Generations in the Next America

[LongTomH]

Despite financial challenges and differing political and social views, the generations aren’t fated to battle each other. Why? “It’s hard to wage a generational war when you’re living under the same roof,” Taylor said. More than a fifth (22%) of households currently have more than two adult generations living in them, a level not seen since the end of World War II. And overall, only 29% of people say there are “strong” or “very strong” conflicts between the young and old, far fewer than say that about blacks and whites, rich and poor, immigrants and natives – or especially Democrats and Republicans (a whopping 81%).

UPDATE, 10:27 a.m. The Millennial generation stands out as the first generation in U.S. history to enter adulthood in worse economic shape than their parents. Their unemployment rate is higher (8.2%, versus 5.8% for Gen Xers at the same age range) and they have higher student debt.

.................//snip

Today, the Pew Research Center is taking its show on the road — or at least down the road, to the Newseum in Washington, D.C. We’re hosting a one-day symposium on how the nation’s rapidly shifting generational makeup and racial/ethnic demographics are affecting American families, society, politics and policy. (Our event begins at 10 a.m. ET.)

In his new book, The Next America, Pew Research executive vice president of special projects Paul Taylor identifies two key trends that are already reshaping the United States and will continue doing so for decades to come. The first: far greater racial and ethnic diversity, driven largely by immigration. In 1960, the U.S. population was 85% white, 10% black and 4% Hispanic. By 2060 whites will be a minority (43%), while 31% of the population will be Hispanic, 13% black, 8% Asian and 6% other races or ethnicities. As Taylor puts it, “We were once a black and white country; now we’re a rainbow.”

Read more here: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/03/07/live-blog-generations-in-the-next-america/