iGen

Dr. Jean Twenge offers a portrait of a new generation that is growing up more slowly and more anxious -- but also more tolerant and more safe -- than any generation in history. They stay away from grown-up temptations like alcohol and sex, but they also avoid grown-up responsibilities, like learning to drive, moving out of the house, and gaining financial independence. They're open-minded, forward-thinking, and prudent in ways that previous generations of young people were not. The traits and trends of iGen can seem puzzling or even counterintuitive, but if we want to interact with them successfully -- to parent them, to teach them, to work with them, to market to them -- we need to understand who they are and why they behave in the ways that they do. With generational divides that are deeper and wider than ever, parents, educators, and employers have an urgent need to understand today's rising generation of teens and young adults who are just starting to enter the workforce. As social media and texting replace other recreational activities and ways of communicating, iGen'ers spend less time with their friends and loved ones in person -- which perhaps explains why they are experiencing unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. But technology is not the only thing that makes iGen distinct. Through her research, interviews, and analysis of data drawn from more than 11 million respondents over multiple decades, Dr. Twenge demonstrates that iGen's uniqueness also lies in how they spend their time, how they behave, and in their surprising attitudes toward religion, sexuality, and politics. As this new group of young people grows into adulthood, we all need to understand them. Because where iGen goes, so goes our nation -- and the world.