence, and work ethic.

A recurring word throughout is "safety". I've raised my kids to understand the world is not a safe place, it never has been and never will be, so learn to deal with that. Yet they still fear the future and lack confidence; just as pointed out in this book.

The abundance of statistics was impressive, however I think the publisher fails us in not providing a companion PDF file. I would have liked to see the numbers and graphs the author refers to.

I went into this book curious and with an open mind. As I progressed I noticed one of the main premises seems incorrect. Twenge even included this in the book's subtitle. She contends that iGen is more tolerant, yet spent a great deal of time demonstrating their complete lack of tolerance.

Tolerance is the acceptance of ideas and constructs that conflict with your own. What Twenge calls tolerance is really acceptance of compatible or already accepted behaviours. iGen accepts only ideas that they believe in. Ideas that contradict their own are considered "harmful" and not only go unheard, but they demand zero-tolerance and punishment. Severe punishment in fact. How does this differ from a northerner in 1840 accepting slavery as an alternative lifestyle?

I love that iGen is hard working, not arrogant, and libertarian. However, it scares the hell out of me that they don't believe in the 1st Amendment and believe even accidentally or unintentional offenses should be punishable by termination or worse. When these people come into political power such intolerance could have radical and negative ramifications. We could be staring down at the end of freedom in exchange for safety and conformity.

Using Twenge's reasoning every generation is tolerant since we all tolerate ideas and actions that confirm to our own standards. Accepting homosexuality is tolerant only if you believe it is wrong. I was raised to be tolerant, allowing others to have opposing ideas, listen to them, and consider the merits. I don't see any evidence of this mindset in a safe-zone generation.

Highly recommend for college educators!

I’m a millennial faculty member who is trying to meet my iGen students where they are. This book confirmed a lot of my impressions/ experiences with iGen, but also helped to re-frame them from a negative standpoint. It was very well researched and avoided trite “these kids just don’t understand” type of sentiments. Very thoughtful, and includes practical recommendations as to how to help, understand, and approach iGeners. Many thanks to the author!

It's all right

not the best book I've listened too. It's pretty accurate as far as data and observations go but Dr. twenge struggles to keep her bias for solutions and opinions out of the latter half of the book the first half she is very careful though. the interviews with igenners are very insightful

Don't buy your kid a smartphone...

.... until you read this book! Such important information far exceeding just that aspect. I have 3 daughters under age 11 and this was so thought provoking!

insightful somewhat tunneled

while generational labels are US-centric in essence, but the traits that may be identified in later generations seems to be more common across the world and hence finding this book not only relevant but insightful on many aspects that influence this generation especially with the intrinsic impact of technology on them. The author seemed at times focused on delivering in a specific theme excessively, namely; heightened sense of safety, fragility and slow growth into adulthood.. still valuable information and advice on how to understand them and thus how to best engage them .

Must Read for Educators

Anyone who wants a deeper understanding of our current crop of High School / College students should read this book. Dr. Twenge has done an excellent job of highlighting how technology/social media/smart devices have altered the perceptions and development of this generation. These alterations are not necessarily better or worse... but they are different, and this difference needs to be understood by educators especially.

Essential information on the next generation

iGens are not like millennials. Screen time, isolation, anxiety and virtual relationships are huge factors in their lives. They need encouragement, live experiences, more time to mature. This book gives insight to how they think.

The book is great and iritating

While the trends and outcomes described in this book have become commonly familiar, reding the book, with its deep analysis and many examples added significantly to the understanding of the I-gen.
However, the book explores the behavior and trends of high school and college students, but mostly ignores young people of same age who do not attend post high school education colleges.
Regarding the solutions the author offers, I totally agree with her.
In my country, Israel, about half of the young boys and girls serve in the military (Arabs and orthodox Jews are exempt) or in national service. Some, like my daughters, do both.
This service really helps them to grow up, develop self confidence and view the world in a much more mature way when they arrive post high school college or university.
Therefore, while the trends of I-gen described in the book are not un-familiar in Israel, I believe they are of much lesser effect.

Born 1995-2112? This book's about you!

Useful overview of this internet, social media, iPhone generation. Insightful and not a little depressing.

Great book, lot of stats

I really enjoyed listening to this book, and they make a really good job of it.
It's just a little statistic heavy for an audiobook and you get a little lost in them. Maybe a pdf would help.

Worth a read, Insightful and thought prevoking

This book is Insightful, thought prevoking, well structured chapters to help with each idea and brilliant conclusions.

Fascinating book

Well worth a listen if you want to understand the iGen/generation Z better. A compassionate and clear view of the trends.

fascinating and insightful

Read this as a millenial, I am barely older than the oldest I-geners but there is still so much difference in our experiences of growing up.

informative

Informative but a bit narrow as it focused only on US iGen. Would love to see comparison to other countries.