Distraction Magazine Winter 2020

be a big misconception. On the contrary, being strong doesn’t make you ‘mean.’ You can be both, and it’s really important that you are.”

Many other students have had similar experiences in their upbringing. UM junior Elizabeth Cronin and Robert “Rob” Walek both have fathers in the Baby Boomer generation. However, their mothers were both born between 1965 and 1980, making them part of Generation X. Members of Generation X are characterized by valuing self-reliance, diversity and balance.

Cronin said she experienced this balance of having parents from two different generations first hand when they would limit her screen time. “Both of my parents viewed television as a privilege and it was something that I would really only watch when the sun was out,” Cronin said. “I would never dare take my phone out at the dinner table, my dad would be enraged.” According to Cronin, this also carried over into her academic performance. Cronin said she would only go out if she got her schoolwork done first, a lesson which has carried through to today. “College can be so overwhelming between schoolwork and social life, but prioritizing school and then rewarding myself has been instilled in me from a young age,” Cronin said, “I like to believe I have a work hard, play hard mentality.”

Walek said his parents also stressed the importance of balance and getting work done well and on time. “My parents were lowkey strict until I was like eight, and then they were pretty chill,” Walek said, “They just said ‘don’t fuck up, don’t procrastinate and don’t be an asshole.’ I think I’m doing a pretty good job.”

Justin Ritzinger, an assistant professor of religious studies at UM, was born towards the end of Generation X and has two children ages four and 12. He shared that his parenting style is most influenced by his own parents. “I think most people don’t realize, but they slowly become their parents,” he said. While his mother turned to humor, his father imparted the importance of a strong work ethic and responsibility. “I tell them ‘do a little better than you think you should,’ whether it’s regarding work or how they treat others,” Ritzinger said.

Although he is most strict with his daughters about making sure they get their work done, he also tries to monitor the type of media the girls consume. “I steer them away from Disney princesses because I find the lesson of waiting for a man to solve your problems appalling,” said Ritzinger. Instead, he introduced them to cartoon superhero movies at a young age and strives to teach his children how to be strong and independent. “While I don’t condone violence, I think it’s better for them to think it’s okay to punch someone then get a guy to do it for them,” said Ritzinger.

With the rise of the internet, we are introduced to new information and ideas every second. According to a 2018 study from Pew Research Center, 29% of men ages 18 to 24 and 23% of women in the same age bracket say their political or social views changed in the past year due to social media. While parental values and beliefs are impressed on children from birth and attempted to be passed down, as we age, our own life experiences also shape the way we view the world and have an impact on our views as adults.

Kianna Dorsey channels 50s fashion, where today’s Baby Boomers learned the value of hardwork and perseverance.

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