Generation Xers

[Wrenchtraveller]

quote:Originally posted by Parrothead

Guess I don't have a label except "old". I'm not an X or Y (my children are). I'm not a Baby Boomer because I was already here during WWII. So for others out there with no label shall we make one up for us? Good report, Dave, but it was a little deep with only one cup of coffee! LOL
Happy trails..........................

Sue, I am happy to inform you that you are not "old", you are what they call "young old" and that is what my daughter has learned in her 4th year university class on psychology. Of course the folks that write this stuff are much older that all of us driving around pulling Montanas.
I think to be classed as old, you must be over 90 and not be able to look after yourself. If still able to look after yourself at 90 you are called "old young old ". It is a confusing course to be sure.

[Parrothead]

Well Don then I have a long ways to go before I am "old". You made my day (click of the heels). I just feel really left out that I don't have a label. LOL Maybe I could be Mother of Xers. Wonder what we did before these labels came into being.
Happy trails.......................

[Okie Guy]

Wow such great info on this topic. And to think i just thought I was a farmers kid and a cowboy. Now I have a label...think I will just go with phil and accept people for who they are and not their xyz status.
Dave thanks for the great explaination(sp)!

Phil

[Connorsmom]

Wow, this is right up there with trying to figure out pin weight stats...LOL I believe many of us would fall under the category of "Baby Boomers", would we not?

Jan

[Wrenchtraveller]

I was born in 1950. Am I a Boomer or a young-young old guy?

[exav8tr]

My DW calls me an old poop. Wonder where that fits.

[indy roadrunner]

Matures – Born 1920 to 1945. The mature generation has seen a lot in their lifetime. The Great depression, world war, Pearl Harbor, is events that may have shaped them to be thrifty, frugal and good citizens. Characteristics of this group include dedication, conformity, patience, respect for authority, avoid risk, value self-sacrifice and hard work, committed to honor and duty – very patriotic. They value property/goods – if it breaks repair it.
Their work ethic was defined by punching a clock, training on the job, prefer to work on own terms and relies on tried and true methods – “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Baby Boomers – Born 1945 – 1964. Times were good – people were making money when this generation was growing up. However some events that may have shaped some characteristics were troubling; Vietnam War, Civil Rights Movement – tough times in our country when neighbors shared different views. Flower power, peace symbol, Woodstock, LSD, wacky tobaccy, weed and other drugs, beginning of the “latch key” kids.
Boomer’s are the predominant group in our country. They are a generation that believes anything worth doing is worth overdoing - workaholics. The more time spent at their jobs, the more value they will have to the organization. They like toys, fast cars, boats, Harleys, big SUVs, electronic devices – consumerism is good. Toys demonstrate their level of success. If it breaks – go buy a new one. But as the Boomers are aging they are beginning to ask themselves if it has been worth it. Many are now reevaluating their priorities. According to AARP survey – 80% of the boomers plan to work after retirement.

Gen-X 1965 – 1977 Times were good in the 60’s and 70’s but the economy took a dive for this generation. Gen X has seen AIDS crisis and major increase in crime and violence. The workplace began to offer more opportunities for both genders so many GenX kids learned to be self reliant. They have learned to be very comfortable with technology and rely on information produced in this manner. If it broke it is because you didn’t buy “name brand”. They tend to be casual in their relationships and move within hierarchies with comfort, and go to the source when they need information. Matures and Boomers interpret this as going over someone’s head. GenX have seen their parents go through downsizing and layoffs. Skills they have developed are seen as marketable commodities and they are not afraid to make a move to a different company to benefit their careers.

Millennial’s – Born 1977 to present - The most recent entries into the workforce. Cell phones, PC’s, laptops, air cards, MP3’s, digital everything, WiFi – this generation is growing up in a microwave world – information available in seconds. They do like money and want to be able to buy things. Older Generations view them as sheltered and protected and over stimulated. They are a very social group and interact well with others and recognize select authority figures in their lives. Millennial’s likes challenges and appreciates value and have a voice that they want to be taken seriously. Characteristic’s are still being formed for this group – more to come.

[Montana Sky]

Phill,
Here I thought I was of Generation Y. I think I like the term "Millennial's", seems to describe me.

"Millennial’s – Born 1977 to present - The most recent entries into the workforce. Cell phones, PC’s, laptops, air cards, MP3’s, digital everything, WiFi – this generation is growing up in a microwave world – information available in seconds. They do like money and want to be able to buy things. Older Generations view them as sheltered and protected and over stimulated. They are a very social group and interact well with others and recognize select authority figures in their lives. Millennial’s likes challenges and appreciates value and have a voice that they want to be taken seriously. Characteristic’s are still being formed for this group – more to come."

[exav8tr]

Well I guess there's no denying it, "I BE A BOOMER". Early one at that....

[Parrothead]

The "Matures" cover a lot of years and a lot of different experiences. It covers my Mother and Me, doesn't seem like a "generation".
Happy trails...................

[Connorsmom]

Yep, just as I suspected, 1954...I'm a boomer...LOL

Jan

[Dustytuu]

I guess we are "Matures."
But I wasn't too old or too young for Woodstock. Been there done that.
Don was playing army during my woodstock years.
Sure glad we know who we are now! LOL

[Parrothead]

Dusty,
Glad I have some company. Thought maybe all these Xers were going to get us!
Happy trails..................

[Wrenchtraveller]

Phil, great post and I guess Donna and I are boomers but we lived more like the matures because when the kids came along, we decided we wanted them to both have a full time caretaker like we both had so Donna quit work and stayed home with the kids. That was 23 years ago. She is still at home and so are the kids. LOL. Raising a family is not easy on one income but we are glad we did it and we would never do it any other way. I have one old fashioned belief and that is a child's caretaker has to love the child. That is why grandparents make such wonderful caretakers.
We both took a course on emergency child care when the kids were new born. Most of the class was made up of people looking for work in daycares. Let me tell you, there was a simpleton in there with the body of an oak and the mind of an acorn. He almost broke my ribs when practicing a choking procedure on me. That guy was only capable of looking after horses...maybe. I am sure there are good daycares out there but we would never take a chance after seeing some of the types that seek work in this field.

[Parrothead]

Been doing some research. Those of us borned between 1938 and 1946 are War Babies. So we have our own label! LOL
Don, I agree with you on the grandparent thing. I was a single parent most of the years raising my 4 daughters so I had to work. My parents took care of the girls for many of those years. Not only were they the best caretakers (as they had been with my sister and I) but that is why my girls had such a strong bond with their grandparents.
Happy trails.......................

[indy roadrunner]

Sue you have ventured off topic to one closely related to Generations and that is the study of values. They say that by the time we are 10 years old 90% of our values are locked in and between 10 and 20 we test and adjust those values. Now during the war we sent our men folk off to war and the women entered the work force to supply war materials. Rosie the riviter. They were much needed but someone had to care for the kids so that was usually the grandparents. Thus the kids picked up a lot of the values from the grandparents. Then after the war we were an industrialized nation, very mobil, men came home from war started new businesses, times were good, everybody needed to two cars because mom didn't come out of the factories after the war. That income helped them buy new cars homes material things that they had to do without during the war. Well a new employment opportunity was created - the baby sitter. Well now the kids were getting values from a mixture of cultures and not just from their own family. Led to confusion to those in the 60's, thus free love, dope, hippie could be linked to those mixed up values. Then Television was also baby sitting. Course early on there was no sex on TV, only kiss you saw was the cowboy kissing his horse and violence - the good guy in the white hat shot the gun out of the hand of the bad guy in the black hat then arrested him and the good guy rode off into the sunset. But they had lots of fist fights and guess what, every western on TV you bellied up to the bar, had a shot of whiskey and lit up a cigarette. Any wonder the young adults in the 60's had drinking and drug problems?
Man how did I get off on this subject. Let me rest up and we can talk about the values that the parents of the 60's passed on to their kids of the 70's.

[Parrothead]

Phil, that is probably why my daughters have a better work ethic than many of their peers. Both of my parents (and myself) were very hard working people. And the job has to be done right - no half way.
Happy trails.....................

[Wrenchtraveller]

Work ethic is a huge factor in the success or failure of a Country. I know I am getting off topic and a little political, but the Union policy of protecting the deadbeat has done a lot of harm and I am Union and I enjoy the standard of living I have because of the Union but I work for a living and I am proud to produce, I work with a few who make my wages and do very little for this pay.

[Dustytuu]

I was born during the war. My mother had a job riveting airplains. She talked to me about this when I was growing up. She said they were required to wear slacks to work for obvious reasons. My dad tried to enlist during war but they wouldn't take him because of health reasons. Maybe they drafted him and wouldn't take him after the physical. He was 7 years older than my mom. Both of my parents were hard workers. Grandparents too. My grandparents took care of me during my first grade of school, while parents were working far from home.
Son is a hard worker too. Although I didn't think he would be when he was growning up.
Dusty

[exav8tr]

Dusty, My mother was a riveter also. She lived in San Francisco, where I was born, and worked at Hunter's Point Naval shipyard building ships and part time waitressing. My dad was Navy, originally from Virginia, they met and got married in SF and I came along two years later.