I've always felt that my generation (I was born in 1981. Count anyone born 1981 or later as my generation) has had far more in common with its grandparents (The WW2 generation) than its parents.
I was born in '72 and feel the same way. I identify a lot more with my grandfather than with either of my parents (or any other boomer relatives). Seems that the WW2 generation had its priorities in order, but sadly their success enabled the next generation to have all the wrong priorities and suffer few consequences.
Yikes, I was in 8th grade in 81.
I was born in '78. In general (and I am generalizing greatly here), the Boomers have been the most selfish generation of self-indulgent scum-suckers in the history of the planet. In their old age they shall become the ultimate generation of welfare queens, which makes perfect sense.
On the other hand, Generations X (us) and Y have not taken as active a hand in screwing up the planet as our parents did, simply because we're too dumb and lazy to. Ours are generations for which war is some strange, distant thing that a volunteer military fights on TV. Depression is a thing for which we have shrinks prescribe us medications. Work is a thing for which we expect six-figure salaries while whining and complaining about having to devote any more than 25 hours a week to it. "Sacrifice" for us is having to choose between buying Grand Theft Auto XXIII for our XBoxes and outfitting the jacked-up new cars our parents bought us with the latest model of obnoxious bass speakers through which to blare the shitty, atonal crap we call music. (Even the Boomers at least had music going for them.)
We have nothing in common with our grandparents.
-Dan
You are correct. You are a Millennium Baby. The children of the Lost Geraration (or Gen X). You are the Hero generation and you will make us all proud. Read The Fourth Turning. (You can find it at Amazon.) As a Gen Xer, I was shocked at how well this book defined ME. My parenting. My attitudes and driving forces. I'd be interested to get the perspective of a Millennium Baby on the book's accuracy. (My own kids are too young to get it at this time.)
I think you are correct. See Generations : The History of America's Future, 1584 to 2069 by Neil Howe, William Strauss .
They argue that regular cycles in history affirm your position.