Generation X at war

The Orlando Sentinel ^ | April 26, 2003 | Bryan G. Stewart

[Tulsa Brian]

I am proud to be a member of Generation X, which is sometimes described as those born between 1965 and 1980. Tom Brokaw may have identified the "greatest generation" of the 20th century, but I would like to bring your attention to the one that has kicked off the 21st century with a bang.

We are the same people who grew up with the Commodore 64 computer and played Pac-Man on the Atari 2600 for sport. Rock 'n' roll to us was Van Halen, while pop music was represented by Madonna and Michael Jackson. We knew Ronald Reagan as our president and could remember on what playground we were when the flight of the space shuttle Challenger ended in tragedy. We were the last group of kids to live during an era of two superpowers and the Berlin Wall. As the Cold War ended with America's triumph and the Internet took off, we became aware that our generation would be like no other.

Many outside of our generation, though, have not always shared that awareness.

[Tulsa Brian]

Good enough...

[SevenofNine]

Tulsa I remember Ronnie Reagan

Oh yeah I am part of that Generation Generation X I remember play Atart 2600 listening to Michael Jackson Thriller album

Probably only one to realize that Angela Channing from Falcon Crest was once marry to Ronnie

[Maelstrom]

This is us.

[egarvue]

I agree, our much-maligned generation is finally coming into its own. The kids of Reagan are going to make this country strong again.

[jrushing]

This old Baby Boomer is proud of Generation X.

[Tulsa Brian]

He was the first President I voted for.

[SevenofNine]

OHHHH yeahh

Well I was too young to vote for Ronnie 1984 but in 1988 I vote for George Bush Sr but he really tick me off in 1992 I vote for LITTLE GENERAL ROSS PEROT

OHHH I AM BADDD GIRL

[Rate_Determining_Step]

Gen-X bump!

I played Asteriods and was KING!

Although this deals with Gen-X, Gen-Y is doing a huge amount of heavy lifting in Iraq. I've beem most unimpressed with most Gen-Y'ers I've met. I haven't met one that could outwork me, etc. Heck, I would never let someone older than me put me in my place when it came to getting the job done. However, it appears that these guys are stepping up to the plate as well and what I might have seen was just a ruse!

Go get 'em!

[elbucko]

Quite frankly, I never had any doubts about Gen-X. Or the Boomers or the "Greatest" generation, when they are young (BTW do you know that during the Great Depression the Greatest Genration was known as the Lost Generation? True.). This marvelous country has always produced the young people that are needed in time of crises. What worries me is these generations as they age.

The "Greatest Generation" voted for itself the greatest wealth transfer in the history of nations through Social Security and Medicare. The Boomers thought Social Security would be pocket change to dole out to their grand kids because their "portfolios" were going to make them flush. Gen-X has to worry about the tax burden that the Boomers may levy upon them about 2010.

The young people of any generation are pretty good folk. It's what happens to these generations when they all turn to "Geezer's" that concerns me.

[jim_trent]

I agree. One thing I am happy to see is that the friends of my sons (the X-generation) are generally more conservative than their parents. Many are VERY conservative. The only thing that worries me is that they also lean towards Libertarianism, which might make them irrelevant politically.

[Orangedog]

The kids of Reagan are going to make this country strong again.

As silly as some of the 80's pop-culture was, it was great decade to grow up in. After Reagan was elected, we saw how a country that was staggard by high inflation, unemployment, and a military that was crumbling from neglect while facing a communist empire could be turned around and not just restored to it's previous strength, but it could be made better than ever.

It's kind of surreal to long for that "simpler" time where the biggest fear while growing up was of the Soviets nuking us late at night. Even with that kind of threat hanging over us, how could we not feel safe? I mean, Reagan was in the White House and Clint Eastwood had his own police force!

[Orangedog]

The "Greatest Generation" voted for itself the greatest wealth transfer in the history of nations through Social Security and Medicare. The Boomers thought Social Security would be pocket change to dole out to their grand kids because their "portfolios" were going to make them flush. Gen-X has to worry about the tax burden that the Boomers may levy upon them about 2010.

When the boomers were coming of age during the 60's, their mindset toward their parent's generation was "You guys just don't get it. You're doing everything wrong!" Now my generation is coming into it's own, and our statement to our parent's generation has become "You guys just don't get it. Grandma and Grandpa were doing things the right way!" I don't want to pick on all of the Boomers because they are not all as bad as the worst they have to offer (Clinton, Gore, etc.). We have our own embarrassments among us. Besides, we are going to have one hell of a mess to clean up while facing the challenges that the next couple of decades...and we can use all the help we can get.

[JakeWyld]

re: 9

That was a good analysis. That certainly seems to be the way of things.

[Orangedog]

One thing I am happy to see is that the friends of my sons (the X-generation) are generally more conservative than their parents. Many are VERY conservative. The only thing that worries me is that they also lean towards Libertarianism, which might make them irrelevant politically.

Maybe Generation-X will be the one that can take the best from both traditional conservatism and Libertarians. They don't have to be mutually exclusive. Cultures and ideologies that do adapt and evolve to meet new challenges will stagnate and fractionalize. The cynicism and angst that Gen-X was thought to be famous for is evolving into a pragmatism that can move us forward as we meet challenges that none of us imagined we would facing.

[Alberta's Child]

Maybe Generation X will go down as the greatest generation in U.S. history. After all, we're the only generation that can claim that we helped elect both Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush but could not have cast a single vote for Jimmy Carter.

Heh-heh.

[Alberta's Child]

Generation X bump.

[HHFi]

I've said for years that I thought Gen X'ers were going to turn out to be a pretty good bunch, if for no other reason than that they had the Baby Boomers in front of them as the best bad example you could possibly ask for. I figured if they'd simply do what most generations did and rebel against their parents' values, they'd be just fine.

[Gal.5:1]

Go Gen. X ! The baton will be passed to us eventually; let's make our country proud.