Generation As Discourse

1) Foster proposes conceptualizing generation as a form of discourse. Explain what it means to think about generation as discourse. [5 points] How did Foster's participants use the idea of generation in their working life stories? [10 points] Do you think it is useful to think of generation as discourse? Why or why not? [10 points] This is on the 4/8 lecture and reading
I think Foster is allowing us to see the term generation as not only defining a segment of time in human kind but also as something tangible. "The concept of discourse, in a pragmatic study of generation as an idea, posits ‘generation’ as a vehicle for thought and action, a concept and a mental structure that provides people with, and limits them to, specific way(s) of understanding, speaking about, and acting in the world around them" (Foster, 2013)198. Generation is not just a way of talking or writing it is all encompassing and that is what is meant by saying it is a discourse.
The idea of generation used by Foster's participants really seemed to be stereo typical. The older people interviewed saw only problems with the younger generation and that the younger generation feels more entitled to things. "Kathy (64, retired social researcher) implied that ‘all of us’ – not justyounger people – have developed overblown or undesirable expectations, but in the end she settled on ‘young people’ as most guilty"(Foster, 2013)201.Here we see that someone starts out as saying all of us but then ends on the note of saying younger generations are guilty. Guilty of what well wanting employers to meet their needs not the other way around which is truly the way it is.
I think it is useful to think of a generation as a discourse, Quite simply the definition that we must remain o...

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...en whether or not a program is losing government funding. Then you have Gordon and Taft who seem in part to be blaming other things than just the youth Families can be important role models. . . . Schools can open the doorsto civic and political life as well as teach specific civic skills . . .Religious institutions, policy organizations and other groups can alsoinvite young adults to participate in specific acts. . . . Together, theseindividuals and institutions can hold sway over the public participationof today’s youth(Gordon, 2010). So now we can blame others for others not getting involved seems to me like a bit of a round robin.

4) Do you think that generation is a useful concept for categorizing groups of people? Why or why not? Incorporate at least two class readings into your answer. [25 points]
I have to say yes it is you need to be able to categorize