In 1991, 28-year-old author Douglas Coupland wrote a novel called Generation X: Tales of an Accelerated Culture. The phrase entered the contemporary dialect shortly after the novel’s release. Coupland portrays a group of three friends who have escaped civilization to quiet Palm Springs, California, telling stories while doing menial work. Through these stories, the novel reveals the anguish felt by those born in the early 1960s who are Baby Boomers but feel no connection to their cultural icons. For this age group, the “X” symbolizes an unknown value for a generation that awakens to the consciousness of its reality as a different group, but that at the same time is culturally eclipsed by the Baby Boomer generation (Wikipedia, nd). The phrase Generation X defines an age group that futilely searches for an identity that does not exist.
In demographics, marketing, popular culture, and social science, the phrase Generation X ranks the generation immediately after Baby Boomers. According to William Strauss and Neil Howe in their book Generations, the ups and downs in cultural trends as opposed to birth rates indicate that this generation is made up of those born between 1961 and 1981 (Strauss and Howe, 1990). They are also known as the “13th Generation” because they are the thirteenth generation born from the generation of the American Revolution (Wikipedia, nd). The total number of people born to Generation X is now estimated at more than 50 million people, surpassing the number of Baby Boomers since 1980 (Mitchell, McLean & Turner, 2005).
This generation also has many other synonymous tags. Among them are those with more benign and critical subtexts such as “The MTV generation” or “Slackers.” The former implies a dull attention span for nothing more than flashy camera work with quick cuts typical of music videos (Isaksen, 2002). The latter implies a generation with little ambition made popular by Richard Linklater’s 1991 film “Slacker.” Broad generalizations from members of any generation will not accurately describe each and every member of that generation. Many of the generational stereotypes of Generation X, often attributed to them by Baby Boomers, are simply untrue. They are the most tech-savvy generation, being the first to grow up with television, the advent of personal computers, and video games. The stereotype stems from the arrival of MTV in 1981 that specifically targeted them. Yet for all the charm of Atari, Pacman, and MTV, they are very smart. Based on college and university enrollment rates, Generation X is also the most learned generation in American history. Since the beginning of this generation’s high school graduations in 1980, its high school graduates are regularly enrolled in higher education in record numbers (Mitchell, McLean & Turner, 2005). Furthermore, each generation has vagrants who represent a dissident group and are not necessarily exclusive to this generation (Mitchell, McLean & Turner, 2005).
Anger and upset are two definitive terms that describe Generation X. Much of this is expressed through their choice in music. Alternative rock music from so-called “grunge” bands like Alice In Chains, Nirvana and Pearl Jam characterize this generation. Likewise, the hip-hop music of artists like Dr. Dre, Notorious BIG and Tupac Shakur also characterizes this generation. A popular myth is that they are uniquely white. However, this group is highly diverse in ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, and status. They are 70% White, 13% Black, 12% Hispanic, 4% Asian, and 1% Native American (Mitchell, McLean & Turner, 2005). This generation is burdened by what they believe is the result of the careless behavior of previous generations: AIDS, broken families, the environment, homelessness, national debt, and poverty. Yet this generation developed during a time of relative calm in American history. A single cohesive experience like WWII, Korea, or Vietnam to bring them together could have prevented them from becoming a unified group (Mitchell, McLean & Turner, 2005). This generation experiences a combined distinction not from a single unifying event, but rather from mutual experiences and social conditions (Isaksen, 2002).
Generation X children were also collectively known as “Latch-Key Kids,” and television acted as the primary babysitter or surrogate for parents. A vast majority of the children of this generation lived in double-income households and, unlike previous generations, many were forced to return home from school to fend for themselves. In addition, they grew during the Republican administrations of Ronald Reagan and George Bush in the 1980s that limited social programs (Mitchell, McLean & Turner, 2005). As a direct result, they are realistic in their expectations through self-reliance learned at an early age. Based on a lifetime of exposure to television advertising, this generation is very astute as a group of consumers. They view both the establishment and the government with a high degree of suspicion, choosing to trust only themselves and their friends. They instinctively know when they are being deliberately manipulated and do not mindlessly absorb the information represented to be accurate. This generation values honesty more than exaggeration (Mitchell, McLean & Turner, 2005).
Often times, though, Gen X’s degree of independence is mistaken for a callous level of self-centeredness. However, rather than identifying them as selfish, a more precise descriptive term would be highly autonomous. They place great emphasis on individualism (Wikipedia, nd). Yet even with their aversion to collectivism, this generation prides itself on the distinctive characteristics of their generation. They pride themselves on their degree of diversity, tolerance, and inability to be labeled. By living unconventional lifestyles such as interracial marriages and adoptions or living together before marriage, they peacefully practice acceptance without attempting to impose their personal values on others (Wikipedia, nd).
Many in Gen X have watched businesses coldly downsize their parents after years of faithful service. Unlike previous generations of their parents and grandparents, employees of this generation do not expect to remain in a profession or business for their entire career. Rather than seeking career stability, they anticipate looking for work elsewhere. This group has a tendency to seek jobs that provide better opportunities for skill development and individual fulfillment (Smith, 2003). These employees want the ability to be marketable elsewhere in the workforce through education and the growth of new learned skills. Wanting vacation time, sick days, and work leave, in addition to employee benefits like daycare, health care, and stock investment plans, these workers are also experts in benefits. Ultimately, however, they find individual job performance a greater incentive than salary (Smith, 2003).