Generationism is the belief that a specific
generation
A generation refers to all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively. It can also be described as, "the average period, generally considered to be about 20–30 years, during which children are born and gr ...
has inherent traits that make it inferior or superior to another generation. The term is usually applied to claims of superiority in the expressed values, valuations, lifestyles and general beliefs of one generation compared to those of another, where objectively verifiable criteria substantiating the claim of superiority in themselves are lacking.
Generationism is most commonly used as an accusation against the belief that the contemporary generation in itself is inherently superior to previous generations, for example through the common practice of pejoratively referring to ancient cultures as "primitive" – not to be confused with the positive label of
primitivism
Primitivism is a mode of aesthetic idealization that either emulates or aspires to recreate a "primitive" experience. It is also defined as a philosophical doctrine that considers "primitive" peoples as nobler than civilized peoples and was an o ...
– although an older generation's opposition to the values and lifestyles of a younger generation may also popularly be referred to as generationist.
Generationism as a recurring sociological phenomenon has been studied in detail by the Swedish philosophers
Alexander Bard and
Jan Söderqvist in their work "The Global Empire" (published in Swedish in 2003).
Bard and Söderqvist regard generationism as a close but far less frequently analyzed relative of
racism
Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagoni ...
which they propose should be studied in more detail to strengthen the general argumentation for
relativism
Relativism is a family of philosophical views which deny claims to objectivity within a particular domain and assert that valuations in that domain are relative to the perspective of an observer or the context in which they are assessed. Ther ...
and
pragmatism
Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition that considers words and thought as tools and instruments for prediction, problem solving, and action, and rejects the idea that the function of thought is to describe, represent, or mirror reality. ...
in contemporary philosophy.
See also
*
Ageism
Ageism, also spelled agism, is discrimination against individuals or groups on the basis of their age. The term was coined in 1969 by Robert Neil Butler to describe discrimination against seniors, and patterned on sexism and racism. Butler d ...
* "
OK boomer"
*
Inter-generational contract
*
Transgenerational design
Transgenerational design is the practice of making products and environments compatible with those physical and sensory impairments associated with human aging and which limit major activities of daily living. The term ''transgenerational design ...
References
{{Generation
Sociological theories
Cultural generations