Generation X

Generation X, commonly abbreviated to Gen X, is a term used to refer to a generational cohort born after the baby boom ended^[1][2], extending from the early-to-mid 1960s to late 1970s (see Generation Y). The term Generation X has been used in demography, the social sciences, and marketing, though it is most often used in popular culture.

Origin

In the U.S. Generation X was originally referred to as the "baby bust" generation because of the drop in the birth rate following the baby boom.^[1]

In the UK the term was first used in a 1964 study of British youth by Jane Deverson. Deverson was asked by Woman's Own magazine to interview teenagers of the time. The study revealed a generation of teenagers who "sleep together before they are married, were not taught to believe in God as 'much', dislike the Queen, and don't respect parents," which was deemed unsuitable for the magazine because it was a new phenomenon. Deverson, in an attempt to save her research, worked with Hollywood correspondent Charles Hamblett to create a book about the study. Hamblett decided to name it Generation X.^[3]

However, this did not refer to the cohort that would become known as Generation X. It wasn’t until Canadian author Douglas Coupland’s 1991 novel, Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, about young adults of the late 1980s (at that time aged their late twenties) that the term more accurately described the cohort that would eventually be labeled Generation X. While Coupland's book helped to popularize the phrase “Generation X,” in a 1989 magazine article^[4] Coupland attributed the term to Billy Idol.

Demographic justifications

In the 1991 book Generations, William Strauss and Neil Howe call this generation the "13th Generation" and define the birth years as 1961 to 1979 (the lowest birth rate year for this generation was 1971).

Using their methods, it is the 13th generation to know the flag of the United States (counting back to the peers of Benjamin Franklin).^[5] The label was also chosen because they consider it a "Reactive" or "Nomad" generation, composed of those who were children during a spiritual awakening.

Older generations generally have negative perceptions of Reactive generations -- whose members tend to be pragmatic and perceptive, savvy but amoral, more focused on money than on art^[6] -- and the use of 13 is also intended to associate this perception with the negative connotations of that number.

The authors highlight this negative perception by noting the large number of "devil-child" movies (e.g. Rosemary's Baby^[7]) released soon after the first members were born, compared with more positive movies such as Baby Boom that were released when the first members of the next generation were being raised.^[8]

Generation X in the United States

Individuals considered to be within Generation X were born, and grew up during the later years of, and in the decade following the Cold War. They are most often linked to the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush.^[9] Coming of age after the Vietnam War had ended, now in their 30's and 40's their political experiences were shaped by the end of the cold war and the fall of the Berlin wall. This generation saw the inception of the home computer, the rise of videogames, and the Internet as a tool for social and commercial purposes. Dot.com businesses, MTV, Desert Storm, Grunge music, Hip hop culture and AIDS are associated with this generation.

The US Census Bureau cites Generation X as statistically holding the highest education levels when looking at age group (bloc): US Census Bureau, in their 2009 Statistical Abstract. (Also see Education Statistics Canada, 2001 Census.)

In economics, a study (done by Pew Charitable Trusts, the American Enterprise Institute, the Brookings Institute, the Heritage Foundation and the Urban Institute) challenged the notion that each generation will be better off than the one that preceded it.^[10] The study, 'Economic Mobility: Is the American Dream Alive and Well?" focuses on the income of males 30-39 in 2004 (those born April, 1964 – March, 1974) and is based on Census/BLS CPS March supplement data.^[11]

The study which was released on May 25, 2007, emphasized that in real dollars, this generation made less (by 12%) than their fathers had at that same age in 1974, thus reversing a historical trend. The study also suggests that per year increases in the portion of father/son family household income generated by fathers/sons have slowed (from an average of 0.9% to 0.3%), barely keeping pace with inflation, though increases in overall father/son family household income are progressively higher each year because more women are entering the workplace, contributing to family household income.^[12]

Generation X Culture

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In the early 1990s, when Generation X came into their own, cultural and musical movements such as Grunge and hip hop came into popularity. To this day, Generation X's influence is very strong.

See also

• Grunge
• Latchkey kid
• Baby Busters
• Video Generation

Notes