Conclusion and Afterthought

Reflection:

            This course has really changed my life perspective. Before taking it, I never understood the challenges or even what plays into the aging process. I never understood what diversity meant. To be completely honest, I never thought gerontology is such an important issue in society. This course has definitely excelled and exceeded my expectations. It was after taking this course and writing this blog that I truly understood the introduction of Stoller’s Worlds of Difference., which states, “Gerontologists have long stressed the heterogeneity of the elderly population. People enter old age with an accumulation of experiences gained over six of seven decades, experiences that influence their attitudes, behaviors, and resources.” (Stoller, 1) This phrase really emphasizes the importance behind studying aging. It really captures the definition behind generational differences too. Each generation has own set of different experiences that set them apart from another.

            More importantly, this course as well as this blog has really taught me the idea of diversity. In my previous blog entries, I explored the diversity of generational differences for different genders, ethnic groups, and situations. It’s important for us to learn and appreciate that diversity surrounds us and that differences arise from diversity. To me, the end of this course signifies that diversity is actually a beautiful concept. It promotes creativity and a more well-rounded outlook.

An Interesting Find…

            It’s important to be knowledgeable about our own generation and our own characteristics. However, at the same time, it’s important to learn from our elders. A great article I found online called “8 Old-School Rules for Gen Y” outlines advices for our generation to follow. Here are some points I really liked:

“1. Wake up earlier. You may have had a schedule you set in college, but now the work world has its own schedule: Not only do you need to show up for it, but you need to be awake and highly functioning. Attendance is only graded in the negative; performance is what is graded in the positive.

2. Details matter. Grammar, spelling, dress, and communication form and structure all matter. “They know what I mean” shows sloppy work and sloppy thinking. In a world that moves faster and is more deeply connected, little missed details can lead to big mistakes.

3. Experience trumps education. Your degree is very important to you, your parents and your professors. But experience in the field is what matters in the real world. We are not as interested in your classwork as in your internship, your job, and your life, travel and personal experiences. Lead with your experience when contributing a point of view to have more credibility and impact.”

(Searcy, 2012)

I thought this was a great article that all of us in generation y can learn from. I only took a few excerpts from the article. Please read the rest at http://www.inc.com/tom-searcy/8-old-school-rules-for-gen-y.html

Last Concluding Thought:

            At the end of this blog entry and ultimately the end of this blog, I just want to again reiterate on the importance of the future for generation y. I really liked the quote Paul Taylor, executive VP of the Pew Research Center, stated, “We know the beginning of the story. But we don’t know the end of this story yet. The full life path of Generation Y has yet to unfold.” (“Generation lost: Millennials”, 2012).  As basically the face of the future, we, generation Y, has a bright path ahead!

1. Stoller, E. P., & Gibson, R. C. (2000). World of difference inequality in the aging experience. (3 ed.,). Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge Press.

2. Searcy, T. (2012, March 06). 8 old-school rules for gen y. Retrieved from http://www.inc.com/tom-searcy/8-old-school-rules-for-gen-y.html

3. Generation lost: Millennials come of age. (2012, April 12). Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/17/millennial-generation-lost-student-debt_n_1430930.html

Generational Differences and the Aging Process

            This is the last month of this blog as well as the class. I wanted to dedicate the last two posts with concluding, general arching ideas and themes. This post shall summarize many of the ideas and thoughts I had presented earlier in the semester. I wanted to start off this post with a quote I saw online.

1973: Long hair
2003: Longing for hair

1973: KEG
2003: EKG

1973: Acid rock
2003: Acid reflux

1973: Moving to California because it's cool
2003: Moving to California because it's warm

1973: Trying to look like Marlon Brando or Liz Taylor
2003: Trying NOT to look like Marlon Brando or Liz Taylor

1973: Seeds and stems
2003: Roughage

1973: The Grateful Dead
2003: Dr. Kevorkian

1973: Going to a new, hip joint
2003: Receiving a new hip joint

1973: Rolling Stones
2003: Kidney Stones

1973: Screw the system
2003: Upgrade the system

1973: Disco
2003: Costco

1973: Parents begging you to get your hair cut
2003: Children begging you to get their heads shaved

1973: Passing the drivers' test
2003: Passing the vision test

1973: Whatever
2003: Depends 

J. Williams

            I thought this quote and picture really capture the essence and dynamic of generational differences and the aging process in general. I like to think of aging as different stories of our life. At each generation and at each aging stage, we go through different events that shape the way we act. Conflicts occur with different generations because individuals have different opinions contingent on the life stage they are in. I think Stoller wrote a really great point summarizing this point, “Variations in definitions of kin and family obligations also occur within ethnic groups and among generations within families. Sometimes, these differences reflect differences in life stages.” (Stoller, 216)

            The quote and this semester so far have really allowed me to reflect about the future. It really helped me to put my life in check. Looking at other elders who have talked about their past and the course of their lives allowed me to think that one day that will be me. Generational differences is such a huge issue. I feel like many people always place this issue as a social cohort. Mike Clough in an article really points out that generational differences is actually a positive attribute. By having a multigenerational workforce means that there is diversity. It creates more creativity and more diverse outlooks on projects. If conflicts can be managed, then these differences can actually play in a positive manger. Thus, it’s our role to understand others and learn about this issue, because it will help make workforce more efficient. With knowledge and preparation, we can tailor our messages and choose the best method of delivery. (Clough, 2009)

            The future is a scary to think about. It’s such a place of uncertainties and unanswered questions. It’s hard to imagine that 30  years from now what we thought cool and innovating will be outdated. The future is scary… Here are some shocking statistics I found regarding the future that should be considered:

• “By 2030, America's elderly population is expected to reach 72 million, more than double the number in 2000.

• By 2030, 55 countries are expected to see their 65 and older populations grow to at least 20 percent of their present total.

• By 2050, Europe will continue to be the world's oldest region with its elder population increasing more than five fold, from 40 million to 219 million” (“The Aging Process”, 2009)

            With the elderly group growing at an exponential rate, it’s really important to study the aging process. With more elders mean that there will be more generational differences and conflicts too. It’s important to understand each generation and study aging theories to ensure that the transition to the future will be smooth.

1. Stoller, E. P., & Gibson, R. C. (2000). World of difference inequality in the aging experience. (3 ed.,). Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge Press.

2. Clough, M. (2009). Using generational diversity to your advantage. Retrieved from http://bestbizpractices.org/using-generational-diversity-to-your-advantage/

3. "The aging process". (2009). Retrieved from http://transgenerational.org/aging/aging-process.htm

Generational Differences at Home

            Do you remember the last time you had an argument with your parents or even grandparents. Do you remember thinking to yourself, “they just don’t understand ME and society today.” This was constantly something I dealt with as a teenager while growing up with my parents. As a college student now, I feel more aware and have more acceptance of our different ideals and values. This blog post focuses on an aspect that most of us experience on a daily basis, generational differences at home especially one with cultural differences. The blog posts from my previous month has being emphasized greatly on how to deal with generational differences at the workplace. Today, I’ll outline the role of generational differences at home.

            Just to begin and give some personal reference and background information, I was born in China and came to America when I was about 8 years old. Because I spent most of my later childhood and adolescent years in America, I have a very Americanized personality as compared to my traditional Chinese parents. During high school, we constantly fought about different priorities and values. Turns out, this was actually very common in cultural groups with different generations. Stoller states at one point that “Norms based in one culture can be difficult to implement in another culture. Differences between the dominant culture and elements of the ethnic cultures can produce conflicts in generations.” (Stoller, 216)

            The previous blog posts deal with a similar topic about familial structures and generational differences pertaining especially for Asian Americans. I focused mainly on the conflicts that arise. For example, just to recap, many of the conflicts arise from different attitudes towards family obligations. Older generations have more traditional values from their origin of country. The younger generations are more influenced by American society, and thus have sometimes the opposite. (Fuligni et al, 1999) Today, I’ll emphasize more on the positive consequences. Stoller actually writes about how cultural differences within families can actually strengthen intergenerational relationships at home. This happens when the younger generations asks for guidance and better understanding of traditional cultural ethnics and beliefs. For example, many of the elderly generations enjoy teaching the children and teenagers the music, language, crafts and local history. This not only pass down traditional beliefs and values, it also helps improve elders’ emotions and confidence. They feel more involved in the family and closer with their grandchildren this way. They also feel like they still have an important role in the family. (Cool, 1980)

            After this blog post, I have more appreciation for the multicultural and multigenerational characteristics of my own family. Instead of focusing on negative conflicts that arise, this blog entry and the related readings really assisted me in understanding the bigger picture. Instead of having the attitude that diversity is bad and undesirable, I now realize that diversity is actually positive; it creates many of the rich mixed cultures we see today!

1. Stoller, E. P., & Gibson, R. C. (2000). World of difference inequality in the aging experience. (3 ed.,). Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge Press.

2. Fuligni, A. J., Tseng, V. and Lam, M. (1999), Attitudes toward Family Obligations among American Adolescents with Asian, Latin American, and European Backgrounds. Child Development, 70: 1030–1044. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.00075

3. Cool, L.E. (1980). Ethnicity and aging: Continuity through change for elderly Corsicans. In C. Fry (Ed.), Aging in culture and society. New York: Praeger

          

Generational Differences-Asian Americans

            Through the course of this class thus far, I have acquired a better understanding and appreciation for the differences that make up the vastness of diversity present in society and in the world. Many of the readings have helped me realize the existence of the many problems currently present in society today. One such reading from Olson’s Chapter 2 on “The Chinese Elderly: Values and Issues in Receiving Adequate Care” by Morrison G. Wong. Here, Wong outlines that the Chinese culture has strong familial values with origins from Confucianism. This means that hierarchy is very prevalent in the Chinese household. Thus positive consequence of strong familial relationship is the dedication and tradition of taking care of elders in the household. The elders are often the most respected and have the most decision power in a family household. (Olson, 2001).

            What really prompted me to write this blog entry on Asian Americans is the changing scenario of the Asian American community due to renewed generational differences. Wong states that the new generation “the American-born Chinese have become more acculturated to the beliefs, traditions, and customs of U.S. society.” (Olson, 2001, p. 26). This new generation of American born Chinese has both cultural and generational differences that greatly conflict with the traditional, familial Chinese structured society. Instead, the new generation is more individualistic, ambitious, and independent as opposed to traditional collectivist, familial, and interdependent character tics.  Many of the older generations are not happy with this recent change. For example, Wong states, “it is becoming more common to hear foreign-born Chinese parents to express disappointment and complain that “my son is just like an American.””(Olson, 2001, p. 26).

            These American and Chinese cultural differences widen the gap between the different generations within an Asian American community. They have conflicts in society. One of the most emphasized pertains to elders. Traditionally, elders in the Chinese society are always treated with the most respect. Because familial piety plays such a major role in the culture, families often take care of the elderly. It’s not uncommon to see a multigenerational household. The conflict arises from the new generations and their new sets of American characteristics and differences. It is becoming more common for the Chinese elders to be left at nursing homes, which lead to many negative consequences of language barriers, cultural differences, and different medicinal preferences. Many Asian elders feel neglected and unhappy when they are put into these homes. (Filgini et al, 1999) For the new generation, it seems normal, but to the older generations, it’s taken more personally, where they feel they are personally being disposed.

            Despite these differences and negative consequences I have outlined, my research has also indicated that there are still many positive outcomes. Even though the new generations are adapting to new American values, they are still keeping to many traditional, core values. For instance, family is still a top priority. Family gatherings and socials are still a strong part of their lives. Many decisions the new generation makes are always contingent on the best outcome for the overall family. (“Asian-American families")

1. Wong, M. G. 2001).The Chinese Elderly: Values and Issues in Receiving Adequate Care. In Olson, L. K. (Ed.),Age through ethnic lenses: Caring for the elderly in a multicultural society. Lanham, MD: owman & Littlefield Publishers

2. Fuligni, A. J., Tseng, V. and Lam, M. (1999), Attitudes toward Family Obligations among American Adolescents with Asian, Latin American, and European Backgrounds. Child Development, 70: 1030–1044. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.00075

3. Asian-american families - regional and generational differences. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://family.jrank.org/pages/105/Asian-American-Families-Regional-Generational-Differences.html

Resolving Conflicts

You’re right, but I’m the boss!
Just do your job!
I remember when …
The kid wants a promotion after six months on the job!
No!


These are the phrases you would probably hear if you work at a place with large generational differences and related conferences. If you remember, in the previous post, I outlined many of the problems that are uprising across workplaces caused by generational differences. In this entry, I will detail solutions and ways to solve and bridge those generational differences. It's important to work through these differences to ensure a more productive and efficient workplace setting. Below are some tips I found regarding how to bridge across differences to find a common ground. 


Most important aspect and strategy to bridging the differences of generational differences is communication. This means instead of arguing and focusing on the differences between the different generations, focus more on the similarities. Don’t generalize characteristics just based on generations.Understand that each person has his/her habits. (Filipczak, 1999)

Ask questions, rather than make statements. Let others understand the faults to their points by asking questions so they can figure it out themselves instead of you bluntly saying it out loud

Communication effectively is very important. Many problems associated with the misunderstanding across different generations are related to lack of effort in communicating. It might be more work. Especiallly as the Y generation, we should stray away from using slangs such as “lol”, “btw”. Know who you are working with and be respectful of their differences.
Even though we value self-expression, we should also pay attention to professionalism and business etiquette in the workplace. (Sutton, 2002)

Lastly, be patient with the older generations. Know that this is our time not theirs. Which means we are most familiar with the rapidly ranging technology (show pic of changing tech). We are the ones most updated with the different social networking sites. Help you by helping them. help them adapt and get more accustomed to this changing world.


One of my favorite quotes and what prompted me to write for the past two posts is Carolyn Heilbrun's quote, "Although the old,as we are daily warned, are growing in umber while the population of the young yearly declines, it is the young who influence the world we live." (Stoller, 2000, p. 90) This quote really capitalizes the role I need to partake in as well as how important we all need work together to manage generational differences in all aspects of our lives. Especially since I am studying business and planning on working in an accounting firm after graduation, I should start preparing and learning about working in a multigenerational firm. The more prepared I am, the better the transitioning to the new environment will be. 


1. Wey Smola, K., & Sutton, C. D. (2002). Generational differences: revisiting generational work values for the new millennium. (J. M. Spector, Ed.)Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23(4), 363-382. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. / Business. Retrieved from http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/job.147
2. Zemke, R., Raines, C., & Filipczak, B. (1999). Generations at work: Managing the clash of veterans, boomers, Xers and nexters in your workplace. New York: AMACOM Books.
3. Stoller, E. P., & Gibson, R. C. (2000). World of difference inequality in the aging experience. (3 ed., p. 144). Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge Press.

Generation Y in the workforce

This blog post really draws from reading chapter 9 of Stoller. In this article Carolyn Heilbrun highlights the topic of "Listening to the Young (er). It narrates a woman entering her seventh decade of life. Here she analyzes and evaluates the importance of recognizing the young and their role in society today.(Stoller, 2000, p. 90).  Overall, I thought the topic was refreshing. Often, we are so focused on our own lives. It was great to view how the old saw us instead of how we always saw them. Thus today's entry is focused on learning about my own generation. Sometimes, the best way to self-reflect and evaluate is to see how others view us as a generation. 

Some positive attributes generation y are often associated with are that we add value to the workplace because we are good at multitasking and are often willing to make themselves flexible and free on weekends. Because we are the ones who have had the biggest exposure to the new technology age, we know how to be tech savvy. We are the ones most updated with social media mediums. Because of our more free-exploring personalities, we like to explore our options instead of keeping in one job focus. After, reading these positive attributes, it really helped to highlight some of the positive aspects I have that I never really paid attention to before. So I thought this was a great way to gain exposure and learn more about who and what kind of personalities make up my generation today. (Mitchell, 2002)

However, it's not all good news. Many actually associate more negative connotations to our generation than positive. Actually it is known that the baby boomers and Generation Y have the most conflicts in the workplace. There are many residing factors that separate the two. First off, Gen Y just has a different set of work-life values than boomers. As indicated before, we are a generation of more free-spirit. Therefore, we really place great value on having a flexible schedule. This can get especially frustrating since boomers are the ones who prefer autonomy and they like to set strict, structures. On another level, generation y also has negative attitudes toward the boomers. We are often worried about the job market because many boomers delay their retirement. This exchange of different values and ideals show that this conflict is very two-sided. (Koeppel, 2011) In the next post, I'll be focusing on how to solve these generational differences especially in the workplace. 

1. Stoller, E. P., & Gibson, R. C. (2000). World of difference inequality in the aging experience. (3 ed., p. 144). Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge Press.

2. Koeppel, D. (2011).  Gen Y vs. Boomers: Workplace Conflicts heat up. Retrieved from http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2011/11/11/Gen-Y-vs-Boomers-Workplace-Conflict-Heats-Up.aspx#page1

3.  Mitchell, S. (2002). American generations: Who they are, how they live, what they think. Ithaca, NY: New Strategists Publications.

Role of Women

          

           I start off this post with this picture because it accurately depicts my relationship with my mother. On a personal level, one of the reasons I picked the topic of generational differences is to help solve personal, professional conflicts in my life that arise from these generation gaps. Thus, hopefully after reading this, you too will begin to understand the root and values behind the different generations.

            As mentioned in the introductory post, this blog will explore the diversity within the generational differences. The elements are broken down into status, race, and gender. Today, I will focus on gender and specifically center on the topic of generational differences pertaining to women. To give a brief background, I actually was interested in this topic, because of week 3’s Stoller readings. In chapter 17, Aliene Walser gives a great narrative of her life as a minority woman. The informal language and her use of descriptive imageries allow the readers to experience her life through her perspective. What really caught my attention was her anecdote about her experience raising her girls. She had said that she wanted to raise her girls differently than how she was raised. One special quote that stuck out to me was when she told her girls, “Yes, but I don’t want you to do what I done.  Got married when I was just a child. You need to get a little more out of life than just getting married, having children, and working in that mill.” (Stoller, 2000, p144). To me this one quote sprung about a number of other questions and inquires. It allowed me to understand how different generations’ values/beliefs actually affect the women’s role in society.

            Generational differences for women on the surface level seem pretty straightforward. Women from older generations will have more traditional views on life because they were taught and experienced through the proper female role of marriage and childbearing. Each generation offers its own unique sets of influencers and events that shape that generation’s attitudes and values. (Sigel & Reynolds, 1980, p. 635) As a business major and also a woman, this topic interested me, because I wanted to see the role of generational characteristics on women at work. In order to avoid potential future conflicts and concerns in the workplace, I wanted to explore and understand why each generation of women act the way they do.

            Upon further research, I was able to find the different sets of characteristics that define each generation of women. The traditionalist generation (1925-1943) is loyal, patriotic, and financially conservative, they saw family first and placed strict boundaries between gender and work. Women were mostly limited to household jobs or administrative tasks. However, during World War II, they were able to occupy temporary positions previously held by men. The baby boomers generation (1944-1962) changes to one of superwomen attitude. This is when we start to see women taking on family responsibilities as well as maintaining their careers. Generation X (1963-1981)’s role in the workforce starts to increase. Because of the financial instabilities, there were increasing financial pressures for dual income families. Lastly, the Millennials (born 1982-2003), which is the one I’m part of, is a complete integration of work and life through technology. It is becoming more common for women to enter marriages and start families at a later age. (“Generational Differences”, 2006)

            Researching this topic really opened my perspective to understanding the reasoning behind the thinking of older generations. This really put me into perspective why my mother acts the way she does and why she wants and expects so much from me in the future.  I hoped you enjoyed reading, and I look forward to writing future entries dealing other diversity elements of generational differences. 

1. Stoller, E. P., & Gibson, R. C. (2000). World of difference inequality in the aging experience. (3 ed., p. 144). Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge Press.

2. Siegel, R. S., & Reynolds, J. V. (1980). Generational differences and the women's movement. Political Science Quarterly, 94, 635-648. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2149630

3. Generational differences among working women. (2006). Retrieved from http://interchange-dev.squarespace.com/storage/documents/Generational Differences Among Working Women.pdf