People love talking about generational differences. This makes for a great conversation topic because everyone can contribute their own opinions and experiences.
In this episode you will learn how to start an English conversation about generations, trends, and economic perspectives.
Lindsay and Michelle discuss all of this in today’s episode.
Listen in and pick up new ways to start a vibrant and lively conversation like a native English speaker.
What Generation Are You In?
Michelle asked Lindsay where she parts her hair.
Does she part it on the side or in the middle?
Lindsay’s hair was parted in the middle for so long and she felt it look bad which is why she changed it and parts it on the side now.
Michelle is the same.
It was in the middle and now moved it to the side. Michelle read an article about celebrities and where they part their hair.
Basically, the article shares that the older generation parts their hair on the side.
This is where Lindsay and Michelle start talking about the differences of each age group.
Here is the age range of each generation:
- Gen Z: 9 to 24 years old
- Millennials: 25 to 40 years old
- Gen X: 41 to 56 years old
- Baby Boomers: 57 to 75 years old
Michelle is part of the Millennials.
Lindsay is on the cusp of the Millennial and Gen X generation.
She shares that her generation was considered the “latchkey” kids.
She explains they were called this because she grew up in a time where mothers would also have full-time jobs, for the first time in history.
Kids her age would go home after school and open up the door themselves and didn’t have anyone at home waiting for them.
What Do You Know About the Gen Z Generation?
Lindsay has step sisters and brothers of family friends that are in the older Gen Z bracket.
She doesn’t know much about ages 9 to 20 Michelle’s closest relation to Gen Z is her 8-year-old nephew.
Aside from that, like Lindsay, she doesn’t have other Gen Z she knows.
Lindsay doesn’t feel awkward around Gen Z, but rather she feels wise.
She often feels nostalgic around them.
She remembers all the things she used to do, her past interests and the things she believed was important at that time.
Michelle feels slightly awkward around someone who is significantly younger than her.
Especially when she assumes the person is the same as her age when they first meet and eventually finds out they are younger than her.
Friends in Different Age Groups
Lindsay has a lot of friends of different ages.
Most of her friends are older than her basically 40s to 50s.
Michelle thinks that having friends in different age groups has something to do with the stage of life you are in rather than your age.
A certain stage of life identifies with a different age group.
For example, if you are a first-time mom who is young, you would most likely get along with someone older who is a mother too.
Millennials Are No Longer Cool
Michelle brings up an article by Emma Goldberg, entitled: The 37-Year-Olds Are Afraid of the 23-Year-Olds Who Work for Them
The article mentions how there are certain things that are cool for Millennials but now they are being told they are old and these things are unfashionable.
The article talks about things like emojis, hairstyles, and skinny jeans.
Michelle and Lindsay agree that it’s a bit weird to see that you are no longer the youngest generation.
Michelle asked Lindsay if we should give up and go with the new generation?
Lindsay doesn’t think you should change your ways and adjust to what’s trendy.
She says that the gift of age is that you respect yourself more.
You’ve developed your own style and you don’t care about what others think.
Gen Z in The Workplace
Michelle brings up the differences of generations in the workplace.
Millennials think that there is a certain work ethic you must have.
Due to the many struggles they have lived through, like the financial crisis, Millennials had to fight hard to get jobs.
Many Millenials graduated right into the Great Recession in 2008 or 2009.
In contrast, Gen Z has different circumstances. They are finding jobs through the health crisis wherein situations are much more flexible.
This is why they have a different value towards work coming out of the pandemic.
Gen Z also is accustomed to a different language.
What was okay to say before isn’t okay now.
We have a lot to learn from the younger generations.
Lindsay mentions that it is important to know people in the younger generations, especially in business.
It is important for an organization to have staff from each age group and from different cultures so that the company can get a variety of viewpoints.
Lindsay read an article about Conde Nast who owns Vogue and GQ.
They’ve hired a super diverse staff and a digital strategy to keep up with the constant change in times and trends.
Questions You Can Ask Others to Start A Conversation About Generations
This is a fantastic topic for a conversation with a native English speaker.
Lindsay and Michelle have already shared with you some ideas to get you to start a conversation about generations.
Now, here are some sentences you can use to open up a topic:
- Are you friends with people in a different generation?
- Do you work with people from a different generation?
- Do generational differences bother you or make you feel awkward when you’re the older person or the younger person?
These are yes or no questions but they’re perfect conversation openers.
You can start with this and continue the conversation and discuss different views.
Lindsay says that for some reason people love to talk about generational things.
This is because you can share either similar or different opinions on food, memories, experiences, era, movies, and many more things.
That is key so use it to your advantage.
Bring it up and have the conversation. Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts and opinions because that is what brings connection.
Takeaway
Times keep changing and one day the Gen Z will get old and there will be a younger generation.
There are a lot of good conversations discussed in today’s episode.
Start a conversation with your family and friends on this generation topic and practice your English now.
Learn new things about each other while taking your conversations to the next level in English.
Let us know if there is a clash of generations in your culture?
We’d love to hear your view on this topic in the comments below.
