New Guidelines Redefine Birth Years for Millennials, Gen-X, and ‘Post-Millennials’
BY JAY SERAFINO MARCH 1, 2018
You hear about Millennials, Generation X, and the Baby Boomers all the time, but it’s not always clear who’s a part of these groups. In fact, all of these terms are fairly unofficial social constructs outside of the Boomers—the U.S. Census [PDF] actually defines them as the generation of people born between 1946 and 1964. Now, the Pew Research Center is looking to give more structure to these generational nicknames with a new set of guidelines that establishes where each person belongs depending on their birth year. This is what they’ve come up with:
The Silent Generation: Born 1928-1945 (73-90 years old)
Baby Boomers: Born 1946-1964 (54-72 years old)
Generation X: Born 1965-1980 (38-53 years old)
Millennials: Born 1981-1996 (22-37 years old)
Post-Millennials: Born 1997-Present (0-21 years old)
My wife and I, our spouses, our siblings, and our first cousins and their spouses are what is now labeled the Silent Generation. We are in our 80’s + or minus a year or two.
Most of us are retired now. A couple of cousins still work a few days a week. No early deaths or suicides nor divorces nor jail birds. Many stayed within a 25-100 mile radius of where they grew up. Most of the guys volunteered for the military and served one hitch and came back to where they grew up and live there now and got married/raised their families. About 50% of us got real degrees and a few of us have masters. There are some real RNs, who worked in their late 60’s or early 70’s.
Our children are at the tail end of generation X and live similar lives as their parents. One sad suicide, due to drugs, a bad marriage and going into business with liberals is a losing game.
Again, there is a split with these kids, about 40% in good colleges enrolled in real degree programs. The others are basically well trained HiTech blue collar guys and gals like their parents.
Everyone texts and/or sends emails to each other. Half of my email list are my wife’s relatives or her lifetime/good friends. My wife is known as the texting Mom, Grannie, Aunt and long time friend.
We have lost most of our friends, who were the Greatest Generation in the last few years. The last few months have been really brutal re them leaving this orb. Some were mentors, later friends and some real WWII heros, like being the pilot on 25 B 17 missions out of the UK to dropping bombs over Germany.
Last but not least, most have churches that we have attended and supported with decades. Many of our friends have come from those churches.
I’m Silent Generation too,1932,not many left to share old memories.
I am Silent Generation, too. 1931. In my late 40s I was teaching Chinese cooking, and with my DH’s blessing, was traveling all over the world. And then I got into politics with FReeper protests. I was never miserable and still am not. Am I lucky, or unusual? I do need FRee Republic. I would be miserable without it!
Thank you Jim Rob!
And while i’m here- how about some donations , my FReeper FRiends??