Round table discussion “How Do Generations Shape Us—And Divide Us?”

The last Friday of the month, the 30th of January, we meet as usual between 4 pm and 6 pm in the Javea  Social Centre meeting room (1st floor).

Round table discussion “How Do Generations Shape Us—And Divide Us?”

A generation is more than a set of birth years. It is a shared experience of history. Wars, prosperity, technology, crises, and cultural revolutions leave deep marks on those who grow up with them. These moments quietly shape how we work, love, raise children, argue, protest—or stay silent.

Most of us in U3A belong to the Baby Boomer generation (born 1946–1964), shaped by post-war optimism, social mobility, the Vietnam War, and cultural rebellion.

Generation X (born 1965–1980) often grew up with more independence. As parents, however, they became far more involved in their children’s education, safety, and emotional lives than their Boomer parents, who famously let children roam until the streetlights came on. Millennials, also known as Generation Y (born 1981–1996), are frequently criticised as impatient or self-absorbed due to their use of technology. Generation Z or iGen (born 1997–2010) is the first generation to know mainly constant digital connection. Like Millennials, they tend to be environmentally conscious and socially inclusive, but they are also highly politically aware. At the same time, they may see Baby Boomers as well-meaning—but out of touch. Sound familiar?

So here are the questions we’ll explore together.

• Which generation are you—and how has it shaped your assumptions?
• What generations are your parents (1928–1945: Silent Generation), your siblings, your children, and your grandchildren?
• Where do conversations flow easily—and where do they break down?
• Are these conflicts really about age, or about history speaking through us?

Perhaps the real challenge is not that generations are different—but that we rarely stop to listen to what shaped them.

Let’s talk.