Every elder generation look with sympathy towards the younger generation; and, the younger ones returns the gape with a pity.
There is a generation gap, always. Used to be a healthy 5 years before, now I am not sure how much it is! A year? A month? Days? Even lesser?
Each generation is characterized by philosophies, thoughts, social dogma, cultural associations etc. As the circumstances change, people do operate ok these parameters differently, largely based on their age. Their priorities change. This result in generation gap, and isolation of each group from one another, though all will live together fulfilling the bondage of grandparents-parents-children-neighbors.
Elder generations feel confident and assured about the wisdom they gained from experience they had, and see that lack in younger generations. They sympathize younger generation. On the other hand, younger generations feel the energy of their age, freshness of their newness and possibility of their newly gained knowledge. They feel themselves to be fashioned, updated and stylish. They see elder generation as outdated and outlandish, and pity them.
Presently, through the lens of digital and well connected multimedia, the generations can be visualized to be in three layers, with respect to social media platforms they follow. Though I categorize social media apps by name, classification cannot be restricted to these app names only. Apps with similar applications and features can be grouped and the generations that use them can be understood to share a common behavioral patterns. Though these three apps are different, few of the features have been borrowed across and looks similar in few aspects. Still, they are entirely different and give comfort to particular segments of society, large enough, we can group them and call them a generation.
1. WhatsApp generation: Committed, old fashioned texting styled individuals. They prefer to have mobile numbers of their contacts. They share texts, messages, videos, images directly, or through groups. See and update status, but, among a closed group of individuals known to them. Mostly, elder generation prefers these kinds of apps, and belongs to this group. Even if youngsters use them, only with very dear ones across the generation. Highlight here is, they communicate one on one or with a group known to them. No shows for a strange public.
2. Facebook generation: A generation came from Orkut (an app pre-existed and had largely the same features, themes, looks even the color themes as of present Facebook). Millennials (those who born from 1984 to mid 1990s) can be found active on this platform. Here again, as with WhatsApp, individuals interact with friends, and added members though images, videos and wall posts. Most of the time, Facebook (fb) posts receive long-tailed comments and keeps the wall hyper active. More like a social media platform with blogging features. FB has Groups and pages features that allow even the outsider to see your thoughts and clicks. Here, you don’t need person’s mobile number to connect or to contact, but you must be accepted by them in their profile and you keep seeing their life updates as they post. This is the middle generation, a generation grew with computer technology, and saw its evolution from IBM boxes to Apple thin-flat slates. This is the generation who stays between the elders and youngsters, whose father is active in WhatsApp and brothers-sisters rocking in Instagram.
3. Instagram generation or ‘Insta-Guys’: Vital tool of Generation- Z or Zoomers. They are the ones born to digital age (mid 1990s to early 2010s). Grown up seeing mobile phones evolving from keypad machines to touch screen multimedia devices, saw internet as a necessity. As they were reaching adolescence, WhatsApp & Facebook were the must-haves, and lost the appeal soon. Kids from this generation prefer to stay passionate, alive, fresh and happening, wherever they go wherever they reach! It may even seem to us, the elder ones, these highly-charged youngsters eat, travel, meet, talk, jump, walk, visit just to update their Instagram status. Yes, to that extend they are intertwined, consumed and involved in the world of digital machines and applications. Most of them seriously planning their life and career inside these apps, using their possibilities and opportunities. All of them are cute-dashing models, superheroes, philosophers, success gurus, and in hurry to become millionaires or billionaires want to settle in Europe, USA, Canada or Australia. They like to be in super ‘branded’ outfits they can manage, traveling to exotic world spots with coolest gadgets and explode their Instagram status bar with their clicks from world famous and unique buildings, skyscrapers, sceneries in the backdrop.
Though how deeply divided each of these generations may look or sound, all of them co-exists in the same planet, may be in the same continent, may be in the same country, may be in the same village and in the same home, eating across the same table!
For all of these 3 generations, they have their own priorities and outlook towards life, education, career, religion, nation, even on the minute aspects of a dish they eat everyday.
Before concluding my words here, I would like to know your observations on the topic and in which generation you belong! And, I repeat the same quote that welcomed you to the article in the beginning:
Every elder generation look with sympathy towards the younger generation; and, the younger ones returns the gape with a pity.
P.S. (Post Script):
Much like some of you, I do belong to the millennial generation, so biologically a Facebook candidate, but use whatsapp for serious mode of contact keeping with elders and active in Instagram to keep up with youngsters.
Lately though, whatsapp started bugging me with tons of groups, group politics, admin and admin policies. And, Facebook turning more into opinionated propaganda machinery, Instagram feels rather pinkish-reddish, sweet. Just like how Facebook boss decided to bag WhatsApp first and then explore opportunities in Instagram, me, stepping into Instagram to realize how exactly we, the medium to elder generation, faring with respect to Gen Z.
Adding a snap of my Instagram page too, in case … 😉
Mujeeb Patla 