Inside the contested birth years of generations

Inside the contested birth years of generations

Thinking in terms of "generations" is a kind of shortcut to help us understand social and economic differences in age cohorts over time. Sometimes, though, it contributes to sloppy analysis or cliche-driven over-generalization. Generational names and birth years are therefore contested social constructs that are nevertheless widely influential in public discourse. Where did these ideas come from, and what is the difference between a Baby Boomer,…