Scene 1: During school days
Teacher : Why didn’t you finish your homework?
Student : We experienced powercut all through the evening. And so, the home
T : Don’t say unnecessary reason in your age we were reading under the street lamp.
Scene 2: During college days
College student : I need a bike to commute to college.
Parent : In your age we were walking n Kilometers to catch the government bus to college, your generation needs private vehicles at this young age?!
Scene 3: During office time
Manager : Get this work completed by this evening and get help from junior engineer and complete the report by tonight.
Senior Engineer : The junior engineer has called us up and informed his unavailability today.
M : We used to reach office even though we had serious illness. This young generation is so self-centered doesn’t care about his responsibilities.
Scene 4: In a coffee shop
Friend : What is your brother doing now?
Other friend : He is pursuing his degree, now its his second semester.
F : Ask him to make use of internet so much free resources available.
OF : True. But do you really think, they’re using internet for such things (winks)?
F : If only we had cheap internet during our college days.
OF : Then, we won’t afford to drink this today. Lol.
F : Haha!
Scene 5: Conversation between Husband & Wife
Wife : Did you see the link I whatsapped you? Husband : What is it? Wife shows the video to Husband
W : Look at my junior, they got married and went for an international trip itseems.
H : Yes. I can’t understand how they afford such expensive trips.
Even though the above scenes looks random at first, but there arises a pattern
- …in your age we were reading under the street lamp.
- …needs private vehicles at this young age
- …young generation is so self-centered
- …so much free resources available
- …how they afford such expensive trips.
The older generation is envious of younger generation at some point in their life. It could be for the young generaiton’s characteristics like,
- cozyness that arises due to improved family’s financial situation.
- self-awareness - taking day-off instead of burnout at work place
- Reduced threshold to access newer technologies
- Spending money to gain experience
Is this really a microcosm or biased observation?
According to Hans Rosling, the world is getting when the present situation is compared with the past. So, on applying similar logic here, the envy is not entirely a personal delusion but a reflection on world getting better. This argument too makes sense.
- Guy who used to lighted home doesn’t think about doing homework under the street lamp
- A guy looking up to own a vehicle because he/his parent can afford it. If the financial situation is dire, there is no point approaching parent for own vehicle.
- I spent a lot to access a GB of data, 12 years back. But, for this generation internet is part of a basic neccessity.
- Taking leave used to be taboo. However, the awareness on vacation and its implication on mental health (or an urge to show off to your tribe) has normalized.
What if you’re not envious of your younger generation?
Personally I feel grateful for some of the aspects too.
- Lesser penetration of internet during my schooling years.
- Lesser exposure to consumerist practises (like fashional clothing, electronic gadgets, junk foods)
- We used to have moderate climate changes - like the extrmeties seems to be more of the recent phenomenon.
- Algorithmic tracking of big tech.
Look at the pattern here - everything listed above all leads to not so pleasant scenarios. If we consider something is better for our generation than the younger generation, it’s generally bad.
What I conclude is iversion. If you felt envious on younger generation, pat yourself - you (the entire generaiton) have contributed for betterment.
Conversely, if you think you’re better placed than younger gen, be ashamed - you have spoilt something and made the youngseters suffer.
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Page last updated on: 2024-11-06 09:30:05 +0530 +0530Git commit: a98b4d9