INTER-GENERATIONAL GAP

GENERATION GAP
	Saroj Kumar Samal M.A(Gold-Medalist) M.Phil(Sociology) & LL.B Director, Saroj Samal’s I.A.S, New Delhi Email: sarojksamal@gmail.com

     The term inter-generational conflict or gap denotes the differences of opinion, values, aspiration and consideration between the old and the new generation of the society. The old generation consists of parents, grand parents, teachers, old age politician, etc., who have deep experience and knowledge related to various walks of life such as social political and economic. On the other hand the new generation includes youth who, in all age, have been known for revolutionary ideas and change.

          These differentiation cause disharmony and conflict in family, group and society as a whole. The youth are considered as the backbone of any society. The credit of major revolution of the world goes to them. But it is highly impossible for them to get success in the revolution without following the ideals and learning from the experiences of the old generation. In the present-day society, the disparity between the two generations of the society is increasing and as a result of it, the new generation is not able to pay constructive role in the development of society in extreme cases.

          What motivates the youth to came in conflict with and oppose older generation people are factors like

  (1)      Influence of western culture

  (2)      Values picked up from commercial means of entertainment

  (3)      Affluence and power of parents

  (4)      Values based on individualism and equality

  (5)      Commercial entertainment based on violence for achieving desired goals.

  (6)      Increased leisure

            All the above noted factors led for creation of a distinct youth sub-culture which gradually became a counter-culture and led towards youth unrest and inter-generational gap.