Generation Who?

Confused about all these X’s, Y’s, and Z’s? Ever wonder what they mean, or if there’s really any difference between children of the ‘80s and ‘90s?

Here’s a thumbnail sketch of Generation X vs. Generation Y:

Generation X

Broadly considered to be those persons born between 1961 and 1981, Gen Xers have also been described as men and women who were teenagers at some point during the 1980s. They are the older children of Baby Boomers, and the grandchildren of “The Greatest Generation,” those who fought in World War II and raised their families after the war.

Wikipedia.com says of Gen Xers:

“Generation X has survived a hurried childhood of divorce, latchkeys, space shuttle explosions [notably the Challenger explosion of 1986], …inflation and recession, post-Vietnam national malaise, environmental disaster, the Islamic Revolution (in Iran) …Divorce became common place and affected families of all social and economic backgrounds. Naturally, Gen Xers were affected by the continual bombardment of images of the nuclear family and feelings of inadequacy and isolation from society resulted. …As young adults, maneuvering through a sexual barricade of AIDS and blighted courtship rituals, they date cautiously. Divorce rates grew, however significant alternatives to traditional marriage (from remaining single to same-sex couples to merely "living together") also arose. Technology-wise the "creation" and spreading of the Internet rendered face-to-face communication secondary, books beside the point, near-infinite knowledge on hand at all times, and tech-related jobs a hot commodity. In jobs, they embrace risk and prefer free agency to loyal corporatism. Politically, they lean toward pragmatism and nonaffiliation…. Sometimes criticized as "slackers", they nevertheless were widely credited with a new growth of entrepreneurship and the resulting dot-com boom.”

Other events crucial to the social development of Gen Xers:

• Roe v. Wade – 1973
• A.I.D.S. (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) Identified - 1981
• Berlin Wall Dismantled, Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe – 1989
• Persian Gulf War – 1990
• Internet Explosion – 1995

Gen Xers: Tell us what you think are the key characteristics of your generation!

Generation Y, a.k.a. “Millennials”

Born in the years 1982–2002, Millennials are today’s youth, the children of younger Boomers or early Gen Xers. How they respond to the world, and what impact they will have, remains to be fully understood, but certainly their generation stands out from older groups in notable ways.

Wikipedia.com says

“They were the first to grow up with the Internet in a developed, prolific form, including music downloads, instant messaging and cellular phones… Characteristically, they are generally very tolerant towards multiculturalism and internationalism. It is also not uncommon for post-1970s born children to grow up dating people outside their own race or ethnic group, as well as having a wide range in friends. Generation Y has been carefully parented and groomed toward success, partially due to the guilt of the Baby Boomers over their own rejection of their parents. This over-parenting and indulgence, combined with perhaps overly adult and mature relationships with their own parents, has led to them becoming adults with their own hopes and dreams. Sometime they feel they have their life made out for them by the time they are eighteen. Constricted in the most evolved bubble of “ teenager-hood” ever, they tend to lead mini-adulthoods while still in high school and facing adolescence. They were raised to expect success and have already had some of it provided for them by their parents and grandparents.”

Millennials: Tell us what you think are the key characteristics of your generation!