Friday Feature: Age Bubbles

Are you in an age bubble? Up until a few days ago, I didn't even know such a thing existed but, the other night, as I was attempting to reduce the massive number of emails in my inbox, I came across an article in Next Avenue about this very topic.

If you're as old as I am, you might identify more with the concept of a generation gap. Or, if you're a social scientist, you might think of these groups as cohorts -- Baby Boomers, Millennials, Generation X, etc. Being in an age bubble is sort of an age group segregation -- most of our contacts are with our peers -- those in our own cohort -- deepening our understanding of the age we are in but, at the same time, limiting our contact with those in other generations. It's easy to see how this can lead to finger-pointing, head shaking and other forms of disapproval, many of which are rooted in a lack of knowledge about "kids these days."

But bursting the age bubble isn't just about reducing judgment. Increased contact with those outside our cohort can benefit us as well, broadening our perspective on the world and increasing our own shot at happiness as well.

Want to know whether or not you need to enlarge your bubble, or maybe even burst it? Check out the article and the quiz and see where you stand.

Not surprisingly, since I work with young people, I got a 10. (Yes, I'm bragging).

Can you beat my score?