A Generational Divide in America

The Reasons Why the Generations are so Different

All generations seem to have different opinions on where society should be going.

Abbiegail Luker

All generations seem to have different opinions on where society should be going.

Abbiegail Luker, Reporter
October 6, 2020

Recently there has been a lot of divide across the country. Many people with opposing views can’t speak to each other because it will most likely end in a fight. This is often because of the difference in experiences, with how different generations handle these subjects.  

The reoccurring issue is that a lot of people simply don’t want to listen to the other side. Freshman Zoey Burright thinks of it this way. 

“Older generations lived in different times than us and have different morals, and that’s not an excuse but it is what it is,” she said. “It’s hard to change someone’s mind after decades of thinking a certain way. We are the future and the future is what we’re working to change. As long as you’re educating yourself and trying to educate others (to the best of your ability) you’re changing the future.”

Burright said that her grandparents bring up topics like abortion, race, and protests but she doesn’t like to contribute to them. She would rather avoid an argument altogether, so she chooses to ignores them. 

She believes that the main problem is that older generations think that we’re trying to completely change them.

“I feel like they just have to understand that we’re not trying to change their minds right there, we’re just trying to make them understand a little bit more of what we’re talking about,” Burright said. 

On the other hand, she’s had many debates (with people around her age) online. Burright believed that it was more civil because she “feels like they’re more open to change.”

Freshman Kelsey Lynch said that she has similar views with her mother but opposing views with her father. 

“Oftentimes he thinks I’m trying to argue,” Lynch said. She doesn’t like talking about her personal views because they could easily escalate into a fight. 

“I don’t want to argue about it so I try to educate him on my point of view,” Lynch said. She thinks she’s had a much better time talking about them with people her age because a lot of them have the same views as her.