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Topics: Social Media, Technology, Parenting, Life, Education, Twitter
Liv Bridge
Topics: Social Media, Technology, Parenting, Life, Education, Twitter
A new generation will be upon us in 2025 which will be known as 'beta' - and people are already saying they'll be 'the worst yet'.
The new year brings with it an abundance of opportunity - or marks the start of a terrifying slippery slope into war, aliens and Russian world domination, if mystic seer, Baba Vanga is to be believed.
But 2025 is also significant as it marks the end of an era for one generation and the start of a brand new one, as the year will see the birth of a new peer group, Generation Beta.
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Gen Beta is expected to cover all those born from 2025 to 2039, following in the footsteps of Gen Alpha, which spanned from 2010 to 2024.
Before that, Gen Z was born between 1996 to 2010 and Gen Y, also known as Millennials, were spawned between 1981 and 1996.
And, of course, not forgetting Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, and their offspring, Gen X, between 1965 and 1980.
Social media has long documented an ongoing spat between Millennials and Gen Z in recent years as the two generations come to terms with the ever-evolving digital landscape.
However, Boomers tend to face the brunt of the blame for a lot of the world's ongoing troubles, such as the housing crisis and accelerating climate change.
But now, there's about to be a new Gen on the block who face to inherit an even more digitally advanced world with another generous side dish of societal problems.
Social researcher and futurist, Mark McCrindle, who coined the term 'Generation Alpha', wrote in a blog post that the next peer group of kids 'will inherit a world grappling with major societal changes'.
He continued: “With climate change, global population shifts, and rapid urbanization at the forefront, sustainability will not just be a preference but an expectation."
McCrindle also predicted that by 2035, Gen Beta will make up 16 percent of the world's population and will enjoy a world entirely powered by artificial intelligence.
He said the kids of tomorrow will see a 'seamless' digital and physical world, where AI and automation 'are fully embedded in everyday life', from education to work and healthcare to entertainment.
The researcher also predicted their parents, mainly Gen Zers, could signify a change in how social media is used compared to their predecessors.
While millennial parents 'leverage technology as a tool' and use it in their children's lives, McCrindle said Gen Z 'know more about the positives and challenges that come with social media from a young age', and are more likely to restrict their child's screen time as a result.
Meanwhile, generation researcher, Jason Dorsey, said Gen Betas will learn about the Coronavirus pandemic in their history classes, while climate change will 'continue to be a really big deal for them'.
Reacting to the news, people across social media have already dubbed the next generation as 'the worst ever' and have slammed the name as 'the worst they could of thought of', as one wrote: 'My kids will be beta, nooooo'.
Another Twitter user said: "Not having a child until after 2039. I'll be damned if my son is a beta male."