Posted on 04/21/2009 11:34:49 AM PDT by Linda is Watching
Susan Boyle, the Newest Voice of "Generation Jones"
by Alie James
I never cry, but I cry each time I watch Susan Boyle singing, "I've Dreamed a Dream". Recently discovered on Britain's Got Talent, she's an amazing celebrity find for Generation Jones. I'm sure many of you have already viewed her YouTube video, but if not I suggest you do. As for the expression, Generation Jones (GenJones for short), you may not know that this is a newly identified Generation, one which lies between the Baby Boomers and Generation X. Since I'd like to focus on Boyle in this article, I'll refer you to a recent USA Today article by Jonathan Pontell and a website for futher information about Generation Jones, since millions of you will realize you belong to the GenJonesers, rather than the Baby Boomers.
Susan Boyle is a reality show's dream. Her instant celebrity will put Britain's Got Talent and the "evil" Simon Cowell in history books. Even better than that, though, Susan Boyle will become someone we remember who reignited our belief in goodness and possibilities. She has come to us at exactly the right time, as many of us are trying to recover from the economic downturn of recent years, which has left so many of our dreams shattered.
Wouldn't you agree, we need a reason to dream again? So, let's just do it, if not for ourselves, then for Susan Boyle. She is a champion we can cheer on and believe in, someone we can rally around and be inspired by. Her story begins with Simon Cowell, who I'm quite familiar with since I regularly watch American Idol. He is so easily bored, doesn't smile often during a performance, and rarely gives a positive review. Actually, he's quite rude and demoralizing (but strangely enough, he's usually right on the mark.) To see Simon so delighted during her performance was thrilling. I watched as she penetrated his cold heart. Wow! I really mean, wow - no one gets to Simon like that. The impact she had on him tells me she instantly earned a place in history and in our hearts. Perhaps, (dare I say it) she might become the People's Princess in the way that Princess Diana did.
A recent article from a Scotland news site entitled, "Alastair Campbell has new spin on Susan Boyle phenomenon", discusses the topic of "authenticity". I have been writing about "authenticity" for quite some time, even as recently as my last BlogCritic's review. Authenticity is a trait the public is responding to, probably due to our fascination with reality shows. Being authentic is the way winner's win, beloved leader's lead, and great artists perform. In other words, it's the way ordinary people become legends. The public, if allowed to see the person for who they really are, will respond to them - this is reality.
Susan Boyle will inspire all of us, especially those of us who are GenJonesers and Baby Boomers. She'll remind us how to rise above the things that keep us from succeeding and how to keep our flame burning. Let's just remember her "starburst" when we begin to feel like "has beens", used up, and out of ideas. Let's listen to her sing, whenever we watch ourselves, day after day, being passed over in order for a member of the younger generation to get a chance to shine.
I really don't think life has to be static. Life can change at any time - in a flash, in a note, in a stroke. It's that quick! So, let's embrace her moment, our moment, and begin anew to dream a dream for all of us.
Of course I find this whole "generation" thing terribly overrated, and "generations" seem to be getting shorter all the time.
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.
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).
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.
I have officially designated those born between 1956 and 1963, Generation Murgatroyd.
Why? Because those are the years in which most of my friends were born and one of my friends is fond of saying, "Heavens to Murgatroyd!" A phrase popularized by the cartoon character, Snagglepuss. By the way, Snagglepuss was created in 1959, in the midst of Generation Murgatroyd.
Really, who made up this Generation Jones, sh**?
“I have officially designated those born between 1956 and 1963, Generation Murgatroyd.”
Ooooh! Can I be in your generation? PLEEEAAAASE?
Exit stage left...
“She was okay... not amazing.”
Scripted or not, she is AMAZING.
Anyone that can sing like that deserves the appellation of amazing.
I’d listen to her all day long, she’s far better than most of the “artists” available in any music genre at the moment.
And yes the word “artists” drips with sarcasm.
That post was creative...fuuuunny EEEven.
I thought she was okay. Not spectacular, not amazing, not the “voice of a thousand angels”, or anything else. I don’t get the weeping. She was just okay.
Different strokes, I guess.
Nice article, Alie James. I was drawn to it because you wrote about Generation Jones, but once I read it, I went to your blog and enjoyed also the other things you write about.
As far as Boyle’s generational identity, Alie James is correct...born in ‘61, Boyle is part of Generation Jones—born 1954-1965, between the Boomers and Generation X. Google Generation Jones, and you’ll see it’s gotten a ton of media attention, and many top commentators from many top publications and networks (Washington Post, Time magazine, NBC, Newsweek, ABC, FNC, etc.) now specifically use this term.
It is important to distinguish between the post-WWII demographic boom in births vs. the cultural generations born during that era. Generations are a function of the common formative experiences of its members, not the fertility rates of its parents. Many experts now believe it breaks down this way:
DEMOGRAPHIC boom in babies: 1946-1964
Baby Boom GENERATION: 1942-1953
Generation Jones: 1954-1965
Generation X: 1966-1978
The data I’ve seen makes a convincing case that there is definitely a distinct generation between the Boomers and GenXers. The fact that Generation Jones has become so accepted nationally so quickly speaks to the existence of this “lost” generation.
Here’s a 5 minute video with over 20 top political figures discussing the existence and importance of GenJones: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ta_Du5K0jk
Accepted nationally? Go poll ten random people on the street. You’ll be lucky two of them have ever even heard of it.
I can see why some academics (and marketeers) endeavor to define this cohort, but why have the dimwitted label “Generation Jones”?
Since I am also a member of this club, I vote we choose “Generation Murgatroyd” instead. This has the added value of self-identifying members (who else would know how to use ‘Murgatroyd’ in a sentence). All we need is a shorthand catchphrase, a nickname even.
And Obama can’t be a member since Snagglepuss didn’t gain much of a following outside the US.
I’ve been following the emergence of this Generation Jones phenomenom pretty carefully, and there is no doubt it has become quite well known and accepted in a relatively short time. I did a book search about this a few weeks ago and found that four of the last five books published about generations in the U.S. all included a separate chapter for Generation Jones and treated GenJones as a full bona fide generation between Boom & X. The academic literature regularly includes GenJones now in sociological discussions of U.S. generations. Take a look at this page, I found this to be a pretty good overview about some of the mainstream media attention GenJones is getting. I think after looking at this you’d have to admit (if you are willing to be objective) that GenJones is getting major media play:
http://generationjones.com/2009latest.html
It’s interesting to me that you don’t like the GenJones label. A bunch of friends and I had a long talk about that exact topic recently at a dinner party, and the overwhelming conclusion was that almost everyone there who voiced an opinion liked this name for our generation. When you look at the names other generations have gotten stuck with, I’m feeling grateful that we got GenJones. I think this article by the guy who coined the term makes a good case for this generational name:
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20090127/column27_st.art.htm
Tom Tomorrow is a flaming lib cartoonist, but he nailed this topic years ago
(can't get the hotlink to work, get the dreaded red 'X', but it's worth a ready).
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