Age old generational dispute …

The act of disrespect is seldom intentional…

Each generation has accused the next generation of disrespect for elders. So it continues with the current parent-child generation.

I was just pondering why so. Is it because each generation defines ‘respect’ differently? Should we allow for the definition to change over time?

Veterans generation were raised ‘not to be heard’ and Baby Boomers generation, my generation, were raised to not ‘talk back’. Gen X were raised ‘not to be silent’. Gen Y were raised to ‘question everything’. [broadly speaking]

I often watch at airports how younger children scream at their parents, slap them, talk rudely to them, command them, and more. I think such behaviours should be corrected – because it is not true that such behaviours would be automatically eventually disappear when the child grows older.

But parents [of Gen Y and younger] do not correct and instead appear to condone such behaviours by doing nothing – simply allowing / accepting. The young child will grow up into adulthood assuming it is ok to talk rudely and disrespectfully and obnoxiously. Such standards were never brought to their awareness. Sensitivity to cross generational norms appears to be absent.

So should values be necessarily intentional?  Often values are embedded within our way of life  …

For eg, when a Japanese bows, it is hardly that he or she purposely bow, rather it is their way of expression.

So when younger generation never got conditioned by their care givers / parents to be respectful to their seniors, they would not be aware that their behaviours are being disrespectful.

So when Baby Boomers expect behaviours consistent with respectfulness [the way they know how] instead they get behaviours consistent with rudeness, brashness, presumption, lack of consideration / etc, they conclude that Gen Y is disrespectful and the latter denies saying they are being the way there are.

So the battle of the generation continues, for one day Gen Y will say the same of the next generation. Or have they already….