By NISSHANTANY A/P THINAGARAN & DR AHMAD SAUFFIYAN BIN ABU HASAN
TANJUNG MALIM - Generation gap has been discussed within families for many years now; however, nowadays it has become especially noticeable due to technological progress and social development. Even though both parties could agree on what kind of goals they share in life, they can still see some things in a different light depending on their preferences.
In general, Generation Z refers to people who were born in the final years of the 20th century and the early 2010s. These people, unlike their parents, have lived their whole lives with the use of smartphones and social media websites. Parents of Generation Zers have experienced an era that was not characterized by modern technologies. This might become a source of some misunderstanding; yet it is possible to achieve many good results if they both take into consideration one another's experience.
Technology is a vital component of Denisha’s life as well as a tool of communicating with other people. “Although my parents think at times that I spend too much time using my phone, in reality, I communicate, get education materials and information on current events thanks to technology," Denisha said. As Denisha noted, modern young people tend to use technology to grow up and acquire knowledge. However, according to her opinion, it starts being a problem if one spends too many hours using technological devices.
Kisshen Raj, a masters student at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), mentioned that career choices are treated differently by various generations. "Many of us of my generation like having a flexible lifestyle. It means we are ready to choose an uncommon career which has never been picked up by anyone among our friends and relatives before," he added. Furthermore, Kisshen Raj emphasized that although parents may not agree with their children regarding issues, they can always talk everything over and change their positions regarding something.
Technological development has created some new problems for parents trying to comprehend the experience of their children. For example, the mother of four children Prema states that although there are many positive aspects of technology, it has also turned into a problem. "In our time, all the interactions occurred face-to-face. But today most interactions are carried out via technology. At times, it is difficult to understand how much influence technology has on children," Prema says. At the same time, Prema acknowledges that despite such drawbacks, technology creates possibilities that previous generations could not have. As the mother considers, it is necessary for parents to get acquainted with modern technologies to comprehend better their children.
Similarly, Marcus suggests that effective communication can be applied to overcoming the issue of misunderstandings between generations. "Generations will differ as long as society evolves. Thus, all we need to do is communicate and consider the world from others' perspectives," Marcus says. According to the interviewee, respect is crucial if people want to maintain good relationships with family members. It is important to learn from each other's experience.
The generation gaps are not only limited to technological usage, but these might appear owing to different perspectives regarding life, studies, work, and societal issues. If the older people find more sense in stability and conventionality, younger people seek adaptability and innovation.
Still, one should state that many families understand how important it is to keep constant communication to overcome such conflicts. By communicating and discussing different issues, relatives will not only exchange their views but also create a feeling of mutual empathy and respect. Empathy is another element that can serve as a perfect ground for bridging the gap between generations, according to experts and community workers. What's more, families should not focus on what separates generations; rather, they need to look at what makes each of them special.
Generation Z has new opinions, technical skills, and flexibility, but the older generation has valuable life experience and advice. Utilizing the advantages of both generations, families will be able to build an atmosphere of respect and appreciation for all members of the family. Considering all the changes that happen in society, it can be concluded that the generation gap will remain. However, this issue does not separate people at all; on the contrary, parents and their children will be able to build closer relations due to effective communication and respect towards each other.
Overall, the purpose of analysing the generation gap is not to understand which party is right. It is essential to accept the fact that people can have various points of view depending on life experience and use this information to build understanding between each other.