The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Generation Gap - Essay Example

Based on the rapid advancements in science and technology, the lifestyles of the people are also changing at a fast pace. An eighteen-year-old youth and 34-year-old adult have different lifestyles and life philosophies. It is difficult for a thirty-four-year-old adult to understand even the languages and mannerisms of an eighteen-year-old youth. Colloquial languages are used extensively by the modern youths compared to the adults of in their thirties. For example, we can see the intrusions of colloquial languages like apos;s, wanna, gonna etc in spoken English of the current youths.

Such colloquial languages are less among the adults in their thirties. In short, the generation gap is widening as time passes. “There always has been generation gap since the dawn of civilization” (Verma). This paper briefly analyses the advantages and disadvantages of the generation gap. “One disturbing poll reveals that only 19 percent attend church regularly. Only 1 percent includes a member of the clergy on their lists of most admired individuals” (Jennings, p.1).

Morality and ethics are disappearing from the world rapidly at present. Most of the youths in their twenties or eighties have less interest in religious beliefs which is evident in their activities. Violence and antisocial behaviors are increasing in the world because of the disappearance of ethical values. On the other hand, the majority of the people in their thirties are keener in attending church masses and religious activities. In short, one of the major disadvantages of the generation gap is the loss of values in our social life.

The generation gap is not a good phenomenon. It prevents young people from attaining valuable lessons from adults. Adults may have a lot of life experiences and they may have readymade answers to most of the life problems. Generation gap prevents adults from passing valuable lessons to the younger generation. “Generation gap is the major reason today why parents and children are moving away from each other”(Why Is There A Generation Gap Between Parents And Children?). The lifestyles of the older generation is unacceptable to the younger generation and hence in many of the families, the children have distanced themselves from the parents.

The major advantage of the generation gap is the opportunity provided to the younger generation for self-development. In the absence of any guidance from the elders, the younger generation may try to solve problems in their own ways which will make them self sufficient while facing real-life problems. According to Matt Koble (2010), “though you obviously love your child, it is important for her to spend time away from you to learn how to develop on her own so she can become her own person instead of an indoctrinated copy of her parents” (Koble)Another advantage of the generation gap is the diversity in human life.

Younger generations always bring fresh ideas which can help even the elder generation in improving the quality of their life. “Some of the advantages that are brought in diverse generation gaps are that people understand various levels of thinking and also learn the work culture at different levels” (Diversity in the Generation Gap)