Talkin' 'Bout My Generation

[jimmymc]

Dh was born in 1981 and I was born in 1982. I feel like we don’t identify with millennials at all. I tend to even forget that our years fall in that period. We have more of a generation x childhood. I agree with @Diznygrl about being a “xennial”.

You were both already on the border. It depends on if you got really into 90's TV and music when it first came out or not.

 

[DeeBee3]

Dh was born in 1981 and I was born in 1982. I feel like we don’t identify with millennials at all. I tend to even forget that our years fall in that period. We have more of a generation x childhood. I agree with @Diznygrl about being a “xennial”.

Agree with you and @Diznygrl - The Millennial designation has always been too vast. I didn't have a cellphone until college and no one I knew had one until the end of high school. We used AOL instant messenger in high school. Facebook didn't exist until I was graduating college. I grew up learning how to type and then we played Oregon Trail when the school got computers. That's a totally different experience than younger Millennials.

The same concept for worth ethic and all the negative things attributed to that generation.

However, I also had much older parents and family members so I think that does shape your experience greatly. I know a lot about "old people" stuff compared to my friends. Social references, music, etc.

 

[DeeBee3]

This is a darker way of grouping it, but:

Gen Z does not remember 9/11 or was born after
Millennials remember 9/11 but were still in school, whether that's elementary, middle, or high school
Gen X were young adults when it happened, living on their own but not having kids yet
Boomers had families with varying children ages by the time it happened
Greatest Generation were grandparents at the time

Somewhat true, but many Milllennials (like myself) were in college during 9/11. A very formative experience starting adulthood.

 

[jimmymc]

My father was born in '53 and my mother in '60. I certainly thought of them as Boomers. I was born in '81, my wife in '84. I hate it when people call me a millenial. To me the millenial generation grew up with cell phones, helicopter parents and the internet. None of those things were true for me. My wife got a cell phone her senior year in high school. No one in my high school had one, we still had pagers and payphones. Internet was dial up AOL, if you had it at all. At the very least I wouldn't include those that were adults at the turn of the millenia as millenials. Y2K I was working a full time job and paying a mortgage.

I agree with others, that sounds pretty millennial. Things like dial up internet, parents having cellphones but not you, and getting dropped off at the mall for hours without parents around. Also when malls were just the cool place to be,

 

[BrianL]

I agree with others, that sounds pretty millennial. Things like dial up internet, parents having cellphones but not you, and getting dropped off at the mall for hours without parents around. Also when malls were just the cool place to be,

It's borderline. I am latter-stage GenX and have some of those same experiences. I think what people forget is that it's not a magic switch that just changes instantly. I have a friend who is a Milennial, but he was early in the cycle and he has more in common with me than he does with later Milennials. He does have some tendencies though that are more Milennial than I have too though.

 

[jimmymc]

It's borderline. I am latter-stage GenX and have some of those same experiences. I think what people forget is that it's not a magic switch that just changes instantly. I have a friend who is a Milennial, but he was early in the cycle and he has more in common with me than he does with later Milennials. He does have some tendencies though that are more Milennial than I have too though.

That's very true. I am at the later end of millennials, and I share some qualities with Gen z and don't remember the early 90's references a lot of other millennials make.

 

[Moliphino]

Agree with you and @Diznygrl - The Millennial designation has always been too vast. I didn't have a cellphone until college and no one I knew had one until the end of high school. We used AOL instant messenger in high school. Facebook didn't exist until I was graduating college. I grew up learning how to type and then we played Oregon Trail when the school got computers. That's a totally different experience than younger Millennials.

The same concept for worth ethic and all the negative things attributed to that generation.

However, I also had much older parents and family members so I think that does shape your experience greatly. I know a lot about "old people" stuff compared to my friends. Social references, music, etc.

I used AIM through college. You had to pay for texts back then and no smartphones quite yet (the first iphone came out midway through college for me, I didn't get a smartphone until after I graduated). Often it was easier to use AIM than to waste precious texts.

 

[jimmymc]

I used AIM through college. You had to pay for texts back then and no smartphones quite yet (the first iphone came out midway through college for me, I didn't get a smartphone until after I graduated). Often it was easier to use AIM than to waste precious texts.

It was also more convenient for longer conversations than typing with a number pad.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The whole "generations" thing wears me out. One constantly hears "don't label me," "don't judge me," "I'm an individual" and all that, but then they happily paint decades full of people by their age/generation. I mean... who cares???

I think it does matter, especially in the workplace, when people need to figure out how to get along. As I said, a hospital system sponsored this type of training for that reason, and people I was with got a lot out of it, in terms of understanding others a little more. I’d like to see it go a step further and look at the type of culture one grew up in for even more understanding, since we work with people from many different cultures and not everyone gets along well in terms of work styles. Why is that? As a pp just mentioned, environments do matter.

It’s fun, but I don’t think the discussion here has gone deep enough if we really want to get into it. I like hearing where people fall, but there’s more to it than that. It’s not just major events that were influences, but people. Who were the role models growing up and why? What qualities did those people have that others emulated? What were the TV and entertainment influences at the time? Who were our political leaders? What technology was out? That type of thing. I’d post more if I could find it online but as of yet, I haven’t.

 

[fly girl]

I think there is a geographical element, too. The big cities on the coast are 5-10 years different from the so called "fly-over" states.

I grew up in small city in rural south. After I married, parents retired and moved to a farm to finish raising my brothers. I raised my kids in suburbs of major East Coast City, brothers' kids were raised on the farm. Their whole ways of thinking, working, education levels are as different as night and day. Now all the kids have kids and again, major differences in occupation, work styles, child raising, faith expression. One example, a nephew who is LGBTQ+ is basically ostracized from rural southern family. My kids and grands welcome him without a blink of the eye.

I understand your beliefs based on your experience. However, that is just one experience. I don't think it is fair to label all "fly-over" states that way.

You have major cities in those fly over states: Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Denver, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Atlanta, etc. Are you telling me those cities are 5-10 years different than the coastal cities? If so, I disagree vehemently.

No doubt, some areas definitely have old fashioned views, but not everyone who lives in a fly over state feels the way your family does.

I think it is terribly unfair to label all "fly-over" states as rigid as you have.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

When my kids were young, I remember Brittany Spears telling the public she “didn’t want to be a role model”.

But she was a role model, for millions of young people, whether she wanted to be, or not.

Who are some of today’s examples? Who were they when you were growing up?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I understand your beliefs based on your experience. However, that is just one experience. I don't think it is fair to label all "fly-over" states that way.

You have major cities in those fly over states: Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Denver, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Atlanta, etc. Are you telling me those cities are 5-10 years different than the coastal cities? If so, I disagree vehemently.

No doubt, some areas definitely have old fashioned views, but not everyone who lives in a fly over state feels the way your family does.

I think it is terribly unfair to label all "fly-over" states as rigid as you have.

I took that to mean that some cities were much more “progressive”, not as a slam to middle America, or small towns.

 

[fly girl]

I took that to mean that some cities were much more “progressive”, not as a slam to middle America, or small towns.

But 5-10 years more progressive, no. Poster basically lumped all "fly over" states as being behind.

I don't think Los Angeles and NYC are 5-10 years more progressive than Chicago, Austin, Denver, Las Vegas.

Disagree 100%.

I understand why she formed that opinion based on her experience, but when you step back it isn't fair to the vast majority of the US (which are fly over states) to say they are not as forward thinking based on what she has witnessed because that simply is not true.

ETA, yes I took it as a slam to middle America. The context given led me to feel she thinks all of middle America is against LGBTQ+ which is ridiculous. Her Deep South area could very well be, but to label all fly over states that way? Absolutely not.

 

[Disneylover99]

I think it does matter, especially in the workplace, when people need to figure out how to get along. As I said, a hospital system sponsored this type of training for that reason, and people I was with got a lot out of it, in terms of understanding others a little more. I’d like to see it go a step further and look at the type of culture one grew up in for even more understanding, since we work with people from many different cultures and not everyone gets along well in terms of work styles. Why is that? As a pp just mentioned, environments do matter.

It’s fun, but I don’t think the discussion here has gone deep enough if we really want to get into it. I like hearing where people fall, but there’s more to it than that. It’s not just major events that were influences, but people. Who were the role models growing up and why? What qualities did those people have that others emulated? What were the TV and entertainment influences at the time? Who were our political leaders? What technology was out? That type of thing. I’d post more if I could find it online but as of yet, I haven’t.

I think your peers have a huge impact on you. You go to school with kids all born the same year until the end of highschool. And they all come from different backgrounds with different experiences, influences and beliefs, but collectively, you sort of become one.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

But 5-10 years more progressive, no. Poster basically lumped all "fly over" states as being behind.

I don't think Los Angeles and NYC are 5-10 years more progressive than Chicago, Austin, Denver, Las Vegas.

Disagree 100%.

I understand why she formed that opinion based on her experience, but when you step back it isn't fair to the vast majority of the US (which are fly over states) to say they are not as forward thinking because of what she has witnessed is simply not true.

ETA, yes I took it as a slam to middle America. The context given led me to feel she thinks all of middle America is against LGBTQ+ which is ridiculous. Her Deep South area could very well be, but to label all fly over states that way? Absolutely not.

Again, that’s not the way I took it. But @Travel60 is a very articulate poster so I’ll leave it to them to clarify their position.

 

[fly girl]

Again, that’s not the way I took it. But @Travel60 is a very articulate poster so I’ll leave it to them to clarify their position.

It's the 5-10 years remark that really made me look at the post more critically. That is a big jump!

When I read the context it was so broadly brushed it didn't feel accurate or fair, so I felt the need reply.

I just don't see the way you took it as a nothing thing unless you live on a coast and feel the same way. Do you really see all the cities I mentioned being 5-10 years behind? Honestly? I am trying to understand, not stir the pot more.

 

[Disneylover99]

When my kids were young, I remember Brittany Spears telling the public she “didn’t want to be a role model”.

But she was a role model, for millions of young people, whether she wanted to be, or not.

Who are some of today’s examples? Who were they when you were growing up?

I feel like role models before the 80’s were generally just people in your family, or maybe friends. I mean yeah, we liked certain bands or movie stars, but did anyone really want to be, The Fonz or a Sweathog? Lol.

Not like today or in the past 20 years or so the way social media is.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It's the 5-10 years remark that really made me look at the post more critically. That is a big jump!

When I read the context it was so broadly brushed it didn't feel accurate or fair, so I felt the need reply.

I just don't see the way you took it as a nothing thing unless you live on a coast and feel the same way.

I do live on a coast in a progressive state, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I “feel the same way”.

What I think gets into political territory so I’d rather not get into more than that here and now.

 

[Wendy31]

I think it does matter, especially in the workplace, when people need to figure out how to get along. As I said, a hospital system sponsored this type of training for that reason, and people I was with got a lot out of it, in terms of understanding others a little more. I’d like to see it go a step further and look at the type of culture one grew up in for even more understanding, since we work with people from many different cultures and not everyone gets along well in terms of work styles. Why is that? As a pp just mentioned, environments do matter.

It’s fun, but I don’t think the discussion here has gone deep enough if we really want to get into it. I like hearing where people fall, but there’s more to it than that. It’s not just major events that were influences, but people. Who were the role models growing up and why? What qualities did those people have that others emulated? What were the TV and entertainment influences at the time? Who were our political leaders? What technology was out? That type of thing. I’d post more if I could find it online but as of yet, I haven’t.

[Bolding Mine]

I absolutely agree - especially w/ the bolded, & this is just another reason why I find generational differences & the related discussions fascinating.

My daughter (who’s a Gen-Z-er born in 2000) & I have had discussions around body image & how body image is portrayed in the media - the desired types of bodies - and how that’s changed over the generations… diet culture, almond moms…

When I was a cheerleader in high school, for instance, one year, after we got new uniforms, we had to try them on & ”present” ourselves for approval in front of the school’s administrator - not just to be sure the uniforms fell within the school’s acceptable standards (dress code) but that we also, as the cheerleaders, looked good in the uniforms. As the administrator walked up & down the line of cheerleaders, all standing in the cheerleader “ready” position, she‘d make comments to us like, “Stand up straight. Shoulders back. Stick your gut in. Some of you may want to wear a girdle so that your stomachs don’t poke out.”

I was a skinny, petite girl &, at the time, didn’t need to worry about my stomach poking in, but, still, the administrator’s inspection stuck w/ me & increased my body self-consciousness & worries about looking fat - and I still remember how it felt to be in that line w/ my body being looked over for flaws.

I don’t think that’s something that a school administrator could get away w/ today.

But, it wasn’t just the administrator of my school - an obsession w/ not looking fat & having a perfect body was all over the place in TV, magazines, & books, & there was no such thing as a positive body image & being secure & confident in your body. Most of us even got comments from our mothers.

That kind of thing helps shape a generation & sticks w/ you well into your adult years, & it’s something I’ve had to consciously be aware of as it relates to my daughter now - to reframe how I think in order to be a better example for her & to really consider the things I may or may not say so that she doesn’t end up w/ the same body issues like I had/have.

So, that’s just one example of how culture shapes the generations & the different perceptions & understandings of society w/ each generation.

 

[Dan Murphy]

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