Blogger: Rachel Kent
I was flipping through a copy of CBA Retailers & Resources (April 2013) today and was drawn to an article about “The Nones.” This is the name given to young people between the ages of 18-29 who claim no religious affiliation. As a member of this “generation,” I was interested to see what the theories were as to why so many of my generation claim not to believe in any religion and are turning away from the church. If you are interested in reading the article, it’s on page 26 here. The article’s purpose is to help Christian retailers understand the “Nones” and to reach them appropriately.
It stood out to me that throughout the article the members of this generation are referred to as kids. I assume that many professionals who work in the CBA market, like me, are between the ages of 18 and 29, and this article is included in a publication targeted at CBA retailers. “Kids” is not the word I would use to describe an entire generation of adults. Many of these adults are married, own homes, own businesses, have children and work hard each day regardless of their religious beliefs.
The article also tends to group those with religious beliefs (75%) into the same group as those without (25%). The generation is referred to in the article as the “Nones” instead of just those in the generation without any beliefs. For example, “Barreto sees many Nones who attend two or three churches each week. ‘These are the “hard core” believing kids.'”
Through the misuse of two words–“kids” and “Nones”–the article’s intended impact is lost. By calling the generation “kids,” the article puts it into the retailer’s mind that this generation isn’t one to be respected and treated as adults. Generalizing the entire generation as “Nones” gives retailers the impression the entire generation is an unbelieving generation when in fact the majority of the 18- to 29-year-olds still do believe in something. Neither of these generalizations will help the retailers to reach this generation.
I would like to encourage you to use this article as a reminder to avoid generalizations in both your subject and your audience. When you’re writing about any topic, don’t assume that you know all about that subject based on your own opinion. Keep an open mind and do your research. In the case of this article, it would have been nice to see some quotes from 18- to 29-year-olds. When it comes to your audience, if you are writing for young adults, don’t assume that because you know one or two that you know them all. Or if you are writing for children, be sure to immerse yourself in working with children–maybe through Sunday school at church–so that you can really get to know the group you are writing for.
How could you get to know your audience better? Are there meetings you could attend or online groups you could join?
What kind of research would help to strengthen your understanding of the topic you are writing about?
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I haven’t read the article yet, but I’ve never thought of 18-29 year olds as kids. How insulting. I had two kids of my own when I was 29! (Which was like yesterday, since I’ve decided 31 is the age I’m sticking with–ha, ha!)
This is great advice. I often find myself stopping mid-scene to research something I hadn’t considered. Yesterday it was ambulance protocol and the exact terminology that would be used.
One of my biggest fears as a writer is to get an e-mail from a reader who picks apart my book for inaccuracies! I really want my books to be correct.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Jill, I commend you on the efforts you are taking to be accurate in your details. As a reader, I am distracted and pulled out of the story when I come across something I know is in accurate.
I am doing research as well for my fantasy novel and it is fun! I’ve learned a great deal about herbs, Celtic symbolism (especially in regards to trees and animals), Irish folklore and supernatural beings, in addition to other things. There are a number of details in the book that readers probably won’t even notice (for example, why I put a Blackthorn tree in a particular scene) but, like you, I want to be sure that all of my details–even the ones readers don’t pay attention to–are accurate.
Have a wonderful Easter!
Christine, everything you just wrote made me smile! I’ve been reading George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series (Game of Throne’s is the first in the series), so I’m on a medieval-fantasy kick right now!
All of those details really add up to create a world. Great job!
Hi Jill,
I’m glad that it made you smile. 🙂
Enjoy the series. Actually I haven’t read Game of Thrones yet, though I have been wanting to for a couple of years. I have watched a bit of the television version. Now I HAVE to make time for it. I love to play in the medieval world! 🙂
Good Morning, Rachel,
I did a triple-take when I read that the generation was referred to as “The Nones.” How offensive! Does this branding originate with the author or is this an “official” name for the 18-29 year olds. Your points are excellent, particularly the fact that the whole generation is being defined by the beliefs (or lack thereof) of a minority. Also, people in that age bracket certainly are not kids. When I was 29, I was a member of a religious community (the other kind of nuns) and was labelled “a kid” by many members and called “middle-aged” by some others. Neither label was appropriate.
I am writing YA fiction and I do try not to generalize or stereotype. My teenage characters don’t all have the same maturity levels or the same diction, attitudes, behaviors, etc. In developing the characters, I have drawn from my experiences with teenagers from years as a high school teacher and now as a college teacher (my 18-20 something students vary a good deal in maturity, personality and interests). Also, I have used my own experience of having been a teenage girl as well as keeping in mind psychological stages of development. A teenager’s main “job” is to separate from his / her parents, begin to own his / her identity and become independent. My main character’s overriding conflict stems from her determining who she really is and her journey to live her life rather than the one her mother wants her to live.
The issue of not feeling you know all teenagers just because you’ve known a couple came up in my critique group recently in regards to my book. My character struggles with how to follow her own inner voice without hurting her mother in the process. At one point she tells her aunt that she doesn’t want to hurt her mother and is trying all she can do not to hurt her. One member of the group said that a teenager not only wouldn’t say this, but that “teenagers are so self-centered, they wouldn’t CARE (emphasis is mine) about whether or not they hurt their mothers.” My mouth fell open. This was not only a generalization, but a scathing and unjust condemnation of all teenagers as self-centered, insensitive and completely incapable of truly loving someone. I don’t deny that teenagers can be self-absorbed and self-centered (so can adults at times) and I have encountered them, but I have also known teenagers who made great sacrifices for their families and many who gave up holidays in order to serve in soup kitchens or to go to Mexico to build houses for the poor. I think her comment and the attitude of the author of the article you cited indicates another thing that writers should be careful not to do: don’t use one rotten apple as evidence that the whole bunch is useless.
Have a blessed Easter.
I agree with you completely! Yes, there are self-centered, lazy people in every generation. And SO MANY teens and young adults are very responsible, caring, amazing people.
Absolutely!
My generation (I’m 23) is officially known as either the Millenials or Generation Y. “Nones” is something the author coined.
I thought that current 20-somethings were the Millenials, but I really don’t pay close attention to that because the branding is fairly meaningless. I’m somewhere on the cusp of the Baby Boomers and the generation which followed who have been called the “lost” generation because they supposedly didn’t contribute anything to the world. To demonstrate Rachel’s point that you shouldn’t generalize about people, if I am counted as a Baby Boomer, then my brother-in-law (who is seventeen years older than I am) and I would be a part of the same generation. Trust me–we aren’t! He is closer to my parents generation than mine. It doesn’t matter though. The bottom line is that individuals within a group are still individuals.
Have a blessed Easter, Brigid.
Wow, very interesting, as I too am in the discussed generation! Your points are excellent and I agree with them all, especially in regards to the effects of the generalization.
It is interesting though. In a proposal, we’re supposed to define our audience, which is rather a generalization itself. However, I suppose we can point to research and say “the majority of people who fit into this category also are like this and this.” OR is the targeted audience supposed to be incredibly specific? Just curious how this affects who we perceive our readers to be.
Thanks for the thought-provoking post.
When you are putting together a proposal you should go ahead and generalize your audience, but as you are writing your book be sure you understand the audience you are writing for.
A proposal is there to give an editor or agent a quick look at what your book will be about and which audience you are writing it for. The book content itself needs to show a true understanding of your audience and topic.
If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck….
While I am sure there are many hard-working, mature Millenials out there, and I have personally met a few, something must be said as to why the generalizations of Millenials as lazy, entitled, emotionally immature have been used to describe this particular generation of young people.
Through my experiences with advising various campus groups (and partnering with their affiliate inter-collegiate “twin” groups), and mentoring several waves of Millenials as they come to campus and graduate, I have noticed that some of the more unsavory descriptions of Millenials to fit. Moreso with the homeschoolers who come from homogenous communities and for the first time experience different cultures, beliefs, and people.
Part of it certainly comes from how most faculty encourage them to be slackers, literally teaching them ways to avoid maturing both as individuals and members of society, to retreat to a world where their ego can reign supreme.
Part of it certainly comes from popular culture, which has constantly scolded them to “feel”, not to think.
Part of it comes from the devaluation of the worth of a college degree, to where one can show up to parties more often than classes and graduate, and get a job based on personal connections instead of personal merit.
Part of it comes from the near destruction of the global economy. I personally don’t blame them for any indifferent attitudes they may have towards society in this regard. Why contribute to a system that rewards crooks and is built by crooks?
A good part of it is certainly the inability (or lack of trying) of the church to reach out to these folks. Yet, as I wrote earlier, even the Millenials of faith, for the most part, come to campus and stay within the herd.
If Millenials don’t even know themselves, I’m not surprised that much of the literature on this generation is contradictory and muddled.
In a way, it’s just a reflection of those who are the subject being written about, after all.
Maybe it’s a catch 22. The generation is called childish, lazy and emotionally immature–many aren’t valued for their true worth– so they give up on trying to do better?
I have a lot I could write about the Millenial generation, but I don’t want to get into it. My main point with the blog is that you need to watch out about generalizations in your writing so that your book can be as strong as you want it to be. This article ended up not accomplishing anything because it was flawed–I don’t want your books to have the same problem!
I do appreciate your comment, Larry, and agree that many factors have given the Millenials a hard start as adults.
Indeed! I agree that generalizations can be quite counter-productive to creating strong writing. Some of my Boomer pals, for example, always scoff at how Woodstock, in their words, “A lousy excuse for a party”, has come to define their generation in books and in media in general.
Have a wonderful Easter everyone!
Rachel, Frankly, I’d never heard the term, “The Nones,” until I read this post. I have to agree with you that it seems somewhat demeaning.
However, to someone my age, anyone under age 30 is a “kid.” Tell the truth–when was the last time you were “carded,” and how are you going to feel when you outgrow that? : )
Seriously, thanks for sharing a thought-provoking post.
You’ve hit the problem – “to someone your age…” In an article about appropriately reaching young adults, clearly the writer isn’t one, it’s been awhile since those days, and with the lack of quotes, apparently hasn’t talked to many in that age group. For me, that creates a serious credibility issue.
I actually haven’t been carded for a long time! Most checkers at grocery stores are younger than I am these days. 🙂
And I don’t mind older people thinking of me as young, it’s just when the respect and trust isn’t there that it’s bothersome. This article lumped all of 18-29 year olds as a bunch of unbelieving children and I don’t think that’s true of everyone.
Great post.
I try not to call my adult children “kids” and I don’t want to be called “old school” either. (lol)
I think it’s a simple matter of respect and showing people they are valued.
Exactly! 🙂
I am, once again, surprised that I’m not still 26. 🙂
Though I feel that the use of “kids” as a term to describe young adults says quite a lot about the age of the writer – pushing 60 or older, perhaps? And the use of “Nones” to describe all of them based on a characteristic of a quarter of them makes it seem like that writer doesn’t believe those who do claim a religion are honestly believers – which reflects, again, badly on the writer. At the very least, it’s sloppy editing which failed to remove unintended implied biases. At worst, those were intentional implied biases! Either way, there’s a loss of credibility which defeats the purpose of writing an article in the first place.
Yes! Well said, Paula. Thank you.
Paula,
While I agree with most of what you said, I have to point out that you just generalized about people over sixty. (I am a decade younger than that by the way). Those people I mentioned earlier who called me a kid were in their forties and I have encountered folks in their eighties who were quite respectful of people younger than themselves. Generalizations and biases in either direction (against the younger generation or the older) are demeaning and offensive.
Have a blessed holiday.
Rachel,
I totally agree about getting to know one’s audience and to do so in as many settings as possible. My understanding of tweens in the public school setting is vastly different than in the church setting. Yet, tweens have many more places of belonging: home with immediate family, homes of extended family (such as grandparents), church worship, church youth activities, Sunday school/life groups, school, extra-curricular activities, and unstructured settings with friends. The same tween can react and interact so differently in each of the settings. Yet, all of these make up the same tween.
Regarding you post, I too think the term “nones” is offensive. Wow. I am off to read the article.
It sounds like you have a good understanding of tweens! It is a time of transition, for sure. (One I am glad is over in my own life!)
A 29-year-old being referred to as a kid? When I was 29, my husband and I had a baby, I was pregnant with my second, and we owned our own home. Of course, now that I’m in my mid-40s, I see people that age and think how young they are. But not kids, for heaven’s sake. You’re right about this, Rachel. It’s so easy to stuff people into boxes and think we know them. But nobody really fits in the boxes we build for them.
Yep! Thanks for the comment, Robin! I think when we can remember what it’s like to be a certain age it helps us to know how to treat someone of that age too–the same way we would want to be treated.
I hope I can remember that for my own children!
I know this is incredibly picky of me, but in my formative years I was taught to avoid slang in writing (except of course in appropriate dialog). The word “kid” is one use of slang I dislike, although I know I am entirely outnumbered. My children are not baby goats. There is nothing uplifting about the word, not only in reference to twenty-somethings, but toward young people in general.(I couldn’t help chiming in since it hit a chord with me!)
It isn’t a pretty word!
Barbara, you are a woman after my own heart! I teach my college writing students that very thing, that they are not to use slang or colloquialisms in their writing–and I use “kid” as an example of an unacceptable colloquialism. The students tend to be surprise to discover that they have been calling their children “baby goats.” 🙂
I’ve never heard the term “the nones” but in my family, the children were referred to as “the kids” from the time we were children until my folks passed away. Now my 40-50 year old children are “the kids,” in my house. So perhaps it was an affectionate term that grew from the author’s family experience. Your points about generalization are, however, well taken.
The article doesn’t sound very affectionate. 🙂 My parents and grandparents are welcome to call me a kid, but society in general shouldn’t think of all 18-29 year olds as children.
I’ll always be daddy’s little girl though. 😉
As a teenager myself, I find calling this age group “kids” rather offensive. I know my generation has plenty of problems, but I must say I’m tired of hearing people complain about them. 🙂 It’s also illogical to describe us this way. For one thing, the immaturity people imply when calling us kids isn’t always accurate … and people tend to live up to expectations. Call us kids? Okay, we’ll act like it. Also, I’m just tired of hearing people talk badly about my generation. I’d prefer trying to fix the problem rather than continued comments on it.
Yep! If those who view us as kids took the time to get to know our hopes, dreams and struggles they’d realize we’re not too different from them. There are lazy people in every generation, but they don’t define the generation.
I just saw Anne Lamott use the term “Nones” on facebook. She offended several readers who let her know in the comments section. I think the last thing we want to do as Christians is offend non-Christians. Haven’t we already done enough? Which is ironic given the intended purpose of the article.
Yes, the article was very ironic!
Rachel, I find it interesting that CBA is even talking about this age group, between 18-29. I’ve been told by two editors that what others have labeled as “new adult” are an unmarketable age group for fiction. They don’t read it. I have a story that takes place on a college campus featuring grad students who run dormitories. One editor advised me to increase the main character’s age from 24 to 27 in order to make it more marketable. Another told me that just because it was set on a college campus, it would be hard to sell.
Afterwards, I read an article about how “new adult” fiction is taking off among the self-published. This is probably due to the fact that not much is coming from the traditional houses. I’m glad to see retailers finding this generation worthy of understanding. Maybe, if many truly are falling away from the church, it’s because we are not addressing the very real struggles being faced. I know those years were confusing for me. I wish I had examples of how to maneuver them at the time, even if only in fiction.
The article mostly addressed non-fiction books. I don’t think it mentioned fiction at all.
I don’t especially like being referred to as part of the “Silent Generation,” and if you look back at the Civil Rights movement you’ll see people born in the early 1940s were just as active as those a few years younger. Prejudice is assuming all members of a group are alike and a negative prejudice about a group of humans is bigotry. Avoiding things like you mention is not just a matter of good writing, but about morality.
Good points about generalization! Not only in non-fiction and truth principles/beliefs in fiction, but also in a writer’s real life when generalizations are made without sufficient facts. For example, just because one agent or publisher does things one way, doesn’t mean that all agents or publishers are like that.
I guess the problem with opinion is that it is highly subjective and relative in its nature. I’m 45, and I wouldn’t think of that age bracket as kids. I think of 0 to 12 as kids. Teen and YA come next, and by 20 you’re pretty much an adult in my book, for better or worse. As far as wisdom and maturity, that’s all over the place. There are people who have been adults for years who act immature, but teens who seem old beyond their years.
I guess the bottom line is, as you say, never generalize. You’ll always be wrong somewhere if you do. (Which is still a generalization, but I think it might be right in this case.)
Can I publicly state that I’m annoyed to have barely missed out on this age bracket, no matter what offensive name the author chose for it? 😉
I have to admit that I call my 25-year-old son a kid, but I’m his mom. By the time I was 19, I lived on my own with my son and was working three jobs, so I definitely didn’t feel like a kid at all.
Rachel, you did a great point of highlighting how dangerous generalizing can be. The way I get to know my audience better is by reading books in the genre I write. I also tend to hang out at the library or mall and visit schools, so I can be around kids more.