Above: "Generations" by George R. Anthonisen. Photograph by John Hoenstine."Generations" GENERATIONS
Strauss and Howe 4 repeating generational types: Idealist Reactive Civic Adaptive
4 repeating generational types in 4 repeating types of eras High-Awakening-Unraveling-Crisis
Recent types and eras Most recent examples Generation Born during Type of Era Idealist1943–1960Baby BoomersHigh Superpower America Reactive1961– th Gen/ Gen XAwakening Consciousness Revolution Civic1982–2000 Millennials/ Gen Y UnravelingCulture Wars Adaptive2001–2011New Silent Gen/ Gen Z CrisisTerrorism Recession
The types who lead from each generation Generation Came of age during Leaders Idealist Baby Boomers Awakening Cerebral, principled, human sacrifice, wagers of righteous wars. Reactive 13 th Gen/ Gen X Unraveling Cunning, realists, warriors meet problems one-on-one. CivicMillennialsCrisis vigorous and rational institution-builders, aggressive advocates of technological progress, economic prosperity, social harmony, and public optimism. AdaptiveNew Silent Gen High advocates of fairness and the politics of inclusion, irrepressible in the wake of failure.
The types through the eras AKABorn during Young adult midlife Old Age IdealistProphetHighAwakeningUnravelingCrisis ReactiveNomadAwakeningUnravelingCrisisHigh CivicHeroUnravelingCrisisHighAwakening AdaptiveArtistCrisisHighAwakeningUnraveling
Strauss and Howe 7 key traits of Millennials Special Sheltered Confident Team-oriented Achieving Pressured Conventional
Wilson & Gerber 4 Pedagogical adaptations Enhanced clarity of both course structure and assignments Student participation in course design Pre-planned measures to reduce stress Rigorous attention to the ethics of learning.