Generations
Generations chart from Wikipedia
I was just thinking about Generations, social generations here in the western world. I took my questions to Wikipedia.
The Lost Generation was defined by Gertrude Stein to describe World War 1 veterans. They were born between 1883 and 1900 and they came of age during World War I and the 1920’s.
The Greatest Generation includes veterans who fought in World War II, born from 1901 to 1927. Tom Brokaw wrote the book that popularized the moniker, The Greatest Generation.
The next Generation is called The Silent Generation, also known as the “Lucky Few.” They came of age post World War II. They were born from 1928 to 1945.
Baby Boomers, AKA the Me Generation were born after the war, from 1946 to 1964. Increased birth rates after the war gives them their name.
Generation X (GenX) follows the Boomers. It contains people born between 1965 and 1980. We rock.
Millennials AKA Generation Y grew up around the turn of the Millennium. Born between 1981 and 1996. They surpassed the Boomers in numbers.
Generation Z succeed the Millennials. Born mid-to-late 1990’s to 2010.
Generation Alpha is the newest Generational group. Early 2010s to mid 2020s. They are the first entirely born in the new millenium.
My Grandparents on my Paternal side were in the Lost Generation, my Maternal grandparents were in the Greatest Generation, my folks are from the Silent Generation, my brother is right at the end of the Boomers and I am right at the beginning of the Gen Xers. Sam is a Millennial. It’s quite interesting. I think it’s wrong to pigeonhole people, but it is interesting to think about generations and their shared interests and attributes and shared life experiences.
Wikipedia describes Gen X, my peeps, as:
“ …children in the 1970s and 1980s, a time of shifting societal values, Gen Xers were sometimes called the "latchkey generation", due to reduced adult supervision compared to previous generations. This was a result of increasing divorce rates and increased maternal participation in the workforce, prior to widespread availability of childcare options outside the home. As adolescents and young adults in the 1980s and 1990s, Xers were dubbed the "MTV Generation" (a reference to the music video channel), sometimes being characterized as slackers, cynical, and disaffected. Some of the cultural influences on Gen X youth were the musical genres of grunge and hip hop music, and independent films. In midlife, research describes them as active, happy, and achieving a work–life balance. The cohort has been credited with entrepreneurial tendencies, and was the last generation in the United States for whom post-secondary education was broadly financially remunerative.”
And here’s a really good Vanity Fair article about us:
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2017/08/why-generation-x-might-be-our-last-best-hope
Interesting. One of my writing prompts asks me if I feel a part of my generation or if I am an “old soul.” Nah, I think I was born at just the right time. Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s was a good time. I love the music. The movies that define us (John Hughes of course), And I guess in my youth I could have been described as a slacker and rather disaffected and cynical. I didn’t really start to take an interest in the world around me until young adulthood. I think the newer generations are more active and engaged in the issues of the day. It’s good to see. I applaud the Millennials and Gen Z on their activism. Those kids give me hope.
What Generation are you from? How has it affected your life? What do you feel defines your generation?
All this makes me think of this song: