Generation Redux

Baby Boomers seem to be the bullseye of late for people seeking to blame someone for the mess all about us. If you ask them, we’re gutting the economy with our greed and sucking Social Security dry with our impending need. Recently, one of our own magazine editors wrote a column deriding Baby Boomers for being responsible for America’s sick economy, fractured politics, societal decay, and myriad poxes and afflictions. Boy, throw in a beer belly and that’s a lot of baggage for an old guy to lug around.

Aside from this opinion being the finest example of gross generalization, stereotyping, and psychological projection I’ve seen since Glenn Beck’s last blackboard lecture, I’m fascinated by the phenomenon of generational marketing and how it has provided a platform for this type of misuse and labeling.

Over the past decade or so, the notion that specific life experiences shared by a generation form its behavior and identity has become generally accepted. I don’t buy it—not for a second. The demographic and psychographic breadth is so great within each generation—and dictated by huge variances in socioeconomic, political, psychological, educational, genetic, and cultural environments—any general overlay used to predict behavior or define an entire generation is grossly oversimplified.

Do generations share common experiences, and do those common experiences create specific behaviors? Of course. Who can deny that people growing up during the Great Depression have a magnified appreciation for the value of a dollar, or that the unflinching patriotism of the Greatest Generation was formed during the unifying experiences of World War II? But Woodstock does not a pot-smoking Baby Boomer make. Nor does growing up in a reasonably comfortable economic climate turn Boomers into a bunch of needy, money sucking, egocentric, s**t-where-you-eat types.

But, I digress. My real message today, friends and neighbors, is that the Millenial-age kids we have in this office are nothing short of impressive. I don’t believe that their shared experiences have necessarily made them so. I simply find them to be a very game, hard-working, conscientious, sharp, focused, and patient group—the progeny of those jerk-off Boomers everyone seems to be ragging about.

Comments

[Rebecca]

Very good perspective Loose Change. I give the Millenial-age credit for being idealistic but kindly emphathetic which are great traits for them to use as they raise their own children and work with people of all ages. Probably the best age-specific group in a long time.

[Ron in Alexandria, MN]

Thanks Loose Change, I concur with your perspective…it happens. :D P.S. I love the "...throw in a beer belly..." part!