Cycle | Turnings | Life Phases | Generations | Archetypes
Prophet | Nomad | Hero | Artist
The Nomad Archetype
Living
Nomad generations: Lost (born
1883-1900), Gen-X (born 1961-1981)
We
remember Nomads best for their rising-adult years of hell-raising
and for their midlife years of hands-on, get-it-done leadership.
Their principal endowments are in the domain of liberty, survival,
and honor. A lifecycle outline:
- As Nomads
replace Prophets in childhood during an Awakening, they
are left underprotected at a time of social convulsion
and adult self-discovery.
- As alienated
Nomads replace Prophets in young adulthood during an
Unraveling, they become brazen free agents, lending their
pragmatism and independence to an era of growing social
turmoil.
- As pragmatic
Nomads replace Prophets in midlife during a Crisis, they
apply toughness and resolution to defend society while
safeguarding the interests of the young.
- As exhausted
Nomads replace Prophets in elderhood during a High, they
slow the pace of social change, shunning the old crusades
in favor of simplicity and survivalism.
From The Fourth Turning, William
Strauss and Neil Howe, Copyright 1996 Broadway Books. All rights
reserved. To learn more, visit www.fourthturning.com.