Lingering Myths about Generation X

[Writer]

This article is a few years old, but I found it interesting.

Myth #1:

Generation Xers are, and always will be, outnumbered by other generations

Researchers define a generation as a group of peers who share similar life experiences. Notwithstanding those who doubt the credibility of generation-based characterizations, generational divides still provide some of the most useful insights into large groups of our population. The Baby Boomer generation was born between 1946 and 1964, a span of 18 years. Generation X, on the other hand, is not so easily categorized. Most commonly, those born between 1965 and 1978 are considered Xers, but several influential research reports have expanded the conventional 13-year span to one more comparable to that of the Boomers — 1961 to 1981.

More at the link...

http://www.housingzone.com/article/CA503868.html

[soothsayer]

1. I'm 1962 and aren't sure where I belong. Feels like neither place.

[Writer]

2. The article discusses that folks born in the early 1960's generally feel trapped in the middle.

I think it depends on one's individual experiences with history and the perspective one gleans from those experiences... Obama is a good example. He ID's with Gen X because of his adamant with to depart from Boomer politics, which he feels are divisive.

[girl gone mad]

4. I agree that Obama is an Xer.

His life experiences mirror those of many Xers. His mom seems to have been an early boomer and he has WWII generation grandparents.

[Writer]

5. He IS an X'er, he WILL be the first Gen X president...

and he is not:

a) a slacker

b) completely cynical

c) pretentious

d) craving another hit of Nirvana

e) all of the above, while high

[Wizard777]

9. Reagan said that Generation X would be the first generation to be denied the American dream.

It sent chills through my bones and made me hate the treasonous bastard even more.

[Writer]

12. Unfortunately, he is correct, and that son-of-a-bitch is the primary reason why.

[AspenRose]

20. WORD

[MidwestPerspective]

38. He is certainly NOT an Xer, he is GenJones

there is certainly a generation between the boomers and xers, and obama is part of that

[Writer]

40. That's not what Strauss and Howe say, however.

See post below.

[MidwestPerspective]

43. Yes, but strauss and howe's theories are much less respected these days...

see post below

[Writer]

45. They are not less respected.

Their research is one of the best known guides into this study.

[DailyGrind51]

15. They used to call them "Tweeners", those at the back end of "Boomers" and the front end of "Xers".

[Systematic Chaos]

3. You're the DISCO GENERATION!!

:rofl:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_generations

But seriously, I actually like some disco tunes. Should I feel ashamed?

[MidwestPerspective]

29. Generation Jones is the commonly used name...

for the generation between the boomers and xers. Tweeners and Disco Generation are virtually never used, while Generation Jones has been used in literally thousands of articles, etc. just google it and you'll see...

[malletgirl02]

7. Generation jones

I heard that people born in the early 60's are referred to as generation Jones.

[JHB]

18. Jones'n

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Jones

http://www.generationjones.com/

[JHB]

19. Nice graphic

[Arnold Judas Rimmer]

6. Wasn't that a band back in the 1970s?

I think Billy Idol was with them, maybe?

[Writer]

11. Duuude.

[ccharles000]

8. ...

Gen X sucks we millennials rule.

[Writer]

10. Hmmm... let me think about that.

No!

;)

:hi:

[Dreamer Tatum]

13. Rule what? Bedheadland?

:eyes:

[SidneyCarton]

14. Born 1982, identify more with Gen X than Millennials

Makes sense, being born on the cusp.

[sentelle]

16. I thought trhis one interesting

Myth #4:
Generation Xers favor intangibles over possessions

One of the biggest misconceptions about Generation X is that they reject material wealth in favor of rich intellectual, spiritual and social lives — that they value experiences over possessions. Coupland called this idea "lessness" or "status substitution."

Having and spending money may lack novelty for Xers, but that doesn't mean it is not important. This generation has been participating in discretionary spending since they were teenagers, and now they want to maintain a similar level of affluence. Time's publication of the New American Dream study revealed that the majority of Xers believe material things, such as their homes and cars, are very important.

Xers are an important group when it comes to discretionary spending, largely because they are reaching peak ages for life stages associated with heavy spending. Generation X has produced homebuyers and home-improvement shoppers at an earlier age than ever before, and they will go to great lengths to make their homes reflect personal tastes and preferences. Kid-friendly items are also a hot market for Xers now that 55% of them have children.

According the Consumer Expenditure Survey, Generation X outspends the average consumer in several categories, including eating out, clothing, transportation, entertainment, audio/visual equipment and housing. Table 4 outlines household spending on select items for Generation X compared with that of the average consumer.



The thing is. Xers are quite familiar with the idea of spending, as latch-key kids, they have always had to deal with the idea of having things rather than 'quality time with the family'. Yes, our parents were not home, so the parents made it up by buying crap. This doesn't mean that we don't buy... we do, boy do we. but we are also looking for value, since buying crap doesn't make anyone feel good inside, and doesn't replace the love of a parent.

[ejpoeta]

26. i was born in 72, and prefer the intangibles.

we didn't have a lot growing up. and little things meant more to us. they still do. while it is nice to have things, i prefer spending time with my kids and fostering the desire for experiences over possessions.

[InvisibleTouch]

37. Gotta say, I was pretty big on spending...

...but I spent on things that made little sense to others, because of the "intangibles" that those things represented. These days, of necessity, I have to be much more restrained, but I still have to watch myself so I don't burn through a little extra cash that occasionally comes my way. Got me in major credit card trouble, too. But the high of a successful hunt-and-purchase was worth it to me.

[JHB]

17. 1961 to 1981 is more like it

I was born in late '64 and never (ever , ever!) felt part of the Boomers. They were in college when I was a toddler. The eternal flame was burning on JFK's grave before I was even conceived.

Being grouped in statistically was "Boomer bracket creep".

[Taverner]

21. 1978 is not the X cutoff - 75 is

78 is a millennial, they were 11, maybe 12 when the Berlin Wall came down. That, for me, is the cusp.

[supernova]

22. 1962 here, I've always felt more Xer than Boomer

I never identified with my sister and brother, both definitely boomers (1948 & 52 to be exact),

I always was way more experiential and existential than they were and still are. Though my brother is less materialistic than my sister. I'm the least materialsitic (even more than my niece, born in 1970. I am probably the most generally spiritual, without doctrine attached.

edit: While I'm not too fond of "Gen X," I really dislike "Generation Jones," because I truly do no envy Boomers, nor do I wish to be younger than I am either. How typically Boomer is that to think that people younger than you are envious of you. :eyes: Suck it, Pontell!

[Writer]

24. I'm absolutely in agreement with you about Generation Jones.

I find the term to be a cop-out, frankly. I don't recall there being some sort of special "cusp" designation for those born between the Silent and Baby Boom generations; individuals on the cusp, depending on their experiences, can sway one way or another.

I was born in 1975 and am a Gen X'er in every way. My two sisters were born in 1963 and 1966, and also are Gen-X to a T.

[MidwestPerspective]

28. Generation Jones is largest generation in U.S. history

Generation Jones is not a cusp generation...it is, in fact the largest generation in U.S. history. And the jones connotation isn't about envying Boomers at all, it's about the underlying unrequited feeling experienced by members of this generation of huge expectations left unfulfilled.

[Writer]

32. What years are you using to slate Gen Jones?

[MidwestPerspective]

33. GenJones: 1954-1965, 26% of all U.S. adults

[Writer]

34. That's such a small cohort... I've read about Gen Jones...

on the internet, but what I don't understand about this group is that all transitions in collective experience will have people who don't fall into either category. Why the special designation between Boomers and X'ers?

[MidwestPerspective]

36. gen jones rings true

because typically, gens are more or less accurate, but these 2 gens-boom and x- were wrong from beginning...yes there was a boom in births from 46-64, but there were 2 gens born during that period, not one...x def all screwed up also...turned out reason they couldnt figure out where to draw lines was because they were trying to deliniate 2 gens--boom/x, when really there were 3--boom/jones/x...and on your other point, not such a small cohort, these days most gen experts say gens are 10-15 not 20 yrs...gen jones is 12 yrs...this poll of 1961ers i think says a lot about the truth of gen jones: http://sev.prnewswire.com/publishing-information-services/20080804/NEM05504082008-1.html i think obama is a classic joneser, they say booms are idealistic, x cynical, and jones practical idealists, which obama seems very much to me...

[Writer]

39. I prefer Strauss and Howe's 1991 definition of Generation X.

They put it at 1961-1981, because:

The generation receives its name because it's the 13th to know the flag of the United States (counting back to the peers of Benjamin Franklin). Strauss and Howe defined the birth years of the 13th Generation as 1961 to 1981 based on examining peaks and troughs in cultural trends rather than simply looking at birth rates.<1> Howe and Strauss speak of six influences that they believe have shaped Generation 13. These influences are as follows

* Readily-accessible birth control
* Legalization of abortion on demand
* Increase in divorce
* Increase in mothers in the work place
* The Zero Population movement
* "Devil-child films"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generations_%28book%29

[MidwestPerspective]

41. the reason strauss and howe's work is becoming so discredited is because...

given the acceleration of culture, generations are shorter now, this view is widely held among gen experts...unfortunately for s & h, their cycles are based on rigid 20 year lengths that don't allow for the fact that gens are more like 10 to 15 years these days...

[Writer]

42. I don't see Strauss and Howe being discredited.

And what other gen experts are you quoting?

Also, if you review the generation cohorts listed in their book, you see that they absolutely DON'T use neat 20-year brackets.

[MidwestPerspective]

46. google it and you'll see their work has been under serious attack...

and google gen experts and you'll see what i'm saying is true...although tragically strauss died 6 months ago...

[Writer]

47. What sort of google search should I do?

Can you give me a link of at least one source?

[MidwestPerspective]

51. the regular kind...

i'm sorry, im trying to do 4 things at once right now, and cant really continue here, but its like any other research, put in "generation expert" with quotation marks and read what ypou find, the first person that comes to mind on gen length is gail sheehy whos been on my mind cause her husband just died...shes not purely a gen expert but has written much about gens and is generally respected, she says gens are 12 to 15 years...gotta run...enjoy the research, fascinating stuff i think...

[TuxedoKat]

53. Well...

I think you have to be born during the cusp to feel it (Jones period for me). I never felt like I was fully a Boomer but definitely don't feel like an X'er, although I do remember feeling some of the things experienced by your generation, alienation, lack of opportunities, etc.

With all due respect to Strauss and Howe, I think if one was age four or older in 1968 and lived through the deaths of MLK and RFK, and all the war protests and later witnessing Watergate and the end of the Vietnam War, one would definitely have some Boomer characteristics.

[dorkulon]

23. 1970 here, and I have to admit some of those 'myths' describe me to a T

or an X, I suppose. :headbang:

[JustAnotherGen]

25. 1973

Total X'er . . .


I know I'm not alone that a lot of us who were cynical assholes 15 years ago (myself included) are cynical assholes now (myself included). This election year has been rough for me. I'm watching all of these young "Millenials" all excited and it makes me excited - but then again I'm thinking, "Okay Pollyannas. Enough. Go get yourself a copy of Reality Bites or Higher Education and throw in some Stone Temple Pilots, Arrested Development or Cowboy Junkies then get back to me."

To me? Obama is tail end Boomer. Seriously -all that happy happy joy joy is infectious . . . He kind of reminds me of my mom. She was born in 47. But deep down inside I don't buy any of that happIness for myself. :rofl:Disaster can strike at any minute and all you can do is survive.

I'm a Cynical Asshole Gen X-er. I can't help myself. It's just who I am.

[Writer]

27. Obama distances himself from Boomers, so I don't think he identifies with them...

but maybe he does? I don't know. It's hard to differentiate between the politician from his marketing strategy.

[MidwestPerspective]

30. Those born 1961 tell pollsters they are GenJones, not Boom or GenX in new poll out today

Very interesting poll released today, because of Obama's birthday...ThirdAge (a big website for mid-life aged people) commissioned a poll of a nationally representative sample of 500 people born in 1961 (the same year as Obama) to try to determine Obama's generational identity. 57% chose Generation Jones while only 22% chose Boomer, and only 21% chose Xer.

Some very interesting stuff about this here: http://www.generationjones.com/2008election.html

And here: http://sev.prnewswire.com/publishing-information-services/20080804/NEM05504082008-1.html

[Connie_Corleone]

31. I was born in 1971, but I make people who were born in 1961 honorary Gen Xers.

They seem to be more like Gen Xers than Boomers to me.

[misanthrope]

35. I don't dig those categorizations...

...I think it's a lot simpler than that.

If your parents fought in WWII, you're a Boomer.

If your grandparents fought in WWII, you're an Xer.

[SpookyCat]

56. Sweet! I'm a 40 y/o Boomer then! n/t

[otherlander]

44. What generation am I?

I was born in '90.

[Writer]

48. I think you're considered a Millennial. n/t

[otherlander]

49. That sounds fancy.

I like it.

[Writer]

50. Hehe. Check out Strauss and Howe's discussions on Millennials in their writing.

You would find it interesting.

[TuxedoKat]

52. You're a Millenial...

the next greatest generation (like the GI generations - WWII vets), according to Strauss and Howe.

[Writer]

54. The "Greatest Generation"? Wow. They're not even 30 yet.

[TuxedoKat]

57. Ah well, give them some time.

If they show up at the polls for Obama this November they will be on their way to proving Strauss and Howe right.

[SpookyCat]

55. 1968, so firmly a X'er...

what's weird though, is that my parents were in their early 40's when I was born, so they were a generation removed...my friends' dads were Vietnam vets, but mine was a WWII vet, and they were children of the Depression, so my outlook on some things is oddly skewed.

Plenty cynical though, oh my yes...

[KillCapitalism]

58. Born on Jan. 4th 1976 here.

I'm pretty sure that makes me an X'er.

Yes, many of us are cynical because previous generations had it easier than we do. For example, the early boomers were able to go to college without graduating with massive debt. Also, the average home price was like only 2.5 times the average salary when they were my age.