We live in a time when news, both real and fake, spreads at an alarming rate. So much comes so quickly that it can be difficult to process the difference between the two. This issue has come to a head multiple times in my classrooms this year, as my students blindly believe the Buzzfeeds, trending Twitter posts, and Onion articles without looking to validate the source. There's something wrong with the world today, and I think I know what it is.
It was interesting to read the SCSU characterization of the Edge Generation as tech-savvy, team-oriented, optimistic, and with high expectations. In many ways, my students tend to err on the opposite side of this generalization.
I find it strange that, in spite of the tremendous rise in teen suicide, the emergence of depression as a mental illness, and the explosion of MMORPGs, in which people use games as a form of escapism, one can label this generation "optimistic." The articles, posts, and general outcry over the election is the most deterministic, fatalistic, and nihilistic I have ever seen humanity, even more so than after Y2K, 9/11, and the War on Terror.
I have seen this generation characterized as egotistical and hedonistic, its tech savvy operating in direct contrast to the team-oriented mentality expressed in the SCSU article. Even when given the ability to work in groups on projects, students use the Google suite to jigsaw assignments rather than working together. If students are given segmented assignments with roles, each will do their role with minimal interaction.
Furthermore, the Edge Generation has been widely criticized for NOT having high expectations, either expected of it by others or by the members themselves. Student-athletes are given participation trophies for taking part in sporting events, regardless of position. This arguably reinforces a lack of desire to perform well or improve.
At their best, Edge Generation individuals seem to be empowered, individualistic, and curious. At their worst, however, they can be considered entitled, self-centered, and incendiary. From my experience, the definition from SCSU is inaccurate and shortsighted, and fails to capture the essence of the generalization.
Jeremy,
ReplyDeleteThat was a very interesting way of looking at Generation Edge. I sometimes feel the same way about this generation. But then I see them fight with passion over their beliefs. Also, I kind of like their straight forward natural. like you, some of the Edgers are a little self centered. However, I was a little self involved in my youth. However, life help me with that attitude. I still feel our future is good.
Jeremy,
ReplyDeleteThat was a very interesting way of looking at Generation Edge. I sometimes feel the same way about this generation. But then I see them fight with passion over their beliefs. Also, I kind of like their straight forward natural. like you, some of the Edgers are a little self centered. However, I was a little self involved in my youth. However, life help me with that attitude. I still feel our future is good.
The thing to keep in mind here is our beliefs are based on our perceptions, which are based on context. These generational characteristics are trying to describe the generation as a whole. Thus, would our opinions be the same if our exposure were in a different school, state, or country?
ReplyDeleteStrauss and Howe were widely criticized for their book "Millennials Rising", which was based solely on surveys of students from a very affluent area. Of course optimism was high; why wouldn't it be?
So, for many of us, our experiences are limited to one or two districts over some period of time, usually in the same general geographic area (in our case, SE Michigan). Keep that in mind.
My question to the group, based on Jeremy's post is as follows: while I agree with some of your sentiments regarding blind belief, do you think that's generation specific, or a large scale problem?
I think that this is not generation specific, but more speaks to the age of the students involved. I like Briggette's comment about being more self-involved in her youth. To most students, they are the center of the universe, and in my community my students are from an affluent area as Dr. Siko mentioned, so that sentiment goes even higher. I think our job is to expose students to the world around them and get them to truly empathize with others and understand that sometimes where you are born and who you are born to has as much to do with your success as everything else. Persistence and good worth ethic are incredible, but it is still more difficult for students without means to find success than it is for their wealthier and more connected peers.
DeleteAre the children really who we should be talking about how they act. Like professor Siko said children don't think like us their brains are fluid always changing. Most of the way they act and most of their opinions come from their parents especially in lower elementary. The parents are the ones that fight to make sure that their child dose not feel loss if they are participating competitive sport. Now don't get me wrong that students should feel included in everything even when their skills don't fit that sport or project. Student still need to know that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose or better yet they were less successful than others. It is the culture for which our children are growing up in is were the problems of being entitled, self-centered, and incendiary comes from as well as all of the positive things that comes from. It is unfortunate that as educator it becomes our jobs to mitigate bad with encouraging the good as sometimes with out the parents help.
ReplyDeleteThere is a fair amount of debate on this in sports and competition. On one hand, you have the people saying that participation trophies/ribbons are bad. On the other, you have this hypercompetitive world of youth sports where if you aren't playing soccer in diapers, or travel soccer in elementary, you're worthless and will never play varsity. So, there needs to be a balance between recreational sport (which promotes a healthy lifestyle for the 99.99999% of students who'll never go pro) and the hypercompetition.
DeleteAs for the attitudes in general, technology has fed some of that narcissism; see https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/20/maybe-dont-pose-like-this-at-the-berlin-holocaust-memorial/