Feh
 

Any so-called "sociologist" or anyone else who uses the term Generation X and hasn't read Douglas Coupland's book, deserves 30 lashes with a wet noodle. Coupland himself has said he never meant the term to be used in the way it has been and was pretty appalled about its (usually incorrect) usage.

Maybe people born post-WWII like having a silly label attached to them, but when someone calls me or people my age a "Generation X-er" I find it degrading and dehumanizing. As Michael Stipe so eloquently said, labels are for canned food.

Siobhan,

That was an awesome post! I want to take a moment and thank you on behalf of throughtful GC'ers, for taking the time to write out such a complete sharing of knowledge. I wish more of us were as complete and informed.

James

Thank you James. I'm glad I can put to good use what I studied in University. :)

Siobahn,
Thanks for that post! Puts it all in better perspective. I am a buster (1969), child of a boomer (1947)-- pretty interesting given my "earlier" buster status. LOL

I always thought Gen X referred to 66-79, but not sure where I got that, and indeed refers more to Coupland's definition of it--McJobs, apathy and all that, than a sociological study. But it is so fitting, as well. We've got more choices than any generation prior to us, and that can breed the kind of 'what do i do with my life' confusion we've seen in another current GC thread, and in most of our own lives.

Anyway--too much thinking for a hungover friday morning. LOL

REALLY excellent post. I'm totally impressed. I also wanted to add something to this. My mom told me that when I was born in '76 it was also at some kind of height of the feminist movement. For a while it was considered terminally 'uncool' and 'unliberated' to be having kids. Somewhere in the early 80's the feminist movement had shifted into what was called the 'Superwoman Syndrome' where women decided they could do it all, the kids, the career, the house with the white picket fence. It was shifting sociological mindsets that led to the baby bust and eventually boom in the 80's. Who knows where this is at today... but I won't even try to go there.