About Me

I have done a lot of things in my life and have also worked in many different jobs to make a living and to experience life. This blog is just some of my musings, sometimes funny, sometimes inspirational, sometimes sad, sometimes angry, sometimes simple but all the time, it's just me.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Generation Einstein, MTV Generation and The Ignored Generation

Brighter, quicker, more socially minded.

I have been told there is a new generation in the world. In fact I feel like I am from an ignored generation, Generation X is over, Generation Y is also over and there are new kings in town.

The new Generation is sometimes referred to as Generation Einstein.

A new name for the generation born after 1991 that grew up in the digital information society. Supposedly brighter, quicker and more socially minded.

In contradiction with the generation before them, Generation Y, Generation Einstein does not have a individualistic, but a collectivistic mindset.

The growing-up in a information society of this generation born after 1991, has caused a way of information handling which shows more similarities with the creative and multidisciplinary thinking of Albert Einstein than with the rational, logical and linear thinking of Isaac Newton.

I question the more social part though. I see most teenagers as less social. Stuck on their 3G phones playing games while in transit in buses or trains and continuing with their Xbox, PS3 or Wii games at home.

I am also feeling lost with Generation Y, also known as The Millennial Generation or MTV Generation.

This is a term used to describe the demographic cohort following Generation X. Its members are often referred to as "Millennials" or "Echo Boomers". There are no precise dates for when Gen Y begins and ends. Most commentators use dates from mid 1980s to early 1990s.

I consider Generation Y a confused bunch of people - deep inside a little unsure of themselves but outside as cocky and too sure of themselves. Commonly considered to be the future leaders in business and politics, but if what they say of Generation Einstein is true, then bye bye Gen Y, you'll just become Generation Why? Why did we even have that.

Generation X, commonly abbreviated to Gen X, is a term used to refer to a generational cohort of children born after the baby boom ended and usually prior to the 1980s.

The term Generation X has been used in demography, the social sciences, and marketing, though it is most often used in popular culture.

However, Generation X is also known to be the ignored generation. We come at a time when the baby boomers are too young and still rule the world and the Why's and Einsteins are now taking over. We are the in betweens, the ignored ones.

And as such, the unknown, the dangerous, the intelligent, the well rounded.

As a Gen X'er, I am in peace with my role in this world. I'd rather be an ignored person but intelligent, well rounded, balanced, less stressed and really wealthy.

I come from a time where I transitioned from cassettes to Cd's to MP3. From Pong and Donky Kong to PS3 and Wii. From analog round dial phones to IP and 3G smart phones. From abacus to computers. From black and white cathode ray tube television to hi-def multi colored multi pixel tele's. Many many inventions that enabled Gen Y and Gen Einstein to exist was invented by Gen X.

Yes we are the ignored generation and damn bloody proud of it.

Take care and be well.

2 comments:

macK said...

i feel you brother!

ConnectingTheDots said...

Interesting blog and post, but it’s missing an important part of the equation: Generation Jones, born 1954-1965, between the Boomers and Generation X. Google Generation Jones, and you’ll see it’s gotten a ton of media attention, and many top commentators from many top publications and networks (Washington Post, Time magazine, NBC, Newsweek, ABC, etc.) now specifically use this term. In fact, The Associated Press' annual Trend Report chose the Rise of Generation Jones as the #1 trend of 2009.

It is important to distinguish between the post-WWII demographic boom in births vs. the cultural generations born during that era. Generations are a function of the common formative experiences of its members, not the fertility rates of its parents. Many experts now believe it breaks down this way:

DEMOGRAPHIC boom in babies: 1946-1964
Baby Boom GENERATION: 1942-1953
Generation Jones: 1954-1965
Generation X: 1966-1978

Here is a recent op-ed about GenJones as the new generation of leadership in USA TODAY:
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20090127/column27_st.art.htm

Here's a page with a good overview of recent media interest in GenJones:
http://generationjones.com/2009latest.html

And here's a five minute video featuring dozens of America's top political commentators discussing the importance of Generation Jones:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ta_Du5K0jk