--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that to acknowledge a new…" description: "\"I think that to acknowledge a new generation is to acknowledge some degree of obsolescence in yourself, and that is very hard to do and often comes wit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/douglas-coupland-305_acknowledge_i-think-that-to-acknowledge-a-new-genera_3116542.jpg" --- # I think that to acknowledge a new generation is to… ![“I think that to acknowledge a new generation is to acknowledge some degree of obsolescence in yourself, and that is very hard to do and often comes with undeniable anger.” quote by Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/douglas-coupland-305_acknowledge_i-think-that-to-acknowledge-a-new-genera_3116542.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/douglas-coupland-305_acknowledge_i-think-that-to-acknowledge-a-new-genera_3116542.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/douglas-coupland-305_acknowledge_i-think-that-to-acknowledge-a-new-genera_3116542.jpg) > “I think that to acknowledge a new generation is to acknowledge some degree of obsolescence in yourself, and that is very hard to do and often comes with undeniable anger.” [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledging a new generation forces personal obsolescence, often causing anger. **In simple terms:** Accepting youth reveals your own outdatedness. Key Takeaway Embrace change despite discomfort. Themes generational change self‑reflection age Mood introspective thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career transitions - family discussions - personal growth Key Concepts obsolescence identity intergenerational dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of yourself feel outdated? - How can you channel anger into constructive adaptation? A Different Perspective Denial can stall progress and damage relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acknowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acknowledge/) [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degree/) [Degrees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degrees/) [Generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation/) [Generation Acknowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation-acknowledge-4479524/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-generation/) [Obsolescence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsolescence/) [Obsolescence Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsolescence-hard-5457258/) [Often](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/often/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Acknowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-acknowledge-1719368/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Undeniable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undeniable/) [Undeniable Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undeniable-anger-5457259/) [Very](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very/) [Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yourself/) ## Related quotes > [“But as part of that greatest generation, I have to acknowledge how much more we had going for us that contributed to our Pearl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/but-as-part-of-that-greatest-generation-i-have-to-acknowledge-how/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [I try not to focus on the gender issue too much but I think you have to acknowledge it in order for it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/i-try-not-to-focus-on-the-gender-issue-too-much-but-i-think-you-have/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [I think Lady GaGa, as an artist you know, she's undeniable. That was one of them things where sometimes I get a joke in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/i-think-lady-gaga-as-an-artist-you-know-she-s-undeniable-that-was-one/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [It is undeniable that we all create scenarios and then become convinced by them, down to our very cells.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/it-is-undeniable-that-we-all-create-scenarios-and-then-become/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The power of music is undeniable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gracey/the-power-of-music-is-undeniable/) [Michael Gracey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gracey/) > [Advocates of unrestricted abortion do not want the public to focus on these undeniable facts of fetal development, but the facts cannot be ignored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-casey/advocates-of-unrestricted-abortion-do-not-want-the-public-to-focus-on/) [Robert Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-casey/) > [You know it's right when you feel this undeniable connection and chemistry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-larter/you-know-it-s-right-when-you-feel-this-undeniable-connection-and/) [Ali Larter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-larter/) > [“Cal's attraction to her was unstoppable - undeniable. Like a thunderbolt piercing his heart, it beat only for her and had since the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nini-church/cal-s-attraction-to-her-was-unstoppable-undeniable-like-a-thunderbolt/) [Nini Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nini-church/) > [The thing I can't figure out is why I have an undeniable compulsion to clean public spaces, airplane bathrooms, restaurant flatware, hotel gyms and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/the-thing-i-can-t-figure-out-is-why-i-have-an-undeniable-compulsion/) [Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/) > [“You respect women, you little fuckin' shit. It was a fuckin' woman who carried you around in her fuckin' body, fuckin' birthed you, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-sheehan/you-respect-women-you-little-fuckin-shit-it-was-a-fuckin-woman-who/) [Madeline Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-sheehan/) > [The 70 mm charm is undeniable, but people are enjoying OTT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohit-saraf/the-70-mm-charm-is-undeniable-but-people-are-enjoying-ott/) [Rohit Saraf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohit-saraf/) > [Musicians like James Blake were a big influence on me. How he uses his vocals is amazing. And then Yeasayer and Animal Collective, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/musicians-like-james-blake-were-a-big-influence-on-me-how-he-uses-his/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [There comes a point when things are undeniable and can't be hidden any longer. Even from yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/there-comes-a-point-when-things-are-undeniable-and-can-t-be-hidden/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Clean undeniable right, clear undeniable might: either of these once ascertained puts an end to battle. All battle is a confused experiment to ascertain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/clean-undeniable-right-clear-undeniable-might-either-of-these-once/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More by Douglas Coupland > [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [A man in a bookstore buys a book on loneliness and every woman in the store hits on him. A woman buys a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/a-man-in-a-bookstore-buys-a-book-on-loneliness-and-every-woman-in-the/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [The future and eternity are two entirely different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/the-future-and-eternity-are-two-entirely-different-things/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Do you remember how you felt at seventeen? I do and I don't (...) Imagine you came from outer space and someone showed you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/do-you-remember-how-you-felt-at-seventeen-i-do-and-i-don-t-imagine/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [You can't fake competence, creativity, or sexual arousal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/you-can-t-fake-competence-creativity-or-sexual-arousal/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“But Dag, for all of his efforts, might as well have been talking to a cat. Our parents’ generation seems neither able nor interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/but-dag-for-all-of-his-efforts-might-as-well-have-been-talking-to-a/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Negative? Moi? I think realistic might be a better word. You mean to tell me we can drive all the way here from L.A.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/negative-moi-i-think-realistic-might-be-a-better-word-you-mean-to/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [It was pivotal in making you but you don't remember it. Or do you? Do we understand the events that make us who we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/it-was-pivotal-in-making-you-but-you-don-t-remember-it-or-do-you-do/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Your ability to rationalize your own bad deeds makes you believe that the whole world is as amoral as you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/your-ability-to-rationalize-your-own-bad-deeds-makes-you-believe-that/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“I like to go beach-combing, and I like to find interestingly shaped rocks. When I really get into the groove I start finding beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-like-to-go-beach-combing-and-i-like-to-find-interestingly-shaped/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“You know, Dag and Claire smile a lot, as do many people I know. But I always wondered if there is something either mechanical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/you-know-dag-and-claire-smile-a-lot-as-do-many-people-i-know-but-i/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Brain research tells us that only twenty percent of human beings have a sense of irony, which means that eighty percent of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/brain-research-tells-us-that-only-twenty-percent-of-human-beings-have/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [I keep vampire hours, going to bed at 2 A.M. and waking up at about 10:30-11 A.M.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-keep-vampire-hours-going-to-bed-at-2-a-m-and-waking-up-at-about-10/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“Anna-Louise leans over and whispers in my ear. "This is so surreal," she says, "I think I'm turning into a melting clock.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/anna-louise-leans-over-and-whispers-in-my-ear-this-is-so-surreal-she/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [When you grow up these days, you're told you're going to have four or five different careers during your lifetime. But what they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/when-you-grow-up-these-days-you-re-told-you-re-going-to-have-four-or/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) [Explore all 704 Douglas Coupland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) ## More Acknowledge quotes > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I'm a Christian because Christianity names and addresses sin. It acknowledges the reality that the evil we observe in the world is also present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-m-a-christian-because-christianity-names-and-addresses-sin-it/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [The only way to ease our fear and be truly happy is to acknowledge our fear and look deeply at its source. Instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-way-to-ease-our-fear-and-be-truly-happy-is-to-acknowledge/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/on-thanksgiving-day-we-acknowledge-our-dependence/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [You can't go into games with any fear. You can acknowledge a good team but you can't go in worrying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/you-can-t-go-into-games-with-any-fear-you-can-acknowledge-a-good-team/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [Conservative feminism is such an artificial term that doesn't mean much to me. For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/) > [We must acknowledge that bearing and raising children is not some pesky, peripheral activity that we engage in, but the whole point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-raising-children-is-not-some/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [When we pray, we must begin by conceiving God in full and vigorous images, but we must go on to acknowledge the inadequacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-farrer/when-we-pray-we-must-begin-by-conceiving-god-in-full-and-vigorous/) [Austin Farrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-farrer/) > [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Actually, when I look at my old notebooks, I think I have been a bit self-indulgent and have given myself too much time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/actually-when-i-look-at-my-old-notebooks-i-think-i-have-been-a-bit/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [I would like, then, to end by putting in a good word for the non-industrious poor. At least they aren’t hurting anyone. Insofar as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graeber/i-would-like-then-to-end-by-putting-in-a-good-word-for-the-non/) [David Graeber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graeber/) > [No one seriously doubts Socrates' maxim: The unexamined life isn't worth living. Self-assessment and attempts at self-improvement are essential aspects of "the good life."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-burton/no-one-seriously-doubts-socrates-maxim-the-unexamined-life-isn-t/) [Robert A. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-burton/) > [As objects of contemplation, images of the atrocious can answer to several different needs. To steel oneself against weakness. To make oneself more numb.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/as-objects-of-contemplation-images-of-the-atrocious-can-answer-to/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [It is in the measure that special methods acknowledge their common core in transcendental method, that norms common to all the sciences will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lonergan/it-is-in-the-measure-that-special-methods-acknowledge-their-common/) [Bernard Lonergan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lonergan/) > [I can hear of the brilliant accomplishments of any of my sex with pleasure and rejoice in that liberality of sentiment which acknowledges them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/i-can-hear-of-the-brilliant-accomplishments-of-any-of-my-sex-with/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) [Browse all 1,475 Acknowledge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acknowledge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that to acknowledge a new generation is to acknowledge some degree of obsolescence in yourself, and that is very hard to do and often comes with undeniable anger.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Douglas Coupland" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-think-that-to-acknowledge-a-new-generation-is-to-acknowledge-some/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acknowledge" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-think-that-to-acknowledge-a-new-generation-is-to-acknowledge-some/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/douglas-coupland-305_acknowledge_i-think-that-to-acknowledge-a-new-genera_3116542.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/douglas-coupland-305_acknowledge_i-think-that-to-acknowledge-a-new-genera_3116542.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/douglas-coupland-305_acknowledge_i-think-that-to-acknowledge-a-new-genera_3116542.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think that to acknowledge a new generation is to acknowledge some degree of obsolescence in yourself, and…” — Douglas Coupland", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Douglas Coupland", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think that to acknowledge a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-think-that-to-acknowledge-a-new-generation-is-to-acknowledge-some/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/i-think-that-to-acknowledge-a-new-generation-is-to-acknowledge-some/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```