Gen Beta is here: what is a generation, how do different generations vary from each other?

Sub: Sci

Sec: Msc

Context:

The year 2025 marks a generational shift: children born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2039, will comprise Generation Beta.

Generation Beta (2025–2039):

This generation succeeds Generation Alpha, also dubbed the iPad Generation, with its members born between 2010 and 2024.
Generation Beta will be the children of younger millennials and older Gen Zers, and is so-named because the letter Beta follows Alpha in the Greek alphabet. Gen Alpha was coined by demographer Mark McCrindle.

Definition of a Generation:

A generation refers to a group of people born around the same time. The term was popularized by Karl Mannheim in his 1928 paper The Problem of Generations.
A cohort refers to a group of people born around the same time period who have experienced a common historical event and may have similar value systems.

Naming Generations

Generations were named after significant societal or historical events.
Examples:
- Baby Boomers: Named after the post-World War II baby boom.
- Millennials: Representing individuals reaching adulthood near the turn of the millennium.
Greek Alphabets: Adopted for naming recent generations, starting with Generation Alpha (2010–2024).

Notable Generations:

Baby Boomers (1946–1964):
- Born post-World War II during a period of optimism and population growth.
- Grew up in independent India, experienced wars, socialist policies, and the Emergency.
- Traits: Competitive, idealistic, with a mistrust of authority.
Generation X (1964–1979):
- Known for skepticism, with the X representing a mistrust of the establishment, be it marriage or corporate employment.
- In India, they witnessed economic reforms, telecom growth, and early IT development.
- Nicknamed the “sandwich generation” for balancing care between aging parents (Boomers) and children (Gen Z).
Gen Y or the Millennials (1980–1995):
- Grew up with widespread adoption of technology.
- Witnessed events like 9/11 and school violence, shaping a “live in the moment”
- Traits: Tech-savvy, socially conscious, and prioritizing work-life balance.
Gen Z (1996–2010):
- First generation of digital natives, growing up with social media and during the 2007 financial crisis.
- Advocates for mental health, environmental sustainability, and social accountability.
Gen Alpha (2010–2024):
- This is a generation that has always known a world with the existence of social media and experienced the Covid pandemic in their formative years.
- Focused on sustainability, inclusion, and mental health.

Predictions for Gen Beta:

They will inherit challenges like climate change and urbanization while living in a hyper-connected, AI-driven world.
Will grow up in a world where AI and automation are fully integrated into daily life.