TILL now the intergenerational conflict has been discussed everywhere and across the globe as a smoldering issue, detaching the two generations of the different age groups.
The situation is, however, caused by the cultural and ideas mismatch between the two generations, which ultimately leads towards the dissonance and conflict between the two cohorts. Nevertheless, another significant problem is arising within this domain in the developing societies especially as the intra-generational conflict; signifying the conflict and cleavage not between the two different generations but within the same generation.
It is human nature and also advised to interact and join the company of coevals or the generation from whom one belongs, because it is the group or generation where an individual can wholeheartedly share his privacies and secrecies without any hesitation. But the dilemma exists in the underdeveloped and developing societies, where members of the same generation are quite different in terms of education, awareness and updatability. The ideas within the same age group are so contradictory and conflicting that they could many times lead to terrible ends and put the smooth social relations at stake, ironically. This gap is becoming more embarrassing particularly for those who are critical and rational in their thoughts, but not understood and accepted by their coevals and even discouraged often for their views. In other words, this gap is silencing free thinking. Though the people think of the intergenerational conflict as a serious threat to the social cohesion and development and more or less research or practical work has been done or is being done, but contrarily the intra-generational conflict is yet to be understood and needs to be assessed.
In the intra-generational gap, the people of the same age group are thinking, behaving and doing differently from one another. The thoughts, ideas, culture, future objectives and targets are completely different from the others of the same generational cohort. The intra-generational discrepancies are felt more in the transitional societies where the people are standing at the crossroads of modernism and traditionalism. The agnostic period is causing a mess among the people that what to follow and what to leave. In these kinds of societies, the peoples in fact stand at a different stage of education and awareness. The division in terms of education and updateability bifurcate the people in opposing categories; and nevertheless the conflicting behaviors later reflect in the socialization and psychology of the children. Contextually, a segment of the society becomes more educated and rational and the other segment remains uneducated and conservative; though both the categories belong to the same cohort and are living in the same social sittings.
In addition to this, the economy and other socio-cultural factors are also contributing factors to this end. Many children as a result remain illiterate because of their socio-economic and environmental concerns. However, these all cases at the end promote an idea gap and conflict within the same age group. The intra-generational conflict is nevertheless observed and felt within the families severely and is affecting the familial life. It is because within the families the brothers are of different calibers and approaches owing to their faculty and educational background. The situation resultantly alters the harmonious family environment to the antagonize one, and this is the reason that the intra-generational gap is considered a serious problem because a man is to face unnecessary and off the mark negation at every step and stage of his life. The situation ultimately promotes to frustration, disappointment and finally annoyance among the people.
Man is a social animal as quoted by Aristotle. He cannot live without the same animals. He is forced by his social, financial, political, educational and other needs to be attached with the other human beings. Though smooth and harmonious relations can create a conducive atmosphere for a healthy and happy life, yet contradictory ideas may cause harm. As the 21st century is the century of youth and this problem is found more among the youth, and reasonably the unacceptance and misunderstanding is distancing the youth cohort from one another.
In Pakistan the intra-generational conflict has posed a serious threat to rationality, analytical thinking, critical discourse and creativity. The incompatible behaviors and thoughts have not barred the passage of new insights only but also promoted to social hatred. As it is the era of rationality, logic, science and technology. The people need to acknowledge these facts and go parallel with the set trends, otherwise those who are left behind would face terrible consequences. Moreover, quality education and updated courses and syllabus contents are the prominent pre-requisites to minimize the intensity of intra-generational conflict and promote tolerance and harmony. It is not only good for the same generational cohort but the nation as a whole.
—The writer is PhD ( Sociology), University of Balochistan Quetta.
(rahimnasar83@gmail.com)
