Back in the 1990's - my 20's - I heard a lot about Generation X. I even wrote for a magazine designed just for X'ers. There were books, conferences, articles, you name it. I recently heard a friend describe himself as a GenXer and realized it was a term I had not heard for a long time.What happened to Generation X? We're still here - the people I mean. Are we not a meaningful grouping, after all? Do we have no specific needs or attributes?
Do we have any specialty to bring to the generation potluck or are we, just, well, X?
I ask, because some of these other generations, like Millenials, are still happenin'. So are Baby Boomers.
Maybe generationally focused thinking gets the most press when it describes the "latest" generation: those in their teens and twenties. Even though descriptions of them may have more to do with their age than their generation.
Any thoughts? See also a recent article on the topic in Forbes.
3 comments:
I think it's just a reflection of the faddishness of media focus - it's not fashionable to focus on GenX, for the moment.
Maybe we grew up?
Maybe we're the ones making the decisions now so we don't have so much to react against, so other generations aren't noticing us as much.
Maybe society has changed to the degree that it now accepts Gen X ways of thinking and doing as normal.
Just some thoughts...
Let me add some thoughts for the sake of completeness. I did post this same item elsewhere, and among the responses left were these:
M., who edited that magazine to which I alluded - in his day, perhaps the X-iest man I knew, writes, "I think it's partially a choice of our generation to lay beneath the radar. We didn't like the categorizing and grouping--we enjoy being individuals...so perhaps that's why you don't hear us complaining about the lack of attention. I know I'm glad to be done with all the GenX hype." Hmmmm....
J., who worked with both M. and I back in those days, writes: "It won't be long before a GenXer takes the office of President, then we'll see the line between boomers & GenX."
Post a Comment