Part 6/9:
As mature Gen Xers transition into elder roles, Howe emphasizes a critical gap in how this generation was prepared to take on leadership responsibilities. The cultural phenomena that influenced Gen X—such as latchkey parenting and societal indifference—left them ill-equipped to assume roles traditionally ascribed to elders.
However, as history has often shown, the generational “nomads” are likely to surprise as they step into leader-like roles, helping shape institutions with an eye toward stabilization amidst crises. Howe compares this dynamic to that of the "lost generation," which emerged from period devastation to rebuild societal structures.