Talkin’ ’bout my generation
Baby boomers, generations X, Y, Z — each new generation has been endlessly discussed and analyzed, and perhaps you identify with one of them. You may have also heard that Gen Z was going to turn your management and market on its head. But what if, in reality, all of that was a mirage? Or, worse still, a trap?
In Millenial Burn-Out, Vincent Cocquebert — editor-in-chief of Twenty, a webzine for 16-to-25-year-olds — aims to deconstruct these stereotypes and even do away with the concept of “generations” for good. Cocquebert bases his thesis on sociological studies and essays; analyses of political speeches; and the way Generation Z is treated in the media and by the marketing and educational sectors. He demonstrates that it is a mistake (even dangerous) to assess society through this generational prism and the stereotypes that millennials are saddled with.
The idea of “generations” is a fantasy dreamed up by society, designed to justify or analyze its great upheavals (the Trentes Glorieuses, May ’68, the digital revolution). Anyone falling for this smoke-and-mirrors approach is doomed to overlook the major challenges and issues facing society. The absurd, over-the-top marketing around youth culture doesn’t help matters either.
“Children today love luxury, have bad manners, make fun of authority, and have no respect for their elders. Children have become tyrants!” Does that remind you of grandpa having a good old moan around the dinner table? In fact, these words were spoken by Socrates, which just goes to show that generational stereotypes are nothing new.
Make no mistake, Millenial Burn-Out will call into question everything you’ve seen, read, and heard about different generations, about what they have in common and what sets them apart, citing extracts from management manuals that you’ll never see in the same way again.
This is a refreshing book that encourages us to look at widely discussed ideas and concepts in a new light, putting everything in perspective. Because, let’s face it, we’ve all fallen into the generation trap.
Read more :
Millenial Burn-Out, X, Y, Z… Comment l’arnaque des “générations” consume la jeunesse by Vincent Cocquebert (Arkhé, 2019).
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