Many have attempted to identify successive generations by looking at general tendencies or patterns and then labeling them accordingly, such as baby boomer, baby busters, generation X, etc.  Yet, preceding generations down to the present time have always had one thing in common.  Whether one reads the accounts of the Jewish people in Old Testament times carping at the prophets rather than repenting, the hatred of the religious leaders who resented the clarification of the Law and explanation of gaining eternal life by Jesus, or the misguided hostility of the culture in which we live today toward Christianity, people have a strong aversion to being held accountable by Almighty God and His standards.
Listen to how our Lord diagnoses this phenomenon:  "But to what shall I compare this generation?  It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'  For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He had a demon!'  The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gathers and sinners!'  Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds" (Matthew 11:16-19).
The people of Jesus' time were like little children who couldn't be pleased by anything.  They in essence were saying, "we will call the tune and we expect you to dance.  Play our game with us.  Be conformed to our image of what we think you should be like.  You can preach against sin in general but don't get too specific and by all means do everything to avoid controversy."  One will always get along just fine with the generation in which they are living if they abide by these unspoken rules of the game.  In some circles it is called the status quo.
The apostle Paul, however, instructs believers not to be conformed to this present culture (world) but rather to be transformed or "morphed" by the renewing of their mind (through God's Word) in Romans 12:2.  If a true believer thinks like God wants His children to think, they will act like He wants them to act.  But that will put them out of step with the world and exposed to the nasty consequences of not playing according to the rules.  Detractors will look for the slightest flaw in the person who is not in the game, whether real or imagined, and throw that back in the face of the one they are venting their anger toward so they may justify themselves in not dealing with their sin.  As in the case of Jesus, people who have been bumped out of their comfort zone or who are harboring some resentment will read into a situation what they want to.
After Jesus had been invited to lunch with a Pharisee and had spoken very frankly with him and his friends about their hypocrisy, He found them "to be very hostile and to question Him closely on many subjects, plotting against Him, to catch Him in something He might say" (Luke 11:53-54).  This is typical human nature when challenged with something one doesn't want to hear.  Conversely, if Jesus would have ripped into "those other guys," the "real" sinners, like tax gatherers and harlots, he would have heard plenty of "Amens."
From then on, it was a simple matter to trace the motive of these religious leaders once the bitterness and hostility had set in:  "And it came about when He went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching Him closely" (Luke 14:1).  "And they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order that they might catch Him in some statement, so as to deliver Him up to the rule and the authority of the governor" (Luke 20:20).
Two things should be learned from this quirk of human nature which transcends every generation.  First, expect this kind of reaction when you choose to be in step with God and out of step with the world.  Even Christians can hold grudges, sadly enough, when offended either inadvertently or when one is intending to correct.  The prophets, the disciples and our Lord Himself experienced the wrath of man when seeking to lead the people out of error or mediocrity into truth and dynamic living for our Lord.
Secondly, be careful that you yourself do not play the game of children in the market place who take their ball and go home when they don't get their way or are offended because circumstances or people didn't meet their expectations.  It is always good to ask the question when stung by a comment or confrontation, even if spoken with less than good intentions, "Is there any truth to this?  What can I learn from it?  What does God's Word say?  The apostle Peter reminds us to "keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins" (I Peter 4:8).  How easy it is to develop deep resentments because of past offenses and to lose sight of what real love is:  to desire God's will to be done in and through that person.  If love covers a multitude of sins, then animosity will bring them up.  Don't fall for the silly child's play of this generation!