system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: We shouldn't group people into generations, because all it does it pit people against eachother.

The generation groups that are currently alive right now are the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millenials, and Generation Z

My view is that people should not be grouped into these kind of generations, because all that it does is turns people against eachother, and doesn't provide any benefit for any of the listed "generations"

The "generations" seem to love to criticize the generations older or younger than them and place stereotypes on them. 

Some examples of generalization that I've heard (thru real life conversations and the internet):

"Generation Z is obsessed with social media and are always on their phones, have a short attention span, and are attention seekers"

"Millenials are self-centered, entitled, want everything handed to them, and are easily offended"

"Generation X is cynical, don't work well in teams, and have a negative attitude towards everything"

"Boomers ruined the economy, are spoiled, out of touch, stuck in their ways, and will never learn to use technology well"

"The Silent Generation places too much value on authority, are stuck in their ways, and are overly loyal to brands, and have out-dated opinions"

Obviously, these are just stereotypes and are not true for the majority of people of those "generations". Those sterotypes could also apply to anyone of any generation (for example, ANYONE can be cynical - not just generation X). 

If there is any truth to these sterotypes, they may have more to do with human nature or age. For example;

Boomers and the Silent Generation are labeled as "out of touch, have difficulty with technology, and are stuck in their ways". But one day when Millenials and Generation Z are in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and beyond, we too will be "stuck in our ways" because as people get older, it becomes harder and harder to change your ways that you've known for decades. And there will be new technology by then that we too will have difficulty learning how to use. 

Generation Z and Millenials are labeled as entitled, self-centered, with a short attention span. However I think that's more to do with being young. As we get older we will become less "self-absorbed". Bommers and the Silent Generation were also likely self-absorbed and entitled in their youth too. 

All this negative labeling of the generation is just causing people to turn against eachother. How often do you hear the phrase "OK Boomer" on the internet followed by an article or meme criticizing a middle aged person's views or behavior. And how often do you hear the term "The young people of today ..." followed by a rant about how easy the young generations have it or criticizing their views or behaviour.

If society stopped group people into generations based on the years you were born, society as a whole would be kinder to people outside of their age group, because these dumb negative sterotypes would not exist. We could get along better at work and be more productive, and finally we would not get into useless arguments about young generations vs. Old generations.
gpt
But it's useful for tracking cultural changes.  For instance, the television technology and norms of boomers (not many networks, lots of shared experience), GenX (reruns, cable explosion, widely diverse experiences), and millennials (prestige TV, streaming, marathoning) is incredibly useful for studying how the medium changed and affected people in turn.