Posted on 03/15/2015 2:57:19 AM PDT by Publius804
Submitted again for consideration, Adam Carolla, born as his very cohort, Generation X, was beginning in 1964.
Joining him in this chapter is writer Chuck Palahniuk, born in 1962, another prominent Gen X cultural figure.
Consider now, as the swath of humanity that followed the boomers reaches full majority, in fullest possession of its powers, how variant Carolla/Palahniuk countercultures confront what we see on the horizon. How will the legacy of Generation X be written from this point forward?
How will a generation’s power-players and cultural icons impact, for example, policymaking on healthcare, strategies for dealing with the radical Islamist threat, and the social landscape that the millennials following them will inherit?
In September 2013, PJ Lifestyle editor David Swindle, riffing on Strauss and Howe’s Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation, laid out his self-described “oddball” take on generational theory. Swindle argues for more detailed time-frame specifications in generations, recommending five year break-downs in place of the usual twenty — “boomer-leaning Gen-X-ers,” “Millennial-Gen-X blends,” “Gen-X-leaning Boomers,” “Millennial-leaning Gen-Xers” and so forth.
However you want to slice and dice the decades — for the sake of this discussion, Carolla and Palahniuk are instructive examples of the reactions, rebellions, and disillusionments of a generation shaded by oblique pathos.
On the earliest cusp of X, Carolla is part of the generation that inherited a choice between three ideological frameworks: progressivism, reactionary traditionalism, and unaffiliated rebelliousness.
(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...
Ping!
Born in the sixties ain’t Gen X, IMHO.
1965 to 1984
As a Gen-Xer myself (1971), it pains me to say this, but:
The whole thing is predicated on the assumption that Gen-X somehow manages to briefly shoe-horn themselves between the Baby-Boomers, who utterly REFUSE to let go, and the up and coming Gen-Y snowflakes, who were raised to have ten times the self-confidence of the average Gen-Xer, (whether or not that self-confidence is warranted)
For the most part, the proverbial brass ring is being passed over Gen-X’s head, and directly from the Boomers to Gen-Y.
My boomer parents were all about finding their own happiness. We raised ourselves.
Generation = 20 years
Baby Boomers (post WWII) 1945-1964
Generation X 1965-85
Def, you’re not so diff from many of us Boomers, except in the number of siblings. With so many kids and so few nannies, our Greatest Gen parents, like so many gens before them had little time for individuals. Moreover, until pretty recently, I think most kids always raised themselves. As ever, childhood’s end comes when you realize you’re on your own.
That is somewhat comforting. My parents seemed pretty self absorbed. If that’s how they all were then, cool.
I agree with the opinion that there was a gap between the baby boomers and generation x. From about 1958 to 1964, technically the tail end of the baby boomers, missed out on what they boomers got, but had to suffer the fallout from the disaster they and society, adjusting to them, had wrought.
They were too young to experience the sexual revolution, the Civil Rights movement, were kids when there were Hippies, were too young for Vietnam and Watergate. The first presidents to impact them were Ford and that loser Carter. Their first “good” president was Reagan.
They were even mostly removed from the tackiness of the “polyester seventies”, disco and that rot. They built up a lot of resentment of the boomers and their attitude of superiority, entitlement, vanity and greed.
So they got along a lot more with generation X’ers, who shared a lot of this cultural poverty.
I thought it was a boring and inconclusive article.. not worth the read.
ping
Xer Ping
Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.
Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.
Generation X are those born about 1965 to 1984 are .
Millennials are those born roughly 1985 to 2005.
Here's the Wikipedia version for those who don't have time to read books: Strauss–Howe generational theory
The Strauss–Howe generational theory, created by authors William Strauss and Neil Howe, identifies a recurring generational cycle in American history. Strauss and Howe lay the groundwork for the theory in their 1991 book Generations, which retells the history of America as a series of generational biographies going back to 1584.[1] In their 1997 book The Fourth Turning, the authors expanded the theory to focus on a fourfold cycle of generational types and recurring mood eras in American history.[2] They and their consultancy, LifeCourse Associates, has expanded on the concept in a variety of publications since then.In my not so humble opinion, all the criticism I have seen of Strauss and Howe's work has come from people speaking from their own personal, un-researched opinions, and with no reference to anyone else's research upon which to base their statements.
The theory was developed to describe the history of the United States, including the 13 colonies and their British antecedents, and this is where the most detailed research has been done. However, the authors have also examined generational trends elsewhere in the world and identified similar cycles in several developed countries.[3] The books are best-sellers and the theory has been widely influential and acclaimed. Eric Hoover (2009) has called the authors pioneers in a burgeoning industry of consultants, speakers and researchers focused on generations.[4]
Academic response to the theory has been mixed—some applauding Strauss and Howe for their "bold and imaginative thesis," and others criticizing the theory.[5][6] Criticism has focused on the lack of rigorous empirical evidence for their claims,[7] and a perception that aspects of the argument gloss over real differences within the population.[6]
Strauss and Howe documented trends in the generational cycles of history, and the prevailing archetypes that characterized the influential age groups during those historical cycles.
Until someone else comes along and does more thorough research on the topics of generations and historical cycles, theirs will probably remain the dominant framework for such discussions.
The Boomers never had a brass ring to pass. The Gen-Y millennials are the next Hero Generation, following the kids of the Great Depression, who fought and won WW-II.
The Boomer Generation has been dominated by the perpetually spoiled brats born from 1945 to 1964, and mostly by the older half of that generation. The younger half of the Boomers (the Jones Generation;, actually a half-generation) born 1955 to 1964 have not generally been as spoiled, or as influential, or as damaging, in society as the older bunch. Here, think of Bill Clinton, Hillary, and that sort.
I recall from the article, born in 1962.
The article quoted some of those critics I mentioned.
I don't think generationally like the liberal Boomers, but my fellow Gen Xers are still kind of cynical and in crisis mode because of the disappointment/failure family and other institutions.
Liberal Boomers did try to pass Millenials as the second coming at around the election of the current WH occupant; solely because they voted for him. Years later they have buyers remorse and remain a generation with big self esteem and no skills to get hired to get a job.
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