Whatever happened to Generation X?

[Big_Hitter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeWras So, what ever happened to "Generation X?"

we're here - I was born in 64 and don't consider myself a boomer

have a decent uncolad pension from a previous employer - nice profit sharing plan here - may retire next year, may not, who knows

As a generation, I think we had to work much harder than boomers since we were the last in line for jobs where there were a lot of competing boomers. Anyone remeber the crappy job market in the mid-80s when we were graduating?

Same for college - I think it was much easier to get in (and afford) a good college in the 60s and 70s than it was in the 80s. Much worse now though.

[Big_Hitter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeachOrCity I spoke to a friend who put it best “what music do you listen to?” This more than anything defines what generation you belong to.

no doubt

for example, my six sirius settings:

outlaw country
classic vinyl - cut my teeth on this stuff
classic rewind - ditto
lithium - stuff i listened to mostly after college
first wave - stuff i listened to mostly in hs/college
deep tracks

[Surewhitey]

Born in 70. Got a clue in 96 when I got married. Lived and learned a lot through dot com bubble & housing bubble. Been debt free for 12+ years and building the nest egg. Took a couple years off for life experiences. Back to building again and waiting for DW to get on the same page regarding full retirement. We're there technically; she's still too nervous to do it.

[COcheesehead]

Born in 1963 and always considered myself at the end of the Boomers. As the baby of five, I learned a lot from watching my brothers and sisters who were smack in the middle of the Boomers.
My music doesn't define me. My tastes are too much all over the board.
All my friends that are my age show a penchant for wanting to achieve. I see so many 20/30 somethings as having a desire to be a part of something, but not be the leader.

[scrabbler1]

My musical tastes coincide more with Gen-X, as in 80s music, not 70s music. I was late in following pop music. I was more into ragtime music like in the 1973 movie "The Sting." I listened to it and played it on the piano throughout my teenage years and into my mid-20s. By the time I began following pop music, nearly half the 80s had gone by.

[CaptTom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DFDubb What became most obvious to me having to go through 2 big recessions in my first decade or so of professional life, is that the vast majority of people are freaking stupid.

Bingo!

And I suspect that spans all "generations." Except maybe those personally impacted by the Depression or a serious recession. But even most of the latter seem to forget (hence the current housing and stock markets.)

[JoeWras]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DFDubb Born in 78, graduated HS in 96. I went to work straight out of HS for a fortune 500 tech company. Pension, 401k, stock options, healthcare, the works..........then the bubble burst in '01. I survived all of the layoffs, but the pension was yanked and a lot of the swank benefits reigned in. Career growth was pretty stagnant during the recovery years. Then, yet again, in 08/09 the market collapsed. Company was looking to shed weight and I took a voluntary separation package. I finally went to college, changed careers, and am now in a pretty recession proof line of work. What became most obvious to me having to go through 2 big recessions in my first decade or so of professional life, is that the vast majority of people are freaking stupid.

Good point about Gen X experiencing those recessions.



Inflation is a different matter.

[grasshopper]

Rather than music define oneself by how they listened to it. I would stay up late on my Heatcraft shortwave tube radio, when mom put her foot down it was a crystal am radio hooked to a copper pipe with an earphone.

[scrabbler1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DFDubb Born in 78, graduated HS in 96. I went to work straight out of HS for a fortune 500 tech company. Pension, 401k, stock options, healthcare, the works..........then the bubble burst in '01. I survived all of the layoffs, but the pension was yanked and a lot of the swank benefits reigned in. Career growth was pretty stagnant during the recovery years. Then, yet again, in 08/09 the market collapsed. Company was looking to shed weight and I took a voluntary separation package. I finally went to college, changed careers, and am now in a pretty recession proof line of work. What became most obvious to me having to go through 2 big recessions in my first decade or so of professional life, is that the vast majority of people are freaking stupid. Most, down right infantile regarding financial matters. Having already gone through it twice, I see the writing on the wall all over again. Housing in my area has gone completely insane and it has once again made people set aside all rational thinking. Market is good? I can save money later, lets build a new house and buy an Escalade. Nothing bad can possibly happen. I was fortunate to be educated in such matters by my folks and have always maxed my 401k and Roth from the moment I got my first real paycheck. Sadly I'm the sliver of a minority.

Us older Gen-Xers also had to deal with the 1991-92 recession, making three in all that we have to deal with in our working years. (And don't forget about the 1987 market crash.)

[always_learning]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrabbler1 Us older Gen-Xers also had to deal with the 1991-92 recession, making three in all that we have to deal with in our working years. (And don't forget about the 1987 market crash.)

Yep. I graduated college right into that lovely recession. Good times.


Funny timing, this thread ~~ I was talking to my kids last week (both Millennials) and they were complaining about all the hate their generation was getting and how they hated to be lumped in with the 'slackers'. I said my generation got it, too, (I'm squarely Gen-x) but that the difference, in my opinion, is that we didn't have our trials and tribulations plastered all over the internet, social media, and 300 cable stations for all of eternity to look back on and for the world to write a gazillion comments on and 'retweet' endlessly.


I also think what happened to Gen-X is that "we" grew up and got to work & raised families (as someone upthread posted). What's the use in poking fun at that? Yawn. That doesn't sell ad space. It was time for the next generation/punching bag so "we" faded into the background.

[brewer12345]

Its funny, but realizing how exposed we are on social media and watching the Millenials' pratfalls in this area has made me very shy. I don't even let DW post pictures that have my face on facebook or instagram.

[SnowBound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by omni550 From that wiki link "....many Generation Jones members complain that there was a paucity of resources and privileges available to them that were seemingly abundant to those older boomers born earlier. " I'm wondering what "resources and privileges...seemingly abundant" these were? Can anyone please elucidate? As a slightly earlier Boomer, I felt Boomers were always dealing with a lack of resources due to the huge Boomer bulge in the population...too many fighting for limited resources. From the time we were in school (not enough classrooms & teachers -- so classes were large (32 to 36 students per classroom), often we took three grades in 2 years (Grades 3, 4, & 5 were completed in two school years), some schools added Quonset huts or trailer classrooms outside their brick buildings to accommodate the burgeoning student population. I also heard of some school systems offering 2 daily shifts (early and late) to get Boomers educated. When Boomers arrived, colleges started cramming students into dorm rooms (Often putting bunk beds where there used to be twin beds, and sometimes putting bunk beds in the shower areas [making them unusable for showering]...thus straining the remaining shower resources). I think this overcrowding may have contributed to changing the mandatory policy of students residing on campus. And when Boomers graduated college, it was an extremely competitive market to get hired -- possibly leading to lower starting salaries overall (supply > demand). In the workforce, Boomers often saw reductions of the perks and benefits that the "silent generation" before them had received. And in retirement, Boomers are being cautioned about the specter of reduced SS benefits approaching. Again, too many people > limited resources omni

Born 1967, really Gen X: Educated in the trailers that the Boomers trashed. College: All the Prof's where recovering from all the drugs on campus the previous 10 years. Lots of clever slogans like "Don't do drugs". Getting a job: All filled by Boomers, don't need anyone unless someone retires. Hopefully Gen X SS isn't: Sorry, we spent it all on the Boomers... So I'm retiring early and . Just hope all the other Gen X's have a plan B...

[always_learning]

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Originally Posted by SnowBound Just hope all the other Gen X's have a plan B...

I know several who are just "playing ostrich". I don't know if that's their plan A or their plan B.

One has her student loans on an income-based-repayment plan. She routinely pays utilities late yet buys the 5-year old child name-brand clothes so the other kids at the private school won't pick on her for wearing the wrong brands. One such dress cost $120. She has a closet full because it's apparently gauche to wear the same thing twice. At age five.

Another one says she's debt free "except for my car payment which everyone has". Again -->

Both also take frequent vacations, eat out at full-service restaurants often, and drive pricey SUVs.

Both have said to me that they have no idea what they'll do "when retirement gets here".

Like you, I'm just

[DFDubb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewer12345 Its funny, but realizing how exposed we are on social media and watching the Millenials' pratfalls in this area has made me very shy. I don't even let DW post pictures that have my face on facebook or instagram.

The only photos of me that have been posted online are those for which I did not give consent. IE a family members wedding or something where I'm not going to demand they take it down. I have IG, FB, etc...accounts, but I pretty much never post anything, it's just to be able to peek into that world. Social media is not for me and I don't understand how anyone is active on it after watching countless people lose their careers over it every single day.

[Big_Hitter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnowBound Born 1967, really Gen X: Educated in the trailers that the Boomers trashed. College: All the Prof's where recovering from all the drugs on campus the previous 10 years. Lots of clever slogans like "Don't do drugs". Getting a job: All filled by Boomers, don't need anyone unless someone retires. Hopefully Gen X SS isn't: Sorry, we spent it all on the Boomers... So I'm retiring early and . Just hope all the other Gen X's have a plan B...

pretty much nails this thread

[Which Roger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeachOrCity I spoke to a friend who put it best “what music do you listen to?” This more than anything defines what generation you belong to.

If you're solidly in the Boomer Generation, the Beatles coming to America is the most significant event of the 20th century. If you're solidly in Gen X, it's the first time you heard Smells Like Teen Spirit. Being in between these 2 generations, neither resonates with me as much as The Wall or Damn The Torpedoes or The River.

[JoeWras]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Which Roger If you're solidly in the Boomer Generation, the Beatles coming to America is the most significant event of the 20th century. If you're solidly in Gen X, it's the first time you heard Smells Like Teen Spirit. Being in between these 2 generations, neither resonates with me as much as The Wall or Damn The Torpedoes or The River.

Those are decent choices. For me, it was The Police. Maybe some Clash. The girls love Duran Duran.

[BeachOrCity]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big_Hitter no doubt for example, my six sirius settings: outlaw country classic vinyl - cut my teeth on this stuff classic rewind - ditto lithium - stuff i listened to mostly after college first wave - stuff i listened to mostly in hs/college deep tracks

Still love 1st wave!

[Music Lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Which Roger If you're solidly in the Boomer Generation, the Beatles coming to America is the most significant event of the 20th century. If you're solidly in Gen X, it's the first time you heard Smells Like Teen Spirit. Being in between these 2 generations, neither resonates with me as much as The Wall or Damn The Torpedoes or The River.

That describes me...I was born in 1962 and too young to appreciate The Beatles (I do now), and too old to care about Nirvana.

The Wall, Damn the Torpedoes, and Brothers In Arms was the music of my generation.

[LastOfTheBoomers]

Born in 1964 - hence my handle - youngest in the family so raised like a baby boomer - but I can relate to all Gen X just as well.
My funny comment lately has been how I don’t remember hotel chains building a hotel brand to attract Baby Boomers like they do for Millennials!