What defines a Generation?

[denna]

On our commute to work this morning my DH and I were discussing what exactly defines a generation?!? When does one generation start and another begin? How long is a generation?!? I've read somewhere that from 1976-1985 is a generation. But I'm not sure. What do you all think? What generation are we under? What is our 'nickname'? AND what do you think is going to be different about our children's generation? How do you think this world will be different when it is time for our generation to 'lead'?

I know so many questions, but these are just my thoughts on a Thursday morning :)

[shilo]

hmm, that's a really interesting one. i would guess that range of dates has something to do with the reproductive age of the boomers??? i heard somewhere before that a generation is defined by what they watched on saturday morning cartoons, and who their 'super hero's' were. funny, but thats a pretty broad range with 1976-1985. i mean, i'm a '76 and was probably the tail end of the smurfs, strawberry shortcake and wonder woman under-roo's, halfway thru the range it would be teenage mutant ninja turtles and muppet babies and a few years later the power rangers, so i guess that theory doesn't so much hold with this "generation". it's also a little surreal to think of my DH and i being part of 2 different generations, but given that he's 5yrs. older, i guess that's entirely possible, i just never thought of it that way before. i certainly have never liked the whole gen X, gen Y thing, so i guess i hope that's not what sticks as far as names go.

for my child, i guess i hope like all the generations before me, for something better... peace, goodwill, an end to suffering and strife. i hope 'they' learn how to put our technology to better use than killing one another, and learn from 'our' mistakes. i hope 'we' have outgrown some of our quest for all things materialistic by the time it is 'our turn' to lead and that we are able to set a better example of tolerance and acceptance and to demonstrate our ability to accept responsibility for the global consequences of the path we as a nation are on right now... really i just hope he has the opportunity to 'have it all' while never loosing sight of his humility and each other human being's right to the same. i'd settle for tolerance and peace tho :).

i'm really interested to see what other people think - good one denna :)
lori
Sam 5/19/05 How lucky I am that you chose me.

[Queensgirl]

Interesting topic... and it can get a bit confusing if you read up on it.
Many moons ago I read an article that defined me and my peers as Generation X.
Although I related with many of the factors/traits that defined the X generation there was one that always bothered me- laziness (or better known as slacker).
If you're talking in terms of years, I would say people born within a 10-15 year span.
I also think that pop culture, social issues/changes, world events, etc. help define a generation (yes, I believe it includes cartoons :-) ) Re: our memories of these events and how they affected us as a generation.

I most definitely feel the generation " gap"- I work with teens and young adults (14-24 yrs old) and boy, do I feel old at times! Our memories, experiences, pop culture references, etc. are completely different.
It's interesting to see those differences and how it affects our thinking/reactions to situations.

Here are some interesting explanations of what technically defines a generation & Gen. X:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_X
http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost/specials/genx.overvw1.html

I'd venture to say that you're Generation Y and DS is Generation Z (don't you just love labels :) )
I 'd also say the BBB is home to several generations (which explains the many opinions & experiences posted-
I think it's what makes this board so intersting and informative)

I can only hope for the best in the future. Maybe future generations will be more attuned to the issues that have been plaguing us for years (with no resolve) - poverty, global-warming, AIDS, cancer, depletion of natural resources, etc (ok, I know I'm sounding a bit like a "hippy"-the generation before mine) ;)

[elliput]

I recall reading about Generation X when I was in my early twenties and had a good laugh when I realized the author was referring to *ME*! I still get a kick out of knowing that I am Gen X.

[denna]

If this is right Im in generation 'y' and my DH would be i generation 'x'. But that is insane. I would be in the same generation as a 3 year old and I dont consider that accurate at ALL! My neice is now almost 6 how is she in the same generation as me?!?

I mean I grew up on rainbow bright and he-man and shera and strawberry shortcake. not to mention care bares, my little ponies, etc.

Now its blue's clue's, and anime....

hmm so I am still stuck....what generation am I?!?

I am stuck in Generation 'indecision' I guess :D!!

ETA I just found MTV Generation and I think I DEFINITELY fall in that category. I barely missed X. But I fall into a total of 4 generations...Y..MTV...culture Wars....and boomerrang.... AKA Generation XY or the No Generation

thanks for the link it was fun to read :D

[jec2]

generations aren't always clearly defined. However, in the 20th century it became much more definaeble b/c of the sheer size of particular age cohorts and how events they experienced could then be "seen" in their political behavior and attitudes.

In political science we usually use the idea of a political generation. youth experiencing the same concrete historical problems may be said to be of the same actual generation..." So youths who share common experiences in their formative years will have an enduring impact that is then manifested in the political process. Thus, generational replacement becomes one of the engines of social and political change when and if new biological generations undergo novel experiences. so we can identify in recent American history, the "depression generation," the "silent generation" the "protest generation," "generation X" and "generation Y." http://209.85.12.234/3783/12/emo/26.gif

[kijip]

>If this is right Im in generation 'y' and my DH would be i
>generation 'x'. But that is insane. I would be in the same
>generation as a 3 year old and I dont consider that accurate
>at ALL! My neice is now almost 6 how is she in the same
>generation as me?!?

It is my impression that generations generally get named in the pop culture lexicon as the generation comes of age. I am sure that by the time your neice is 20 someone somewhere will have labeled her age group something dopey like Z or AA ;)

I don't know when it happened but I realized I did not have the same generalized world view as "Y" when I saw the movie "Bring it On". I am right on the tail end X. Kinda in a no man's land I guess in the last few years of X.

[cmo]

Your post made me smile! DH is 5 years older than I, born in 1963. A common definition of baby boomers is being born between the years of 1946-1964 (easy to remember because the last 2 digits of the years are reversed). However, some others place the beginning of Generation X at 1962 or so. DH gets so distressed when I joke that he is a baby boomer and I am Gen X. He *insists* that he is Gen X as well. Doesn't help that he is square as can be when it comes to pop culture, past and present. :-)