The Great Generational Divide

"Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new. " ~Henry David Thoreau

I have always known that there are many differences amongst the different generations. It's interesting that in many ways, the generational divides in Ecuador are very similar to those in the United States. For example, the younger generation is a lot more up-to-date with how to use newer technology. Phones, computers, blogging…you name it, the teenagers and young adults know how to use it, but the older generation tends not to the majority of the time. At dinner one night, my host-dad was having problems with his Blackberry phone, and his 19-year-old daughter actually had to fix it for him because he simply had no idea what to do with it.

Another large difference between the generations is their knowledge of English. In my host-family, there are two daughters my age plus their parents. The two daughters both know a decent amount of English, while my host-parents know, at most, five basic survival phrases. It’s interesting to see how, in recent years, with globalization on the rise, the daughters were taught much more English in their schools than my parents were, simply because it has become a lingua franca. On this note, from my perspective, it tends to be much easier to communicate with a young adult or child Ecuadorian rather than an older adult Ecuadorian.

The last thing I have found interesting is the difference between the music that each generation listens to. As in the United States, in most cases, the younger generation tends to listen to pop music, and sometimes even rap or, as is very popular in Ecuador, reggaeton. As for the older generations, more classic music, such as salsa or meringue, is the more popular choice. Though there are always exceptions, I have found it extremely intriguing to see just how different a person’s interests can be, simply based off of when they were born. It makes me wonder if this great generational divide can ever be bridged.