They Say: The Generation Gap, It is A’Changin’

Just in case all the media coverage hasn’t already tipped you off, this weekend marks the 40th anniversary of  Woodstock. To commemorate that watershed cultural moment, the Pew Research Center recently conducted a survey that attempts to explore the differences between the generation gap during the late ’60s and early ’70s (which, history tells us, was vast and divisive) and the generation gap that exists now. Are the same hostilities between young and old still blowin’ in the wind? Do teenagers today strongly believe that they shouldn’t trust anyone over 30?

The answer to both of those questions seems to be no.  While a previous Pew survey found that 79 percent of the American public believes there is definitely a generation gap, this latest survey — which incorporated responses from 1815 interviews with people 16 and older — found that only 26 percent believe there are “strong conflicts” between young and old.

The issue that most separates the old folks from the younger ones, according to the survey? The way they use computers and technology, which 73 percent of respondents cited as a major generational difference. This, of course, comes as no surprise to anyone whose mother still thinks that all of your friends can see everything that’s happening in your home every time you log onto Facebook.

A few other interesting findings from the Pew survey:

• A majority of parents with children 16 and younger (48 percent) said they spend more time with their kids than their parents spent with them.
• Assuming all of the responses in the survey are honest, it also appears that parents and their teenage/young adult children have few explosive arguments; 41 percent of parents with children older than 16 and 40 percent of children ages 16 to 24 said they “hardly ever” have major disagreements. For those of us with young kids and toddlers, this is some comforting news.
• When asked what Woodstock was, only half of those in the 16 to 24 age group were familiar with the festival. I don’t believe Pew asked how many people in that same demographic are familiar with Country Joe and the Fish, but I’ve gotta think that figure would come in at around .0002 percent.
• The Pew survey also delved into issues of musical preference and found that the most popular genre, across generations, is rock. Hip-hop comes in second among 16- to 29-year-olds. And the least popular genre among people over the age of 50? You guessed it: Hip-hop.
• The survey also chose a select group of significant musical artists and attempted to gauge their popularity. The one that had the broadest, cross-generational appeal (and again, no surprises here): the Beatles. Interestingly, 46 percent of the 16-to-29-year-olds chose Michael Jackson as their top fave, while 44 percent of us 30- to 49-year-olds selected MJ as our second fave, right behind the Eagles. (Really??) These results may not be particularly meaningful since a. the artists were sort of pre-chosen; b. this survey was conducted right on the heels of Jackson’s death; and c. no one bothered to include Afroman in this survey. Afroman is HUGE. Totally would have skewed the results.

To read more details of the Pew survey, read all about it on their Web site.

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• 65% of Parents Say No Swine Flu Vaccine for Kids
• They Say: Computer Injuries on the Rise
• They Say: Autism More Common Than Previously Thought
• They Say: Thousands of 3-Year-Olds Depressed

Tags: generation gap, Jen Chaney, Pew Research Center, they say, Woodstock