Every August I eagerly await the release of the Beloit College Mindset List. Working
in Student Affairs, it's always nice to get a glimpse into the mindset of the
incoming freshman class. When I heard that the list had turned into a book, I
was excited to see the list expanded.
The book takes generations who would have graduated HS in 1898,
1918, 1931, 1944, 1957, 1970, 1983, 1996, 2009,and looks at the events that
have shaped their generation both before they were born as they grew up. We
always joke with students and our younger relatives about "how easy"
they current generation has it and this book are an interesting historical
perspective on that idea. For the average reader, it traces back to their
Grand/great grandparents generation to the future and offers insights on the
cultural norms experiences.
As expected, this book offers a very broad generalization.
Some of the items on list ( those that have always been dead for example) won't
change, but some of the generalizations depend on class, socioeconomic status
and location. For me, reading about my parents’ generation ( graduated around
1970) was not as realistic as what they experienced in their very small,
segregated town( or at least what I've been told and seen). My only other
complaint is rather personal and trivial but I felt like I personally didn't
have a place in the book- 80's babies ( of which I am) were ignored; too young for the class of 96 and too
old for the class of 2009. Anyway- that my personal comment that didn't really
effect my enjoyment of this book and the historical perspective it offered.
While certainly not as in-depth as Generations by Strauss and Howe, this book
offers a quick informative and entertaining overview of the history of the
mindset of people today.
Now I just have to wait until August to learn about the
mindset of the class of 2016.
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