“Did you buy those jeans like that?”

Your grandma is wondering. Well, everyone’s grandma is wondering. I promise it’s a universal experience. That question, specifically, is one that sparks controversy for many younger individuals. But the whole thing is just a big misunderstanding.

To you, the answer is obviously yes. This is a fashion statement, this in trend and the look is “in”. The fact that your grandma can’t wrap her head around that is frustrating to you, and it makes you angry. 

To your grandma, it’s genuinely confusing. She grew up working to get herself jeans that didn’t have holes. She worked very hard to get what she has now, and to start the family that you’re even a part of. You couldn’t possibly understand that, and that’s frustrating to her. It makes her angry.

If you take a step back and observe this interaction, you can see it’s probably an age thing. We are dealing with a generational conflict, which unfortunately are very common in this day and age. They can really be (and are often) about anything and everything, and almost always are arguments based on bias between two individuals of different backgrounds. 

But this begs the question, why? It’s not hatred, but more of a misunderstanding. Obviously, the jeans are not THAT big of a deal. These types of issues are normal within families. Where it starts to become an issue is when it affects the real world, and the billions of people in it. These social and political issues are present in our lives each and every day, and have extreme positive/negative effects. Just because of simple misunderstanding between different generations.

BUT, and a big but, It doesn’t have to be that way. Understandably, you cannot fix all of the world’s problems on a large scale. But, solving even one of these issues can help lead to your own personal resolutions. Conversation is always key, so communicating and acknowledging what others say holds weight. 

So be yourself, and take no crap. But respect those from different backgrounds, and put yourself into their shoes. Generational conflict can become generational understanding and knowledge. Engage in that conversation, and have discourse about your pant choices. Own those ripped jeans. Or sew them back together. Whatever makes you happy.