Thursday, October 30, 2008

A Boomer’s Guide to Understanding Twentysomethings Part IV

Information Versus Conversation

Boomers want information.

Twentysomethings want conversation.


Boomers are satisfied with a lengthy presentation on a topic, whereas twentysomethings are looking for an interactive examination of an issue. While boomers appreciate the time given to a particular topic, twentysomethings want depth. Twentysomethings don’t want to “get it” as much as they want to discuss it and wrestle with it.

“What it means to be "seeker sensitive" is totally different,” said Mark Batterson lead pastor at National Community Church (www.theaterchurch.com) in Washington, D.C. “I think twentysomethings are more spiritually attuned. I think many churches watered down or dumbed-down the message for boomers, but twentysomethings are looking for something supernatural, something they can't explain. I think our generation is more in touch with mystery and paradox. So ironically, the more seeker-sensitive you want to be the more spiritual you need to be. I think twentysomethings are looking for a high-octane experience.”

While a self-help title or article featuring six easy steps is appealing to a boomer, a twentysomething would look at the same piece and find it suspect. Certainly, things can’t be that simple. Thus, while boomers enjoy finding a short-cut to the answer, twentysomethings want to take the scenic tour at discovering the same truth.

THE BOOMER BLOGGER

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