{"id":99196,"date":"2023-04-10T16:53:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-10T20:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=99196"},"modified":"2023-04-17T13:56:38","modified_gmt":"2023-04-17T17:56:38","slug":"generational-archetypes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/generational-archetypes\/","title":{"rendered":"The 4 Generational Archetypes & Their Roles in Society"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As you age, how does your role in society change? How much do young people impact the culture? Are generational archetypes like story archetypes?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to William Strauss and Neil Howe, each generation in society fits into one of four different archetypes: the Prophet, the Nomad, the Hero, and the Artist. Each generational archetype has its own role to play in the culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continue reading to learn about generational archetypes and the various ways they function and interact in society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Generational Archetypes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The birth range of a generation is about 15 to 25 years\u2014approximately the same length as a Turning\u2014and the pattern proceeds almost universally in this order. The authors explain that, for every generational archetype, each phase of life is accompanied by unique social roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archetype 1: Childhood<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The childhood phase is defined by receiving support from others and learning morals. The way society views and treats children varies with the Turnings, shifting back and forth between the belief that children need to be highly protected and looked after and the belief that they need little protection with a tendency toward hands-off parenting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archetype 2: Young Adulthood<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Young adulthood is defined by service to society and the testing of morals. It\u2019s the age where people are building and pursuing their dreams, forming families, and carrying out the work that keeps society moving such as lower-level work and military service. The degree to which young adults respect and carry on the work of older generations varies with the Turnings, shifting between dutiful conformity and rebellious individualism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archetype 3: Midlife<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Midlife is defined by managing society and upholding morals. This is when people are reaping the rewards from their work during young adulthood, making their dreams a reality, and beginning to take on leadership roles in society. Depending on the Turning, mid-lifers\u2019 leadership roles shift between being more pronounced in politics and being more pronounced in culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archetype 4: Elderhood<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Elderhood is defined by leading society and passing on morals to younger generations. People are relieved of the burden of work and spend their time in leisure and recreation, or they take on society\u2019s most powerful leadership positions. The influence that Elders have on society shifts with the Turnings between culture and politics\u2014when mid-lifers are wielding greater influence in politics, elder influence shifts to culture and vice versa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Age Affects a Group\u2019s Influence on Society<\/strong>

Research indicates that young people have a greater influence on culture<\/a> than Strauss and Howe\u2019s theory may suggest. While it\u2019s easier to study culture in midlife and elder generations because their traits are more fixed, much of social change is prompted by young people, and cultural change is generally more rapid in groups that include both younger and older individuals.

Political participation across the generations, however, matches up with the authors\u2019 descriptions, with participation and leadership levels increasing with age. For one, younger people are less likely to vote than older people<\/a>, which may be due to factors like less free time and less stable housing for younger generations. Younger people are also underrepresented in political office, and research suggests that financial barriers play a large role in preventing younger people from running<\/a>\u2014it can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to run a political campaign and usually takes up too much time to be compatible with a typical work or school schedule.

In the US, elderhood has more political sway than ever, as political participation and leadership are extending later and later into elderhood<\/a>, leaving midlifers and especially young adults behind. The median age of Members of Congress has increased by more than seven years over the last three decades, from around 53 to over 60, and around 25% of Congresspeople are now over 70. Additionally, the 2020 presidential election resulted in the election of the nation\u2019s oldest president in history\u2014Joe Biden at age 78.

This trend has raised concerns that America\u2019s government is becoming a gerontocracy<\/a>, which disproportionately represents the interests of the elderly who may have less investment in the nation\u2019s future than younger people. It has prompted some to call for maximum age limits on political office, which the majority of Americans support<\/a>, but which experts say are unlikely to be enacted.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Progression of Generational Archetypes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As they go through the phases of life, the generational archetypes take on new roles and characteristics, such as the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n