Alain Guillot

Life, Leadership, and Money Matters

Bobby Duffy

484 Bobby Duffy: Boomers are narcissists. Millennials are spoiled. Gen Zers are lazy. Which one are you?

About Bobby Duffy

Bobby Duffy

Bobby Duffy is Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Policy Institute. He has worked across most public policy areas in his career of nearly 30 years in policy research and evaluation, including being seconded to the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit.

Where to find Bobby Duffy

King’s College London Website
Generation.org website
Twitter

The Generation Myth: Why When You’re Born Matters Less Than You Think

Millennials, Baby Boomers, Gen Z—we like to define people by when they were born, but an acclaimed social researcher explains why we shouldn’t.

Boomers are narcissists. Millennials are spoiled. Gen Zers are lazy. We assume people born around the same time have basically the same values. It makes for good headlines, but is it true?

Bobby Duffy has spent years studying generational distinctions. In The Generation Myth, he argues that our generational identities are not fixed but fluid, reforming throughout our lives. Based on an analysis of what over three million people really think about homeownership, sex, well-being, and more, Duffy offers a new model for understanding how generations form, how they shape societies, and why generational differences aren’t as sharp as we think.

The Generation Myth is a vital rejoinder to alarmist worries about generational warfare and social decline. The kids are all right, it turns out. Their parents are too. 

Which generations are the most relevant in our present days?

  • Gen Z, iGen, or Centennials: Born 1996 – 2015
  • Millennials or Gen Y: Born 1977 – 1995
  • Generation X: Born 1965 – 1976
  • Baby Boomers: Born 1946 – 1964
  • Traditionalists or Silent Generation: Born 1945 and before

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