Widely Held Attitudes About Various Generations Studied
Generation Y is the most self-indulgent, Generation X is the most innovative, and Boomers are the most productive, while the "Silent Generation" and the "Greatest Generation" are the most admired, according to a recent survey by Harris Interactive, writes MarketingCharts.
Conducted for Charles Schwab and Age Wave, the study asked almost 4,000 Americans age 21-83 what they thought of the various U.S. generations, including their own.
Specifically, they were asked about people age 13-31, or Generation Y; those age 32-43 or Generation X; Baby Boomers, age 44-62; the "Silent Generation," age 63-83; and the
"Greatest Generation," age 84+.
Some of the more interesting findings:
- Baby Boomers (35 percent) are most widely viewed as having a positive effect on society, followed by Generation X (25 percent).
- The Silent Generation (33 percent) and the Greatest Generation (30 percent) are the most widely admired generations, followed by Baby Boomers (22 percent).
- The Silent Generation (40 percent) and Baby Boomers (33 percent) are widely viewed as the most generous.
- The two generations widely seen as the most productive are Baby Boomers (45 percent) and Generation X (32 percent).
- A 53 percent majority (including a majority of Gen Y itself) believe Generation Y is the most self-indulgent, followed by Generation X (25 percent).
- A 41 percent plurality sees Generation X as the most innovative, followed by Baby Boomers (25 percent) and Generation Y (22 percent).
- There is no consensus as to which generation is most socially conscious, but Baby Boomers (34 percent) and Generation X (26 percent) top the list.
View tables of generations perceived as having the most positive effect on society, the most widely admired, generous, productive, self-indulgent, innovative, and the most socially conscious.
- Gen Y would like to rename themselves the "Internet Generation" (32 percent). They really dislike being called "Generation Y" or "Millennials."
- Gen X would choose to rename themselves "Generation Tech" (25 percent). They dislike being called "Generation X."
- Baby Boomers are the only generation which seems to really like the name given to them (27 percent).
- The Silent Generation would re-name themselves the "Responsible Generation" (44 percent). They strongly dislike being called "Silent" or "Invisible."
View tables of what the following generations think about their name: Gen Y, Gen X, Baby Boomers, and the Silent Generation.
Source: Harris Interactive