dominated by older adults, seems hope-
lessly entrenched. These perceptions,
accurate or not, shape their world views
and a ffect their mental health. In t he
words of one man, born i n 2 000, whom
I interviewed for my book, “I’ve grown
up in the twenty-first century, where
disasters happen every twenty min-
utes.” I hope we can be more under-
standing of why people in this gener-
ation are often anxious and angry about
the world they’re inheriting, instead of
reflexively comparing their situations
with those of past generations.
Karla Vermeulen
SUNY New Paltz
Clintondale, N.Y.Menand cites the media’s impre cision
and misrepresentation as reasons to dis-
regard generalizations about Genera-
tion Z, millennials, Generation X, and
baby boomers. As a Gen X-er, I might
react to that rationale by ignoring dis-
tinctions between these groups. How-
ever, as a psychologist who studies gen-
erations and intergenerational conflict,
I t hink that if researchers stopped study-
ing concepts that are imprecisely mea-
sured or inaccurately discussed by the
media we would quickly run out of top-
ics to study. Differences between gen-
erations have become more important
beca use t he p ac e o f t ech nologica l a nd
communication innovations has created
age -based d isparities in what we c ol-
lective ly e xperi ence a nd v alue. We all
would benefit if the media focussed on
how cross-generational collaboration
and generational distinctions can im-
prove society, rather than on their roles
in fostering the culture wars.
Jennifer Wisdom
Professor of Public Health
Oregon Health a nd S cience University
and Portland State University
Portland, Ore.ABUSING TROUBLED TEENS
Rachel Aviv’s d isturbing dive i nto t he
cultlike affairs of the Christian teen-
reform organization Teen Challenge re-
minded me o f t he notorious Magda-
lene Laundries, which existed in Ireland
for more than a century (“Lost Youth,”
October 18th). These institutions iso-
lated and essentially imprisoned young
mothers, harmed them psychologically,
and separated them from their chil-
dren—and Teen Challenge does the
same. Readers should be angered that
the Teen Challenge network continues
to operate with the tacit acceptance of,
and little oversight by, legal authorities.
I hope that Aviv’s exposé will open the
eyes of parents and bring an end to these
hellish, un-Christlike facilities.
Richard H. Allan III
Charlottesville, Va.
1
GENERATIONAL DIVIDES
As an associate professor of psychology
and the author of the book “Genera-
tion Disaster,” about today’s emerging
adults, I share much of Louis Menand’s
skepticism o f b road-brush assump-
tions about generational differences
and similarities (Books, October 18th).
I also believe that there is value in rec-
ognizing how the timing of collective
events affects individuals’ experiences.
What’s often missing from these con-
versations, however, is an assessment
of just how calamitous the world has
felt for current adolescents and young
adults. Thanks to the rise of 24/7 media
exposure and connectivity, those born
in t he d ecade l eading up to 9/11 and
since have only known a world imme-
diately threatened by terrorism, war,
school shootings, economic collapse,
racial inequities, a growing wealth di-
vide, and the existential peril of cli-
mate change.
This cohort is socially, politically,
and economically diverse, and I would
never attempt to reduce its members
to a sound bite. But, for many of them,
the “normal” we’ve arrived at seems
anything but, and the power structure,
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