Millennials, Gen X, Gen Z, baby boomers: how generation labels cloud issues of inequality

Generations can be defined by family structure, stage of life or historical events.

• Beverley Searle
• The Conversation

But most often, they’re categorised as “cohorts” of people born during a particular period in time.

Catchy labels such as baby boomers, millennials and Gen X and Gen Z tend to stick with each cohort, which are assumed to have shared experiences, behaviours and ideals.

This is known as a “cohort effect”.

But common generalisations – for example, that baby boomers are hoarding housing, while millennials have no hope of buying a…

So rather than pitching the generations against one another, perhaps it’s…

• Millennials, Gen X, Gen…