Surely everyone has various experiences, opinions, and thoughts regarding the differences between generations and wants to understand why this is so. Well, I warmly recommend to them, and to ourselves, that we savor the phrase in the title—suggests generation researcher Krisztián Steigervald, whose lecture in Kaposvár we attended within the framework of the Parents’ Academy, alongside parent peers from the Kaposvár 2 group. To understand one another, alongside the words in the title, the terms framework and consequence, and naturally their corresponding meanings, line up as well. The framework of today’s young people’s lives was set by us, those who have been young for longer, and we determined (or did not) the consequences as well. To me, a baby boomer, it is self-evident that a sense of duty is the foundation of my existence; humility toward the community is in my bones. For the other generations named after the letters of the alphabet (Y, Z, Alpha), complete confidence in the digital world is just as self-evident as the need and ability to express and fulfill their own needs. As a mentor, I struggle with generational differences, not only because that way I at least know every day that side B is spinning at lightning speed, but also because I have to fight to ensure we can understand one another. What I heard has helped me a great deal in this regard, encouraging us to reexamine our self-evident assumptions, which can serve as a bridge toward one another and foster mutual understanding. As a drama teacher, I naturally sat up and took notice at the resolution strategy linked to the younger generations, according to which the only good antidote to digital shock will be self-awareness development. This is what we must focus on, and this is where those who have been young for longer must help the younger ones.
Angéla V. Sárközi, mentor
“Why do I write about the lecture titled Generational Differences via email, why do I take notes on paper and sit through a hour-and-a-half meeting patiently, and what causes certain problems with young people in my work, why is it so difficult to find common ground with our parents? Krisztián Steigervald did not set out to answer my specific questions in his lecture. He did not aim to provide solutions to my problems. However, he showed his audience the social phenomena that influence the lives and determine the decisions of individuals born around the same time (and thus belonging to the same generation), only to confront them with the consequences of these decisions. The excellent presentation—cloaked in humor—sharply pointed out how difficult it is for us to detach ourselves from the ‘self-evident’ perspective of our age group. Laughing, yet with a bit of pain, we recognized our mistakes, as he pointed out that age difference does not make a generation better, only different. Every generation created a different foundation for the one to come, and therefore every generation starts from a different ‘zero point,’ Steigervald said in his talk. We cannot go back to the eighties; our task in family life, in upbringing, and in the workplace is to shape the society created for future generations through our upcoming decisions so that it is not driven by conflicts caused by generational differences, but rather by insight, learning, and understanding. I am very glad and grateful to have been a part of this thought-provoking lecture that generates further dialogue! We had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, and we are very grateful that this too was realized within the framework of the Foundation.”
Andrea Nagy, parent
