Opinion
Millennials and Boomers Feel Like They’re Living in Two Different Americas—and That’s a Big Problem
—
Instead of pointing fingers, Boomers, millennials, and members of Generation X need to be working together.
By Michael North
The recent US presidential election highlighted the need to understand growing divisions in US society. A surprisingly overlooked, yet particularly urgent divide is generational.
America’s social contract has long held that you get taken care of when you’re young, you pay your dues as an adult, and then society takes care of you when you’re old. But this cycle, so essential to the functioning of our nation, is breaking down. Instead of working to fix it, young and old appear further apart than ever.
Politically, this divide persists in red states and blue states alike. If only those over 65 voted, estimates predict Donald Trump would have won in an Electoral College landslide, approximately 351 to 182 (with 5 votes too close to call). By contrast, if all voters were under 29, Hillary Clinton would have won in a complete shutout: 538 electoral votes to zero.
Read the full article as published by Quartz.
___
Michael North is an Assistant Professor of Management and Organizations.
America’s social contract has long held that you get taken care of when you’re young, you pay your dues as an adult, and then society takes care of you when you’re old. But this cycle, so essential to the functioning of our nation, is breaking down. Instead of working to fix it, young and old appear further apart than ever.
Politically, this divide persists in red states and blue states alike. If only those over 65 voted, estimates predict Donald Trump would have won in an Electoral College landslide, approximately 351 to 182 (with 5 votes too close to call). By contrast, if all voters were under 29, Hillary Clinton would have won in a complete shutout: 538 electoral votes to zero.
Read the full article as published by Quartz.
___
Michael North is an Assistant Professor of Management and Organizations.