[E. Pluribus Unum]

I like her, but I fear I could OD quite quickly if this keeps up.

[Charles Henrickson]

I just checked, and it appears that Susan Boyle was born in 1961. That makes her a Baby Boomer. The commonly accepted years for the Baby Boom are 1946-64.

Of course I find this whole "generation" thing terribly overrated, and "generations" seem to be getting shorter all the time.

[bgill]

I am in awe of Susan’s voice, but what’s this about Generation Jones? Apparently I didn’t get the email. According to Wikipedia (gag) now that I’ve at last found my generation group (not that I’ve ever used the supposed ever so popular ‘70s term “jonesing”) I’m lumped together with Hussein.... sigh, can’t seem to catch a break.

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

I cry each time I watch Susan Boyle singing

You probably cry when Barry Hussein reads his teleprompter, too.

I've had enough of Susan Boyle for a dozen lifetimes. She was okay... not amazing. And the entire BGT clip was totally scripted (it's a carbon copy of the ending of the first Babe film).

[GOP_1900AD]

Boomers are those who were influenced by the extremely optimistic years from the turning point of WW2 until the first cracks in the dam at the outset of the 1960s. Xers are those influenced by the more pessimistic vibe from 1960 until Reagan stepped up to the plate. Influence determines generational characteristics. There is no Generation Jones, the real issue is the Boomer definition is too expansive and the Xer one is not expansive enough.

[Clemenza]

As for this GenXer, Me and a Jones, we got a thing goin’ on.

[evilC]

The book called The Fourth Turning discusses the various generations. I read it years ago and found it mildly interesting.

For these types of discussions we need to differentiate between generations of birth (normally about 30 years) and generations of experience (which can vary in length).

I would describe the Boomer generation as moralists (liberal morality is about "diversity," smoking bans, environmentalism, etc.). I would describe Generation X as pragmatists.

I identify most with Gen X in that I am a basically pragmatic, a little bit cynical, and a little bit disconnected. We Xers are cynical and disconnected because we watch the moralistic Boomers squander the cultural and actual capital of our nation at the same time as they tell us how we should live our lives.

The Xers have suffered divorce and broken families, the forced demographic change to our nation, multi-culturism and “diversity,” outsourcing and reduced job security. Gen X is the generation that struggles to do even as well as their parents did. They are dismissed as slackers and selfish. The Fourth Generation called us the “Nomads.”

The Fourth Turning also discussed a “crisis” that the “Nomads” (Gen X) would need to solve. It discussed how the “Nomads” would have to fight the worst excesses of the Boomers and Millennials (Gen Y). It looks like we might have our crisis. So maybe this lost, forgotten, dismissed generation will have its time in the sun. Maybe Gen X will become the next “Greatest Generation.” If we do have to hit <ctrl> <alt> <del> on the USA, there is only one generation I would want pressing the keys.

[Tired of Taxes]

Here’s a relevant post in a discussion on another thread about age and voting patterns, including links to research:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2234547/posts?page=92#92