Generations (archetype)

Archetypes
The two different types of eras and two formative age locations associated with them (childhood and young adulthood) produce four generational archetypes that repeat sequentially, in rhythm with the cycle of Crises and Awakenings.

 Idealist, Reactive, Civic, and Adaptive. They update this terminology to Prophet, Nomad, Hero, and Artist.

 The generations in each archetype not only share a similar age-location in history, they also share some basic attitudes towards family, risk, culture and values, and civic engagement. In essence, generations shaped by similar early-life experiences develop similar collective personas and follow similar life-trajectories.

 25 generations in Anglo-American history, each with a corresponding archetype. The authors describe the archetypes as follows:

Prophet
Prophet generations are born near the end of a Crisis, during a time of rejuvenated community life and consensus around a new societal order. Prophets grow up as the increasingly indulged children of this post-Crisis era, come of age as self-absorbed young crusaders of an Awakening, focus on morals and principles in midlife, and emerge as elders guiding another Crisis.

Nomad
Nomad generations are born during an Awakening, a time of social ideals and spiritual agendas, when young adults are passionately attacking the established institutional order. Nomads grow up as under-protected children during this Awakening, come of age as alienated, post-Awakening adults, become pragmatic midlife leaders during a Crisis, and age into resilient post-Crisis elders.[40]

Hero
Young adults fighting in World War II were born in the early part of the 20th century, like PT109 commander LTJG John F. Kennedy (b. 1917). They are part of the G.I. Generation, which follows the Hero archetype.
Hero generations are born after an Awakening, during an Unraveling, a time of individual pragmatism, self-reliance, and laissez faire. Heroes grow up as increasingly protected post-Awakening children, come of age as team-oriented young optimists during a Crisis, emerge as energetic, overly-confident midlifers, and age into politically powerful elders attacked by another Awakening.[40]

Artist
Artist generations are born after an Unraveling, during a Crisis, a time when great dangers cut down social and political complexity in favor of public consensus, aggressive institutions, and an ethic of personal sacrifice. Artists grow up overprotected by adults preoccupied with the Crisis, come of age as the socialized and conformist young adults of a post-Crisis world, break out as process-oriented midlife leaders during an Awakening, and age into thoughtful post-Awakening elders.[40]

The Generations

An average life is 80 years, and consists of four periods of ~20 years

Childhood → Young adult → Midlife → Elderhood

A generation is an aggregate of people born every ~20 years

Baby Boomers → Gen X → Millennials → Post-Millennials


Each generation experiences "four turnings" every ~80y

High → Awakening → Unraveling → Crisis

A generation is considered "dominant" or "recessive" according to the turning experienced as young adults. But as a youth generation comes of age and defines its collective persona an opposing generational archetype is in its midlife peak of power.

Dominant: independent behavior + attitudes in defining an era

Recessive: dependent role in defining an era

Dominant Generations:

1. Prophet: Awakening as young adults

 Awakening, defined: Institutions are attacked in the name of personal and spiritual autonomy

2. Hero: Crisis as young adults.

Crisis, defined: Institutional life is destroyed and rebuilt in response to a perceived threat to the nation's survival

Recessive Generations:

3. Nomad: Unraveling as young adults.

 Unraveling, defined: Institutions are weak and distrusted, individualism is strong and flourishing

4. Artist: High young adults.

High, defined: Institutions are strong and individualism is weak