Gen X'ers: If you could rename your generation, what would you name it?

[Writer]

Check out this article: http://www.kansascity.com/news/neighborhood/northland/story/1007929.html

My pick is: The Entrepreneurials


What do you think?

:)

[Pyrzqxgl]

1. The Old Farts

[marmar]

56. Generation Chill.....

We GenXers take everything in stride......Pass the latte, and where's my flannel shirt?

[cherish44]

65. Ahem...that's Baby Boomers not Gen Xers

Gen Xers are in their 30s and early 40s. Prime of life baby.

[JFN1]

2. The Big Brother Generation

Of course, I graduated high school in 1984...

[Deja Q]

3. "Generation Screwed"?

Followed up by "Generation Whine"

:evilgrin:

[OhioChick]

18. "Generation Screwed" it is. n/t

[FatDave]

71. Screwed about sums it up.

"Generation Shafted At Every Turn" doesn't really roll off the tongue well.

[cherish44]

67. Yep we're taking it in the butt because of the Baby Boom Generation's excesses.

nt

[misanthrope]

4. The Arbitrary Sub-Group of Humanity**nm

**

[Sebastian Doyle]

5. I actually liked "Generation X" before the media ruined it.

Mostly because of the band though..... :evilgrin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA59V8f1Svk

[NashVegas]

7. And Marketing Twerps, Yeah

I've always felt that if you didn't know who GenX was before Copeland used the term, you weren't it, but you could get honor points if you ever puked at a Cheap Trick show.

[Sebastian Doyle]

17. Never puked at a Cheap Trick show.

But I pretty much lost a weeks worth of dinner (and God knows how much alcohol) at the Van Halen show in 82 :puke:

[NashVegas]

6. What's She Got Against Billy Idol's Old Band?

[RB TexLa]

8. If I could I would end the naming of generations all together.

And the naming of boats except for their registrations number such as "LA-459304"

[1Hippiechick]

50. Agreed. I am am early "Baby Boomer" who was a 60s activist and still am, but we were crucified in

this last election! Many of those old carping crones (Christiansen ) got lumped in with Baby boomers, and we took a hit - Baby Boomers covers more than a generation. So, grossly unfair. At least now the labeling is reduced to a generation.

Labeling serves no useful purpose, imo.



Top 7 Ways Generation Xers Differ From Boomers (and other useful links)

http://top7business.com/?id=1860

[jane_pippin]

9. I don't know. Maybe Douglas Coupland can come up with another snappy name for us

:eyes:

I've always hated labeling generations. I think it's stupid beyond belief. (And I know, Coupland didn't do it on purpose, but it was his book and the name stuck so I'm blaming him anyway. It's my right as a slacker misanthrope gen-xer.) :D

[Warren DeMontague]

43. "The Bill Hicks Generation" works for me.

And I'm sure he would have quite a bit to say about the stupidity of the phenomenon, himself. :thumbsup:

[Lilith Velkor]

10. I wouldn't.

My generation was X'd out in the name of Morning in America. That city on a hill was only shining because the motherfucker was burning down.

I suppose the millenials could go by Generation Ash.



"THIS IS MY BOOM STICK!"

[B o d i]

11. The "we are not a target market" target market?

:shrug:

The author of that article gives no indication of being familiar with where the term originated in the first place :eyes:


"We're sick of stupid labels, we're sick of being marginalized in lousy jobs, and we're tired of hearing about ourselves from others” - Doug Coupland, Boston Globe, 1991

"This is going to sound heretical coming from me, but I don't think there is a Generation X. What I think a lot of people mistake for this thing that might be Generation X is just the acknowledgment that there exists some other group of people whatever, whoever the might be, younger than, say, Jane Fonda's baby boom.” Douglas Coupland, CNN, 1994


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_X_(novel)
Coupland's controversial title came from the work of Paul Fussell.<1> In Fussell's 1983 book Class, the term category X designated a part of America's social hierarchy rather than a generation. As Coupland explained in a 1995 interview, "In his final chapter, Fussell named an 'X' category of people who wanted to hop off the merry-go-round of status, money, and social climbing that so often frames modern existence."

[CharmCity]

12. Victims.

[Art_from_Ark]

13. My Generation

My Generation, bay-beh

[FedUpWithIt All]

14. I don't like to identify as a member of a generation. I am an individual, unfettered

by the limitations and scope of an imagined clustering of my peers into a predestined group. Titles restrain and confine us.

Some ignore expectations and find their own beauty in life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

[cabluedem]

15. The Brat Pack Generation.

[leftofthedial]

16. the not quite boomers

[chollybocker]

19. 'The Scroungers.'

[arcadian]

20. Generation Suckage

[FirstLight]

21. There's a couple here that I was already thinking of..

the "we're screwed" generation...the "brat pack" generation for sure...


how about "Those who were too busy playing videos and shopping to care until it was too late"

[Alcibiades]

22. The Responsible Generation

As in responsible for cleaning up the debt crisis, responsible for dealing with Social Security, responsible for dealing with Medicare, etc.

[Withywindle]

23. The Blank Generation!

Because Richard Hell is waaaaaayyyyy cooler than Billy Idol.

[FatDave]

75. Indeed.

Marquee Moon, L.A.M.F. and Blank Generation. Three incredible albums with three different bands. Richard Hell's gotta be near the top of the Coolest Motherfuckers Ever list.

[Greyhound]

24. "Clean up in isle boomer" n/t

[1Hippiechick]

54. There you go - trashing boomers again which seems a favorite pastime of X'ers.

[Maine-ah]

58. It goes both ways

I've seen plenty of boomers trashing X'ers. Which is pretty funny since the boomers are the ones responsible for our generation in the first place.

[cherish44]

69. Boomers are the reason we have had a Republican majority

They're the true ME generation. Sorry but I calls it as I sees it.

[FatDave]

78. It does go both ways. Just look at this thread for example.

But here's the thing: I get why Generation X is pissed at the boomers. We seem to have reasons. Now you can argue all you want about the validity of those reasons, but at least we're making a case.

But boomers seem to just call us names. What's going on there?

Also note that we're all doing a lot of generalizing here. For the record, not all boomers are money-grubbing pigs. But enough of them are that it's come to define the generation.

But don't worry boomers. I hear 60 is the new 50.

[1Hippiechick]

81. Well, since the X generation covers birth years 1961 - 1981, you have Xers turning 48 this year -

possibly even your mom. :)

[rvablue]

62. He, he...

Shhh! I love this one!

[LoZoccolo]

25. I like Generation X. It's Generation Y they should change. n/t

[Xithras]

85. Gen Y is slowly being rebranded "Millennials" n/t

[Writer]

26. Kick.

:kick:

[Eryemil]

27. I always figured the Roman numeral names were just a placeholder

That seemed to stick.

My Generation, Generation Y is widely known as the Millennials and that's what I personally identify with.

[Alcibiades]

29. It wasn't intended to be a Roman numeral

The "X" in Generation X isn't a Roman numeral: it's an "X" as in the mathematical variable "X," an unknown or undefined quantity. There is no Roman numeral "Y," in any event.

If we were to assign a Roman numeral to this generation, it would be XIII, the thirteenth generation. Actually, the name "Thirteenth Generation" is already in fairly common usage, thanks to Strauss & Howe, who use this name because ours is the 13th generation since the Revolution.

Awakening 1701-1723
Liberty 1724-1741
Republican 1742-1766
Compromise 1767-1791
Transcendental 1792-1821
Gilded 1822-1842
Progressive 1843-1859
Missionary 1860-1882
Lost 1883-1900
G.I. 1901-1924
Silent 1925-1942
Boom 1943-1960
Thirteenth 1961-1981
Millennial 1982-2002

See: Strauss, William & Howe, Neil. Generations: The History of America's Future, 1584 to 2069. Perennial, 1992.

[Eryemil]

30. Thanks for that!

I always figured the X was a numeral and just kept adding alphabet letters after it.

[Alcibiades]

33. The Generation "Y" thing was really lame

For that reason, and also because what do they do two generations from that?

[Harry Monroe]

36. Generation "AA"!!

And if we're unable to get a handle on things right now; they'll definitely need "AA". If I were a member of that generation, I'd definitely drink myself to oblivion if things keep devolving!!

[crimsonblue]

47. it's better than "millenials"

I don't know why some people call my generation millenials. That should be for kids born, you know, this millenium.

[Ishoutandscream2]

28. Generation that gave us sucky music

Duran, Duran - fer sure, fer sure!

[Alcibiades]

34. Most of those bands were boomers

Most of the musicians who are listened to by any given generation during their teen years are actually older. Duran Duran and other bands of that genre to which you (and I!) object on grounds of taste, an era of popular music I call the "two Brits and a keyboard" era, were folks born in the late 1950's and early 1960's.

The bands of that era were heavily promoted by music company execs and MTV, most of whom were boomers. To get to the music made by Generation X, you have to turn to the alternative rock of the late 1980's and early 1990's. Of course, the best bands of that era are populated by folks the same age as the folks in bands such as Duran Duran, but there are also bands such as The Pixies and Nine Inch Nails, where at least the band members were born in the mid-1960's.

The popular music of the 1980's was the point in history when pop began to really suck, in my opinion. Unlistenable, which is why I froze my musical taste in 1979, when I was 11.

[misanthrope]

37. Most pop music has always sucked, regardless of era**nm

**

[Warren DeMontague]

42. If you spent the 80s listening to Duran Duran, that's no one's fault but your own.

There was a hell of a lot of good music out there, if you knew where to look.

[1Hippiechick]

55. Print out your comment and read it when your children and grandchildren criticize YOUR generation.

[L0oniX]

31. Generation can't do anything cause I live in mom's basement.

[groundloop]

32. Hey...

It's Generation Y they should change.


How about... Generation Duhhhh

[Harry Monroe]

35. I don't know what generation I really am in...

...since I was born in 1962 and the cutoff for a boomer is 1964. I consider myself to be a bit of both actually. I was much too young to be drafted in Vietnam, but I do remember following the Watergate hearings religiously even at the tender young age of 10. My distrust in government stretches back to the Nixon Administration and Watergate; I can still remember, even at that young age, being disgusted and shocked at how an Administration and an American president could abuse power with such ease and so cavalierly and casually lie to the American public with such utter contempt for our collective intelligence. My political awakening began with that shameful incident in our nation's history and it was during that time that I began to identify with the Democratic Party.

I'm not really into labels. Those are media inventions anyway. Maybe Gen X could be called the Disillusioned Ones?? It certainly fits my outlook; for the first time in a very long time I am optimistic, because we had the courage to look past race and put intelligence and wisdom in the Oval Office.

[omega minimo]

38. The Radical Soda Pops

[muriel_volestrangler]

39. Generation X were teenagers in 1964

As a teenager Jacobs was passionate about politics. He wanted to see the eradication of slums, an increase in pensions, the open sale of contraceptives and cuts in defence spending. He had even joined one of the Aldermaston marches. 'The Bomb,' he said then, 'it should be banned from the world. I know this all sounds very idealistic, but I hope things will have changed by the time I make that effort to find a seat at Westminster.'

This winter marks 40 years since Jacob made those comments in the cult book, Generation X. He is now 56 and, though he has never taken a seat in the House of Commons, he remains passionate about politics. However, as a tax lawyer in the City of London, he plans to vote Conservative at the next election. 'I predicted the change,' he said, laughing. 'I also predicted that probably by the time I was 40 I would be Conservative like my father.'

Jacobs was part of the original Generation X (and not one of the youths described by Douglas Coupland in his 1991 book of the same name). The original Generation X were all teenagers in the Swinging Sixties - young adults whose lives were documented in a unique social project put together by two authors who set out to understand the youth of their time. In researching and writing Generation X Charles Hamblett and Jane Deverson exposed a cultural revolution.

The Observer, instrumental in revealing the first members of Generation X in an article published in November 1964, can now reveal how its leading lights have changed over four decades.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/jan/23/britishidentity.anushkaasthana

[dysfunctional press]

40. that's a different generation x.

people that were teenagers in 1964 were solidly in the baby boom. at least in the u.s.

[muriel_volestrangler]

45. Well, if you can ignore one Generation X, we can ignore another

So I hereby abolish the meaning of 'Generation X' that you like using. Problem solved. We'll call people born 1964-1980 "Generation Kittens".

[1Hippiechick]

52. Generation X, Y & Z timetable of birth:

Year of birth and when that group will reach their teens.

Birth years for each generation
X = 1961 thru 1981
Y = 1982 thru 2003
Z = 2004 thru 2025

References to Wikipedia so you know it's gotta be true! LOL

[dysfunctional press]

60. i like those divisions...born in 1961, i HATE being told i'm a 'baby boomer'...

because i've never had anything in common with any aspect of the boomers.
i've always been more in tune with the gen x'ers, except for the 'techie' aspects- graduating high school in 1979, we missed out pretty much entirely on the computer wave that washed in after us.

there's also the term 'generation jones' that describes those of us caught between the boomers and the x'ers.

btw- the most famous member of generation jones- Barack Obama.

http://generationjones.com/2009latest.html

[B o d i]

41. Nope, that was the tail end of the baby boom. Gen X was still unborn, or in diapers.

See post #33 above, which I agree with.

[muriel_volestrangler]

46. Why is your version of reality superior to The Observer's?

[Warren DeMontague]

44. "Electric Larryland"

[loyalsister]

48. The Brady Bunch

We were the first generation to experience divorce and remarried families enmasse.
A total redefinition of family unit took place once women were empowered enough to get divorced.

[boomerbust]

49. SLACKER

[1Hippiechick]

51. Top 7 Ways Generation Xers Differ From Boomers

Top 7 Ways Generation Xers Differ From Boomers and other useful links:

http://top7business.com/?id=1860

And as a mom to two Generation X sons (born in 1972 and 1975)I agree wholeheartedly with this particular list.

[specialed]

53. Generation bent over..

Screwed, glued and tatooed...

I'm writing a book. The ass end of the baby boom. How the worst generation ever destroyed America and left us with a big pile of shit.

[Donnachaidh]

57. that doesn't entirley fall into the laps of the boomers

all the other generations that came along joined in with sheer abandon. But of course it assuages guilt to point the finger at one group, so have at it. :shrug:

[eilen]

59. Here's a few

Generation LatchKey
Generation "The Day After"
The generation in which all fun things became deadly
The generation in which optimism took a powder
The generation that will never know how cool the sixties were and could never be politically relevant like the hippies who are now all corporate shills trying to market us.
The generation that brought down the dinosaur corporate music business.
Generation Download
Generation Opt Out
Generation Pissed Off
Generation Debt
oh, I almost forgot:

Generation BOHICA

[rvablue]

63. Love 'em all, except

I need a translation on "BOHICA"

And this one is so, so true and never gets talked about/discussed:


"The generation that will never know how cool the sixties were and could never be politically relevant like the hippies who are now all corporate shills trying to market us."

[eilen]

79. BOHICA = Bend Over Here It Comes Again. nt

[1Hippiechick]

82. "The generation that will never know how cool the sixties were..." shows ignorance of the facts.

The 60s were anything but cool. Please wikipedia or google the 60s decade and tell me what was "cool" about it.

[rucky]

66. Love them all. My vote's for "Generation Opt-Out"

[crispini]

61. I like X. I think we should keep it.

Cause, you know, it reminds me of X the band. Which is cool. :D

Edited to add: Also, the X-Files. Which is very representative of the vibe of our generation, IMO. :D

[cottonseed]

64. Generation Whatever

[FatDave]

77. That's what an old friend of mine used to call it.

Back when the "Generation X" label was first being carried on about. I'd never heard it anywhere else until just now.

[Darkhawk32]

68. Generation Selfish n/t

[cherish44]

70. Selfish? Nah. Whiners you could make an argument for

But Boomers cornered the market on selfishness.

[LanternWaste]

72. I think that would actually be the generation born between

"But Boomers cornered the market on selfishness."

I think that would actually be the generation born between 1855 and 1885.

[FatDave]

76. Yeah, no shit.

Boomers are grabbing every last penny at our expense. Same as it ever was. And yes, that probably qualifies as whining.

[eilen]

80. That's funny

Boomers hogged all the selfishness. What else can you expect from them?

[LanternWaste]

73. My boss calls them Generation "D'uh"

My boss calls them Generation "D'uh"

(It's funny 'cause it's true... :evilgrin: )

[yurbud]

74. how about ''lord of the flies,'' ''latchkey,'' or ''dung-eaters''? that's how older generation

treated us.

or the dog generation since boomers picked the bone clean then threw it to us to survive on whatever odd scraps of meat were left that they couldn't bother with.

[Writer]

83. Kick.

:P

[devilgrrl]

84. Generation Ronald Reagan. Or the "ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME Generation"

eom