People try to put us d-down (talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Just because we get around (talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (talkin’ ’bout my generation)
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
Why don’t you all f-fade away (talkin’ ’bout my generation)
Don’t try to dig what we all s-s-s-say (talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m not trying to ’cause a big s-s-sensation (talkin’ ’bout my generation)
I’m just talkin’ ’bout my g-g-g-generation (talkin’ ’bout my generation)
My generation
This is my generation, baby
The Who: My Generation. 1965
Ask most older adults what they think about youth today and you’ll get a wide range of responses. Most of them negative: Entitled. Want everything without having to work for it. Avocado toast. TikTok.
Ironically, many of those same folks probably know (and embraced) the song above when it came out. It was written by The Who band member Pete Townshend out of frustration when (supposedly) the Queen Mother in England had his Packard Hearse towed. If you listen or read the lyrics, you can almost feel the frustration of a young person pushing back against the controls of an older generation. It’s a song about rebellion against the expectations put on youth. Most parents at the time saw the song as a “middle finger” towards traditional values and a disrespect towards the wisdom of an older generation. It didn’t help that The Who often ended the performance of My Generation by smashing guitars.
But fast forward to today. Any young person who embraced that song is well into their senior years. Sort of ironic that THIS generation has contempt for the youth of today, isn’t it?
As I age, I’m reminded of what I see are the three trimesters of life. (This is just my theory, but I think it stands up pretty well).
#1: Physical. Up until about 30, I was more focused on having fun, growing up fast, and enjoying the ability to be physically fit and attractive. I had a ton of energy and didn’t really think too far ahead. Youthful innocence. But as I neared 30, I started to feel a shift in what I needed to do to prepare for the second trimester, the intellectual.
#2: Intellectual. This was right about the time I got serious about my future. I finished a degree and started into a graduate degree. I figured out what I wanted to do with my life professionally and got after it with a vengeance. I was a professional and loved my busy life of travel, teaching, and speaking. But as I entered my 50s, I felt yet another shift. Turns out, the third trimester is the creative.
#3: Creative. Maybe it’s because I’m physically spent as well as intellectually exhausted that the need for creativity has emerged. Now I know enough and am old enough to try creative things without worrying about what others think. I’m not sure how long this phase goes, but I’m enjoy the shift I’m experiencing.
So, if you’re looking down on young folks today, keep in mind that you were JUST LIKE THEM at their age. Rebellious. Energetic. Driven. Ready to be independent. Tired of people putting roadblocks in your path. Sick of older generations’ criticisms of you.
This should help us have empathy. And maybe encourage us to both embrace and mentor. Trimester #3 is proving to be a joy. As was #1 and 2 when I was there.
What will you do this week to own your own journey and help others with theirs?