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The Generation Divide: Why We Can’t Agree and Why We Should
Are millennials entitled and lazy? Are baby boomers the most sexually liberal generation? Was generation X the last group to show loyalty to political parties?
In this original and deeply researched book, polling expert and professor of public policy Bobby Duffy explores how when we're born determines our attitudes to money, sex, religion, politics and much else. Informed by exclusive studies from IPSOS, as well as his own research, Duffy reveals that many of our preconceptions are just that: tired stereotypes.
Revealing and informative, Generations provides a new framework for understanding the most divisive issues raging today: from gun control to climate change and Brexit to the surveillance state. Including data from over 40 countries and interviews across generational divides, this big thinking book will transform how you view the world.
In this original and deeply researched book, polling expert and professor of public policy Bobby Duffy explores how when we're born determines our attitudes to money, sex, religion, politics and much else. Informed by exclusive studies from IPSOS, as well as his own research, Duffy reveals that many of our preconceptions are just that: tired stereotypes.
Revealing and informative, Generations provides a new framework for understanding the most divisive issues raging today: from gun control to climate change and Brexit to the surveillance state. Including data from over 40 countries and interviews across generational divides, this big thinking book will transform how you view the world.
352 pages, Paperback
Published January 5, 2023
40 people are currently reading
465 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
March 17, 2023
This is a very important book that deflates many of the common myths about intergenerational conflict.
The author examines various trends and tries to classify them into period, lifecycle and cohort effects. You learn about these early in the book and you'd better understand what they mean because *everything* is viewed this way.
The only reason I didn't score it higher is because it's a real heavyweight textbook, full of charts and data. Interesting though the subject is, it was proper work to get through.
The author examines various trends and tries to classify them into period, lifecycle and cohort effects. You learn about these early in the book and you'd better understand what they mean because *everything* is viewed this way.
The only reason I didn't score it higher is because it's a real heavyweight textbook, full of charts and data. Interesting though the subject is, it was proper work to get through.
September 15, 2021
‘Generations: Does When You’re Born Shape Who You Are?’ by Bobby Duffy
challenges the stereotypes that treat each generation as an homogenous group. It is a thoroughly researched and referenced academic book, that is relevant and up to date covering the Covid pandemic and the culture wars. It also takes a wider view than just the US where generational theory originated and where much of the current writings seem located.
Duffy recognises that media commentary and the industry that has arisen around generations has reduced the different generational groups to a few behaviours and viewpoints. It has become a shorthand with which to praise or condemn a large cohort of people for their approach to issues whether it be climate change, housing, wealth or health. And he points out history has been recording divisions between the young and old dating back to Socrates.
Despite theses concerns, Duffy also recognises that generational theory has many benefits in that it helps understand demographic change and this is where the book is focused. Duffy concludes that he is hopeful that generational theory can move from the snowflake, astrological misinterpretations and be treated as a way of understanding and tackling the issues that confront us.
This is a book that looks at the big issues such as climate change but also recognises that generational theory gives us insight into other things that are just as important in future planning such as mental health and car ownership.
‘Generations’ is written in an accessible style with insight and humour and well illustrated with charts. I would recommend it to anyone interested in future scenario planning or who is looking for a more nuanced understanding of generations and the real differences between older and younger people.
I am very grateful to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 8, 2021
I’m not a very suitable person to write a criticism of a book on sociology. I find working in generalities and statistics to identify trends to be a tiresome subject unless the findings are really interesting
Too many of these findings are of marginal interest to me. There were chapters on voting , sexual proclivity , housing , tastes and culture and differences between the generations . Out of all of it I found only 5 pct to be absolutely fascinating. For example the fact that the young generation are delayed .. from buying a home , from starting a family , and are hard up ; more so than my generation BUT that they don’t seem to resent the older generation . AND that they have not been as badly treated by our generation as the 1914-18 cohort. That made me think .
So aninteresting read but not spellbinding
Too many of these findings are of marginal interest to me. There were chapters on voting , sexual proclivity , housing , tastes and culture and differences between the generations . Out of all of it I found only 5 pct to be absolutely fascinating. For example the fact that the young generation are delayed .. from buying a home , from starting a family , and are hard up ; more so than my generation BUT that they don’t seem to resent the older generation . AND that they have not been as badly treated by our generation as the 1914-18 cohort. That made me think .
So aninteresting read but not spellbinding
July 11, 2022
A bit tedious with so much data, this is compelling argument that we overemphasized "generation" differences and ignore other forces (life cycle, period/event) at our own peril.
October 22, 2023
I am not an academic so it took me a while to get passed the data but I found the book interesting as I have many conversations with my Gen Z young adults (I am apparently a Gen X) and I can see the differences in us so I wanted to learn as much as I can.
This book gave me an insight but a bit too heavy for me.
I was given a free copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
This book gave me an insight but a bit too heavy for me.
I was given a free copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
August 8, 2021
This is a very well-researched, scholarly book about generational thinking and its validity. The author warns about the dangers of generalisations and draws on a lot of data and research to come to his conclusions. It’s a shame that I couldn’t see any of the tables or charts as I accessed an early version of the book through Kindle. It is very interesting nonetheless, up-to-date and a must-read for anyone interested in sociology.
June 17, 2022
Bobby Duffy explores the idea of ‘does when you’re born shape who you are’ through statistics and economics.
Then does when you’re born shape who you are?
Yes, but less than you would think so, according to Duffy. The media is merely exacerbating generational differences to fuel a pseudo generational war.
There are only slight generational differences in beliefs about climate change, and political orientation across the generations is a stronger predictor for climate change beliefs rather than generation. Suicide rates are not higher amongst the younger generations.
Generational differences that do exist are sometimes due to ‘lifecycle influences’. For example, a common pattern is for younger generations to be described as ‘lazy’ and ‘self-obsessed’ by other generations but they usually outgrow these labels. The support for younger generations being lazy is because of their tendency to bounce around jobs, to not be financially independent or own a property. However, we see this is due to context effects. Younger generations are placed in an unfavourable financial circumstance. We see that the older generations have the advantage of their wealth increasing with property and share price rising. While younger generations suffer from automation, and in times of economic instability, those with less experience suffer job losses, resulting in job instability, rising housing prices, more difficult to attain mortgage.
Duffy continues to explore generational differences/similarities in terms of internet/phone usage, porn usage, mental illness, happiness.
For the first time in history, we are experiencing a great generational divide. For example, younger people are moving more to cities while older generations are staying in less populated areas. There are suburbs that largely consists of around the same age. Duffy advocates for generations to be in more contact.
My take: statistics do not show the whole picture. At times, the book was so jammed packed with statistics that it could become overwhelming. Nevertheless, I found the results quite intriguing. Although (I think Duffy did acknowledge this), much of the data does reflect WEIRD countries (Western Educated Industrialised Rich Democratic). I’d like to know about generation differences in non-Western countries. Perhaps much of the generational differences we see today are actually cultural differences eg immigrant parents vs domestic children.
I expected another approach to studying generational differences including psychological approaches. Despite Duffy’s insistence that one’s generation does not have a huge impact on who you are, I disagree. Even if these are lifecycle effects, it is worthwhile mentioning that psychological studies on personality across lifetime indicate that humans generally become more confident, nicer (higher in agreeableness) and more emotionally stable (lower neuroticism) as they age. I was interested and expected more explanation into this realm. I would have also liked to know about the effects of context on personality. Or generational outlooks eg on the purpose of life, on work ethic. I would have also be interested in generational differences in terms of linguistics.
Overall, worthwhile, well-researched book, with interesting findings and ramifications. However, I believed that statistics alone cannot account for generational differences/similarities.
Then does when you’re born shape who you are?
Yes, but less than you would think so, according to Duffy. The media is merely exacerbating generational differences to fuel a pseudo generational war.
There are only slight generational differences in beliefs about climate change, and political orientation across the generations is a stronger predictor for climate change beliefs rather than generation. Suicide rates are not higher amongst the younger generations.
Generational differences that do exist are sometimes due to ‘lifecycle influences’. For example, a common pattern is for younger generations to be described as ‘lazy’ and ‘self-obsessed’ by other generations but they usually outgrow these labels. The support for younger generations being lazy is because of their tendency to bounce around jobs, to not be financially independent or own a property. However, we see this is due to context effects. Younger generations are placed in an unfavourable financial circumstance. We see that the older generations have the advantage of their wealth increasing with property and share price rising. While younger generations suffer from automation, and in times of economic instability, those with less experience suffer job losses, resulting in job instability, rising housing prices, more difficult to attain mortgage.
Duffy continues to explore generational differences/similarities in terms of internet/phone usage, porn usage, mental illness, happiness.
For the first time in history, we are experiencing a great generational divide. For example, younger people are moving more to cities while older generations are staying in less populated areas. There are suburbs that largely consists of around the same age. Duffy advocates for generations to be in more contact.
My take: statistics do not show the whole picture. At times, the book was so jammed packed with statistics that it could become overwhelming. Nevertheless, I found the results quite intriguing. Although (I think Duffy did acknowledge this), much of the data does reflect WEIRD countries (Western Educated Industrialised Rich Democratic). I’d like to know about generation differences in non-Western countries. Perhaps much of the generational differences we see today are actually cultural differences eg immigrant parents vs domestic children.
I expected another approach to studying generational differences including psychological approaches. Despite Duffy’s insistence that one’s generation does not have a huge impact on who you are, I disagree. Even if these are lifecycle effects, it is worthwhile mentioning that psychological studies on personality across lifetime indicate that humans generally become more confident, nicer (higher in agreeableness) and more emotionally stable (lower neuroticism) as they age. I was interested and expected more explanation into this realm. I would have also liked to know about the effects of context on personality. Or generational outlooks eg on the purpose of life, on work ethic. I would have also be interested in generational differences in terms of linguistics.
Overall, worthwhile, well-researched book, with interesting findings and ramifications. However, I believed that statistics alone cannot account for generational differences/similarities.
August 23, 2021
Thanks to Atlantic Books for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I always feel really intelligent when I’m reading a book like this, even though I don’t know what’s going on half the time. This book had the potential to be really technical and isolating for non-technical readers, but it wasn’t. It was clearly written and easy to digest.
I find this generation split fascinating. I was born in 1993 so technically am in “Generation Y”, and yet we’ve always joked that I was born already middle aged as I prefer the company of older adults, prefer a cup of tea over a cocktail, and like being in bed with a good book by 9pm, so in this sense I identify with a different generation. It is quite a simplistic view to say one person acts or thinks the way they do due to the year they were born.
It was fascinating to see how far back this generational divide goes - Duffy uses examples from Socrates, who was born around 470bc. I did like that Duffy didn’t take it at face value, he appreciated that factors like place of birth, economic background, social status, family etc. also have a major influence on who you are as a person, not just the era of your birth.
The kindle copy I received had no graphics in it, so the table/graph statistics were a bit jumbled for me, but I got the eking they’d be really interesting to read in the finished book.
You can tell Duffy is passionate about his interests as this was a thoroughly researched book, and you can feel the time and effort each chapter must have taken. Definitely food for though.
I always feel really intelligent when I’m reading a book like this, even though I don’t know what’s going on half the time. This book had the potential to be really technical and isolating for non-technical readers, but it wasn’t. It was clearly written and easy to digest.
I find this generation split fascinating. I was born in 1993 so technically am in “Generation Y”, and yet we’ve always joked that I was born already middle aged as I prefer the company of older adults, prefer a cup of tea over a cocktail, and like being in bed with a good book by 9pm, so in this sense I identify with a different generation. It is quite a simplistic view to say one person acts or thinks the way they do due to the year they were born.
It was fascinating to see how far back this generational divide goes - Duffy uses examples from Socrates, who was born around 470bc. I did like that Duffy didn’t take it at face value, he appreciated that factors like place of birth, economic background, social status, family etc. also have a major influence on who you are as a person, not just the era of your birth.
The kindle copy I received had no graphics in it, so the table/graph statistics were a bit jumbled for me, but I got the eking they’d be really interesting to read in the finished book.
You can tell Duffy is passionate about his interests as this was a thoroughly researched book, and you can feel the time and effort each chapter must have taken. Definitely food for though.
December 2, 2023
An interesting book about how the differing pressures of when you were born, how old you are now and what largescale events (like wars, recessions of pandemics) have happened during your life, effect the kind of responses you’ll give to questions about anything from income, to home ownership, to politics, to sex life, to aspirations, to what you think about people in other generations. Also, how these three different pressures, cohort, life stage and events interact with each other. Stereotypes abound and are examined to see how they hold up. Unsurprisingly the results are generally … not very well.
The first chapter is about home ownership and finances. This is a particular bugbear of mine. I am labelled as being in the baby boomer generation. Boomers are stereotypically rolling in it because they found it easy to get on the housing ladder early. But at the time I came to the age to first be thinking of buying a house in the late 70s/early 80s, there was a recession and mortgage interest rates were at 15%. I’m also a female of the generation whose state pension was delayed by 6 years less than 10 years before we thought we’d be receiving it, making it impossible to long-term budget. I do not therefore feel I fit the Boomer financial stereotype at all. So, I found the first chapter hard going and nearly left it there, putting the book back on the shelf.
However, I’m glad I continued as it is in fact a really interesting, well thought out, well balanced and well presented book.
The first chapter is about home ownership and finances. This is a particular bugbear of mine. I am labelled as being in the baby boomer generation. Boomers are stereotypically rolling in it because they found it easy to get on the housing ladder early. But at the time I came to the age to first be thinking of buying a house in the late 70s/early 80s, there was a recession and mortgage interest rates were at 15%. I’m also a female of the generation whose state pension was delayed by 6 years less than 10 years before we thought we’d be receiving it, making it impossible to long-term budget. I do not therefore feel I fit the Boomer financial stereotype at all. So, I found the first chapter hard going and nearly left it there, putting the book back on the shelf.
However, I’m glad I continued as it is in fact a really interesting, well thought out, well balanced and well presented book.
September 4, 2021
There has been a lot of talk in the media over the last decade or two about the different generations, with particular views and characteristics assigned to each. It sometimes seems as if a generational war is being engineered. Are things really so hostile between millennials and baby boomers? Why is gen X the forgotten generation? This book looks at the stereotypes to see if statistics back up the arguments.
I thought this was an engrossing read. There's so much partisan information out there, it was nice to read something more balanced about the generations. It was intriguing to see that sometimes where you were born influences your decisions and characteristics more than when you were born, and that we need to work at intergenerational cooperation to solve long term global problems. There were one or two things I picked up on in the ARC I read, yes being overweight means you have a higher risk of dying younger, but so does being underweight according to some studies. The author also talks about social media, porn, and the mental health of girls but for me, they don't tie it all together, especially in the wake of the worrying statistics that a large number of girls experience sexual harassment in schools. Overall though it was an interesting read about a current topic so I rate it 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4).
Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Atlantic Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
I thought this was an engrossing read. There's so much partisan information out there, it was nice to read something more balanced about the generations. It was intriguing to see that sometimes where you were born influences your decisions and characteristics more than when you were born, and that we need to work at intergenerational cooperation to solve long term global problems. There were one or two things I picked up on in the ARC I read, yes being overweight means you have a higher risk of dying younger, but so does being underweight according to some studies. The author also talks about social media, porn, and the mental health of girls but for me, they don't tie it all together, especially in the wake of the worrying statistics that a large number of girls experience sexual harassment in schools. Overall though it was an interesting read about a current topic so I rate it 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4).
Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Atlantic Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
August 16, 2021
Bobby Duffy has written a timely, very well researched book that dismantles sensationalist, often negative stereotyping that both the younger and the older generations receive in the media. A good recent example being climate change, perhaps because Greta Thunberg inspired thousands of schoolchildren to activism, climate activism is more associated with the younger generations although people of many ages are activists – founders of Extinction Rebellion being in their late forties and mid fifties.
Duffy shows that context is everything – what was happening in the world, what was happening in the place where you grew up, when were you socialised and so on, influences our thinking, actions and behaviour and looking at one set of factors alone will result in the types of skewed figures the media is so fond of, snowflakes, avocado hand and cancel culture to name some recent favourites. More importantly, Duffy looks at the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis and how it has increased inequality and he also considers the impact of Covid 19.
It’s an eye opening, well-argued book, easily accessible to general reader. I’d recommend it as a Christmas present to all Daily Mail readers.
My thanks to Atlantic Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read Generations.
Duffy shows that context is everything – what was happening in the world, what was happening in the place where you grew up, when were you socialised and so on, influences our thinking, actions and behaviour and looking at one set of factors alone will result in the types of skewed figures the media is so fond of, snowflakes, avocado hand and cancel culture to name some recent favourites. More importantly, Duffy looks at the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis and how it has increased inequality and he also considers the impact of Covid 19.
It’s an eye opening, well-argued book, easily accessible to general reader. I’d recommend it as a Christmas present to all Daily Mail readers.
My thanks to Atlantic Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read Generations.
August 25, 2021
No matter when or even where we were born, talk about a generational divide is rife in the media. So often we take those thoughts at face value and fail to really consider the veracity of the comments being made. But that is where this book comes in to shake our preconceived ideas.
By means of thorough research, thoughtful open mindedness, and a desire to avoid stereotypical ways of thinking, Duffy draws our attention to the more subtle factors that help shape us, including culture, politics, cohort behaviour, socialisation and financial constraints.
Turns out there is more that unites than divides us, including issues like climate change which are far from being the sole preserve of the young. Our common humanity, our faith, and care for our loved ones and family, are great drivers in how we respond to life’s many challenges.
Written in a light, conversational format, aided by the use of visual statistics, the author managed to maintain my interest in a subject that might seem rather dry on the surface. A fascinating, engaging and erudite read that will make you think. Grateful thanks to Atlantic Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
By means of thorough research, thoughtful open mindedness, and a desire to avoid stereotypical ways of thinking, Duffy draws our attention to the more subtle factors that help shape us, including culture, politics, cohort behaviour, socialisation and financial constraints.
Turns out there is more that unites than divides us, including issues like climate change which are far from being the sole preserve of the young. Our common humanity, our faith, and care for our loved ones and family, are great drivers in how we respond to life’s many challenges.
Written in a light, conversational format, aided by the use of visual statistics, the author managed to maintain my interest in a subject that might seem rather dry on the surface. A fascinating, engaging and erudite read that will make you think. Grateful thanks to Atlantic Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
January 4, 2024
This book it's like the ultimate guide to decoding why Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z are all doing their own thing
It's not my typical snoozefest, I think of it more like a chat with that friend who's always got the inside scoop. Example, Duffy mixes cool stories with some real-deal stats to spill the tea on why each generation is rocking each vibes. If you've ever wondered why your parents are a bit old-school or your little sis is all about TikTok, this book breaks it down in a way that's like "Oh, got it now!" :))
BUT..
some people feel it oversimplifies things by relying on stereotypes. Generations are pretty diverse, and the book might miss some of the individual experiences by painting with broad strokes. Also, for those looking for a super detailed analysis, it might feel a bit light in certain areas. It's all about personal preference – if you're into a breezier, accessible style, it works! But if you want a deep dive, you might find it skimming the surface a bit
It's not my typical snoozefest, I think of it more like a chat with that friend who's always got the inside scoop. Example, Duffy mixes cool stories with some real-deal stats to spill the tea on why each generation is rocking each vibes. If you've ever wondered why your parents are a bit old-school or your little sis is all about TikTok, this book breaks it down in a way that's like "Oh, got it now!" :))
BUT..
some people feel it oversimplifies things by relying on stereotypes. Generations are pretty diverse, and the book might miss some of the individual experiences by painting with broad strokes. Also, for those looking for a super detailed analysis, it might feel a bit light in certain areas. It's all about personal preference – if you're into a breezier, accessible style, it works! But if you want a deep dive, you might find it skimming the surface a bit
June 21, 2022
Really interesting and well-evidenced look at some of the common "generational myths" which pervade and persist. The book comes to some really thoughtful conclusions about how while there are current disparities between generations in terms of wealth and housing, we all have far more in common with those older and younger than us than what divides us. It's also a very helpful reminder that there's very little new under the sun: stereotypes thrown around about "boomers" and "millennials" were the same as those levied at and by past generations.
Nonetheless, the book does speak to some urgent political challenges: how to tackle an escalating cost of living and insecurity of housing that's causing a delay to people entering different stages of their lifecycle, and of a growing physical and digital gulf which is reducing intergenerational contact.
A thought-provoking read, with stats galore!
Nonetheless, the book does speak to some urgent political challenges: how to tackle an escalating cost of living and insecurity of housing that's causing a delay to people entering different stages of their lifecycle, and of a growing physical and digital gulf which is reducing intergenerational contact.
A thought-provoking read, with stats galore!
November 21, 2021
I found this a very well researched book about generations from a sociological perspective. The books look at the idea that there is more that brings the generations together, than divides them. Considering the global perspective of ongoing trends across and within the generations.
The book was written to enable commentary on the Global pandemic and how this affects the popular as a whole.
Bobby Duffy also has a sense of humour that I can relate to and this was included within the book, as a fellow @middle child@ Generation Xer. His observational one liners gave me a laugh.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the eARC of this book.
The book was written to enable commentary on the Global pandemic and how this affects the popular as a whole.
Bobby Duffy also has a sense of humour that I can relate to and this was included within the book, as a fellow @middle child@ Generation Xer. His observational one liners gave me a laugh.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the eARC of this book.
July 26, 2021
This is a fascinating take on how the generations act or behave in different scenarios across the world based on data. The facts and figures hit you hard and offer an incredible insight. Do not underestimate how much research has gone into this. Not sure if its because I received an early copy, but I couldn't view the tables/graphs and this did hinder my understanding and enjoyment- I am a visual person so this was disappointing. Sure final versions will be tip top though. Learnt lots and perceptions did change.
August 25, 2021
This was a really interesting and data-rich book about the differences and similarities between Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z. A deep dive into the roles of the times in which we live, the stage of our lives that we are currently in and the specific attributes of each cohort. I suspect this would be an even better read in hard copy - my ARC version didn’t have any charts, which would have helped enormously.
November 27, 2022
A truly engaging and thought provoking book on challenging our individual, and societies stereotypes surrounding generations. Exploring key topics such as stagflation, the housing crisis and culture wars, Duffy uses statistical data to help the reader become more critical in identifying generalisations Vs period, lifecycle and cohort effects. If you want to change your mind on the topics of today, this book is perfect.
August 12, 2023
This is a book about what remains constant in the human. Looking at lifecycle, cohort and temporal effects, it shows how these stabilise generational change, and how they need to be factored in to any generational analysis of history and the future. Other than this the book does the usual thing of using data to trump intuition (always a valuable project). It does tend, however, to pick on the sensational as low hanging fruit in its collection of media story targets.
April 5, 2024
A very interesting read, I struggled to fully invest in it (although I think that was a 'me' problem, going through a time of distraction!
Lots of really interesting sub-topics discussed and the emphasis on understanding the differences between life-cycle, period and cohort effects. Lots of 'myths debunked' and overall a good read, I sort of wish I'd read it at a better time (something to do with work being super hectic, I'm pretty sure).
Lots of really interesting sub-topics discussed and the emphasis on understanding the differences between life-cycle, period and cohort effects. Lots of 'myths debunked' and overall a good read, I sort of wish I'd read it at a better time (something to do with work being super hectic, I'm pretty sure).
October 4, 2024
Nearly finished this book but chose to return it to the library nonetheless.
I learned a lot about period effects, cohort effects and lifecycle effects and even managed to have a fair few myths debunked.
The book was also really well written and easy to understand but eventually the author’s message was getting a bit repetitive and I was struggling to maintain my interest.
Interesting but also forgettable.
I learned a lot about period effects, cohort effects and lifecycle effects and even managed to have a fair few myths debunked.
The book was also really well written and easy to understand but eventually the author’s message was getting a bit repetitive and I was struggling to maintain my interest.
Interesting but also forgettable.
August 9, 2021
My copy didn't contain any graphs which made the statistics difficult to fully appreciate, probably something to do with the download. An interesting book, but it seemed very long and drawn out and I struggled to maintain my concentration. I can certainly relate to a lot of the points made but believe it could be more concise.
August 18, 2021
Generations -Bobby Duffy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Does when you are born shape who you are?”
A must read for those with interests in sociology. Duffy presents findings from a wealth of research surrounding the disparity amid generations; sensationalised through the media and perpetrated by stereotyping.
Many thanks to Atlantic Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this e-ARC.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Does when you are born shape who you are?”
A must read for those with interests in sociology. Duffy presents findings from a wealth of research surrounding the disparity amid generations; sensationalised through the media and perpetrated by stereotyping.
Many thanks to Atlantic Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this e-ARC.
November 7, 2021
A thoroughly interesting book full of data and discussion on the different generations and using this to debunk our preconceptions.
I receive this as an ARC, and none of the graphs were filled in which would have made it more interesting to review the data in this way as it accompanied the descriptions.
I received this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I receive this as an ARC, and none of the graphs were filled in which would have made it more interesting to review the data in this way as it accompanied the descriptions.
I received this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
November 8, 2021
This book gives me a relaxed when I was in national lockdown.
During quarantining, I overconsume social media which have negative effects on my focus and mental health. Until I found this book, it concludes on how societies and generations are experincing both pre-pandemic and post-pandemic by the author's findings collections.
During quarantining, I overconsume social media which have negative effects on my focus and mental health. Until I found this book, it concludes on how societies and generations are experincing both pre-pandemic and post-pandemic by the author's findings collections.
December 24, 2021
Brilliantly researched, loved the multitude of graphs. Topic wise really interesting ranging over a multitude of issues and societal problems of our time such as climate change, housing, financial well-being and how the different generations behave. Biggest learning for me was the existence of lifecycle and cohort effects and how they shape who we are.
January 5, 2022
Really good. Very analytical, busting myths like ‘gen z are much more concerned about the climate’ and others. Good on culture wars, which the author thinks are largely a media construction, but also about the real differences between generations including alcohol consumption and sex (both falling).
Lots of data, and lots of great examples.
Lots of data, and lots of great examples.
August 26, 2021
Fascinating the contrast between the generations. Housing, income, education and future expectations.
An interesting read for anyone with an interest in economics, history or the future of the 20 plus year olds.
An interesting read for anyone with an interest in economics, history or the future of the 20 plus year olds.
July 20, 2024
Interesting and thoroughly researched exploration of the importance of when we are born and analysing the factors which affect our behaviours and beliefs.
Challenges the stereotypes that suggest generations are homogeneous groups (likened to astrology), and proposes a new more robust framework.
Challenges the stereotypes that suggest generations are homogeneous groups (likened to astrology), and proposes a new more robust framework.
August 30, 2021
Really interesting book, lots of info to take in!
This book is pretty dense and was a bit 'statistic' heavy at times so it took me while to get through it and I found myself having to re-read some sections too. I wonder if I listened to this on audiobook if I would have digested the information a bit better.
Overall a really interesting book, but just a little bit too 'heavy' at times.
This book is pretty dense and was a bit 'statistic' heavy at times so it took me while to get through it and I found myself having to re-read some sections too. I wonder if I listened to this on audiobook if I would have digested the information a bit better.
Overall a really interesting book, but just a little bit too 'heavy' at times.
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