Generation Gap

What's new in it? Why should it be featured? Every time a journo comes up with an idea, editors are prone to put it down. Conventional journalism taught us dog bites man is no news. But a man bites dog is.  I approached a few well known writers to know something of the lighter side of millennial parenting. Fresh from the 55th Rajagiri Round Table, I talked to them about DINKies (Double Income No Kids) or DILKs (Double Income Less Kids) and chronic bachelors and spinsters. "All these were there in your time too."  Wonder!  Being a Gen-X, I didn't know the changing trends in my time and thought it was all Millennial.

Every generation looks down upon the newer generation. 'How times have changed, values have changed?' People talk of the 'Generation Gap' when communication breaks down between two generations. This creates tensions and strife in families and communities.

Millennial generation has imbibed certain characteristics and features which are unique to them. But the problem is the older generation is not happy with it. "We evaluate in terms of what is good and bad in our opinion. We believe they have lost their childhood," Dr PR Poduval, as always stoic.  The academic sees the world differently from a journo who is looking for unusual patterns to create a headline. They   research, look for data to prove their hypothesis. What does the research data show about Millennial parenting- is it all about shared responsibilities?  Or are women bearing the burden more than men? 

Not easy though to find these answers nor universalize trends that you see in one place. Barbara J Risman, renowned sociologist, also found it hard to see a typical millennial after interviewing 116 of them. Gender structure still constrains life in America. Interestingly, she found males who dismiss the gender stereotypes and refuse to accept gender categories. That is indeed promising.