Men in Gorilla Suits
Men in Gorilla Suits Ep. 81: Last Seen…Talkin' 'Bout [Our] Generations

Christopher thought for sure that a show titled Generations would result in Shawn spiraling into Star Trek talk, but somehow we avoided that. Instead, we spent an hour talking about generational differences -- mainly focusing on Millennials, Gen X, the Baby Boomers, and our grandparents' generation. Truly an episode that has something for everyone.

We kicked it off by asking which generation we consider ourselves to be part of...as well as some of the traits of the generations. From there, we talked about how our generation differs from our parents' generation and our grandparents' generation.

While there have always been differences with each new generation, there was a time when those born of the generation before were not too much different: they often listened to the same music, had the same goals, and just did what those who came before them did. Somewhere along the way in the 1900s, that trend changed. We devote some time to discussing what influenced those changes.

It seems inevitable that there comes a point in one's generation where they look at those behind them, shake their heads, and shout, "You damn kids get off my lawn!" (Okay, maybe just metaphorically.) Ours is a generation that seemed to swear we would never do that, but a quick scan of Facebook reveals we're becoming "those older people." We ask if the pull toward becoming a curmudgeon is natural as we age and...if we feel ourselves becoming crusty old men before our time.

After that, we talk best and worst: best and worst traits of our generation, our parents' generation, and our grandparents' generation.

There is a generation nipping at our heels: the Millennials. We devote some time to discussing if they deserve the bad rap they get (coddled, no attention span, wanting to be praised for ordinary tasks), or if that's just an unfair perception of other generations on them. Continuing the Millennials talk, we move on to what we think are the best and worst traits of Millennials.

It's not uncommon for an older generation to look down at the generations after them and say, "They're just not that bright..." Looking at reality television, people attached to their smart phones, and other distractions, many say we are getting dumber as a species. Is that true, though?

We wrap up the episode with this question: "What do you think the generation being born right now will be like in the future?"

As always, we'd love to hear what you think about this topic. Have your say in the comments below!

Direct download: migs81.mp3
Category:Pop Culture -- posted at: 9:47am CDT

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