Originally published on November 8, 2021 (Episode 233)
Introduction
Each year, corporations, governments, and pundits spend millions explaining generations to one another. The underlying assumption is that people born around the same time are fundamentally alike—and fundamentally different from those born at other times. But as Bobby Duffy makes clear in his book The Generation Myth, things aren’t nearly so simple.
Generational identities are not fixed; they’re fluid. They change with time, context, and experience. And we should be deeply suspicious of those who peddle simplistic concepts like “generational warfare,” inevitable cultural decline, or the idea that only young people care about the environment, or—worst of all—that Gen Z is the “suicidal generation.”
About the Guest
Bobby Duffy is Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London. Formerly the director of research at Ipsos MORI, he is also the author of Why We’re Wrong About Nearly Everything .
For Further Investigation
Bobby Duffy, The Generation Myth: Why When You’re Born Matters Less Than You Think (Basic Books, 2021)
Bobby Duffy, Why We’re Wrong About Nearly Everything (Atlantic Books, 2018)
💬 Listen & Discuss
Which generational myths have you seen most at work in your own family, classroom, or workplace? Share your thoughts in the comments—and pass this episode along to a friend who’s been told one too many times what their “generation” is supposed to think.
