Blogger: Mary Keeley
Location: Books & Such Midwest office, Illinois
After the Baby Boomers come the Baby Busters. What issues are “hot” for this generation?
Generation X (born 1965-1980, ages 31-46) aka Baby Busters
Gen Xers want to know: “Does it work?”
According to the Pew Research Center, one characteristic of GenXers is that they don’t trust authority. Perhaps this is because their parents (Boomers) were distant and not closely involved in their lives growing up, focusing instead on the corner office and the American dream. Gen Xers came home from school to an empty house. This is the “latch key” generation.
So what do many kids do when there is no parental supervision? This is the generation that decided to educate itself about life since their parents weren’t around. Author Brandon O’Brien says, “This may be the first postmodern generation in America: anti-institutional, skeptical about people in power, and a little moody. The sort of dark worship services with depressing acoustic music where everyone talks about their feelings—that’s Generation X.”
He continues in his book, The Strategically Small Church: “Postmodernity supposedly began with the end of World War II, when we realized that science doesn’t necessarily make things better. It just makes us more able to kill more people more quickly. Postmoderns tend to reject the optimism of the modern period. Moderns (Silent and transitioning in the Boomer generation) assumed everything would keep getting better until everything was perfected through science and reason.
“Postmoderns consider this naïve. They reject black and white explanations. Things are not always true or false, good or bad, right or wrong. For example, is it always wrong to lie? Well, not if you’re hiding Jews in your attic and the Nazis ask you where they are (that’s a popular example). So sometimes lying is okay. Is it wrong to steal? Not if you are poor and oppressed and are stealing from rich people so you can feed your family. So, postmoderns are slow to make universal statements. Where moderns put a high premium on proof, postmoderns value experience. That is, a postmodern wouldn’t say, ‘I know this is true because you convinced me (rational)’ but ‘I know this is true because it has been true in my life [experience].’”
Because they felt alienated as children, they’re doubtful about being parents themselves. This is understandable since so many of them didn’t have a consistent example of how to parent. They are pragmatic toward education. The ultimate reward for the GenXer: freedom not to have to do something.
Unlike their parents’ generation, GenXers tend to be apathetic about politics, focusing more on the individual (affect of the latch-key years?). “Social justice” efforts have their beginnings among this generation. But these efforts, without a Christian foundation, serve to make you feel good because of your works rather than as an outward expression of serving your risen Savior. Big difference. Let your mind ponder that for a while, and I’m sure you can think of a number of insights and potential hot topics to share with us.
The study of history in schools was replaced by “social studies,” a sort of combination of history and civics, leaving room in the school schedule for technology and other, more contemporary classes. But this leaves a void in their knowledge of the rich heritage of America.
Please share thoughts and insights that come to mind from this general overview. Is it becoming easier to visualize possible hot topics you can write about or incorporate into your novel?
I find this interesting since it’s my generation–interesting because I don’t fit the mold, and I believe that’s due to factors untypical of the GenXer.
Both my wife and I were raised in stable environments where the mother stayed home and positive views of authority were cultivated. Given our favorable perspectives on family and growing up with relatively large clans (hers = 10 children, mine = 4 children), we too wanted children–more than the typical GenXer (we have 6 children).
I also see the point on education. I’ve learned more about American history since we’ve been homeschooling than I learned in all my years of formal education.
So, it’s interesting how a generation is characterized by these many traits, yet individual members can be completely different based on their sets of circumstances. Just that much more to consider when molding our characters.
This generation was also raised to have more authority in their choices at home and in school:”family meetings, class meetings, group assignments and creative expression.” They are more interested in relationships than achievement.
In Christian circles they witnessed the birth and influence of parachurch organizations, such as Youth For Christ. Some have been raised by “Jesus Movement” parents. The greatest shift in worship and Christian music occurred during this time frame, which also impacts their choice of church.
And this generation is the first to benefit from new technology…computers in their classrooms, cell phones and the “Nintendo” craze. And let’s not forget the introduction of bungee jumping, white water rafting and the HIV/AIDS crisis.
There is always the consideration of rural vs city in any generation. A ranch kid is still a ranch kid…having to take responsibility at a very early age and working hard to help with the “family business”. They already value independence, flexibility, and family time.
Conflicts drive a story…and relationships will always involve struggles of some sort…all we have to do is pick a theme..right?
I think “political correctness” will also continue to play a huge part in past, present, and future generations to come.
We are somewhat reluctant to address sensitive issues for what they are because of fear of public backlash. For Christian fiction writers this can be particularly hard, as we want to write with conviction, but we must sometimes step lightly when handling delicate, moral issues so as to not alienate the very people we’re trying to influence for Christ.
Like Lance, I don’t fit this mold at all. My mother didn’t work until I was 10. I am very much a black and white kind of person, so much so that it was an obstacle during my time in Corporate America. I also attended Catholic school for 8 years, so I’m sure that had an impact.
For me, I think some of these years are when I remembered not feeling totally safe. The Tylenol scare, which led to more secure packaging of medications; a stabbing in our high school when I was a freshman; and attempts on the lives of Pope John Paul II and President Reagan, enlightened me to the dangers of an ever-changing world.
I lived through the Decade of Greed, which in light of today’s economy, seems like the good ole days.
Blending some of those fears into a character, could be helpful in defining who she is.
What Cheryl said about fears is very thought-provoking. Being born in 1969 I fall into the Gen X group, but I’ve always thought of myself as sandwiched between the Boomers and the X’ers. I think growing up in the “nuclear age” also shaped our age-group. I lived near two military bases and remember being informed by some overly helpful teacher that we would be target #1 in a nuclear attack. The combination of that and watching the miniseries “The Day After” left me with an understanding that other people’s decisions (and politics) could have catastrophic impact on my life. One would think that the fear would have spurred us into political action, but I think it left most of us feeling hopeless and apathetic.
I’m in the same boat as Lance on history. I learn something new every day in that subject while homeschooling my kids. I’m thankful for the freedom to be able to control my children’s education, as I value a lot of things that are no longer stressed in public education, history being one. Other things I rarely studied include: geography, handwriting, and grammar.
While I don’t technically make the cut for GenX (I’m guessing I’ll be a Millennial and that’s coming tomorrow 🙂 ), I’m on the cusp and so this still sounds a lot like my generation. And I was much more typical of the times – a latch-key kid, wary of authority, moody. But I also wasn’t raised in a Christian home. That’s such a huge factor in shaping world view, it simply can’t be ignored. That’s something I play with in my YA novels. How do differing childhood experiences shape the worldview of my characters, who have all now come to saving faith?
Fascinating subject, Mary!
The postmodern explanation will be even more applicable to a discussion on the Gen Y / Millennial generation, which I anticipating hearing more about tomorrow.
I’m really enjoying your insightful comments. Everything contributed so far this week has been helpful to the understanding of these groups.
And yes, Lindsay and Peter, tomorrow’s post is about Millennials.
I don’t fit the mold either. The only thing that stood out as “definitely applies” is the apathy about politics (ok well that’s how I translated people in power). But I don’t know anyone of any age who ISN’T apathetic about politics.
Your distinction of moderns saying they would be convinced through rational discussion and postmoderns needing more of an experience to believe something is interesting. This insight supports the need to show people the reality of Christ in our lives through demonstrating Christ’s effect on all aspects of our lives. I think this demonstration definitely needs to be shown through our actions and character. But perhaps we can also provide examples through non fiction discussion and through characters in our fiction.
I really appreciate Lance and Lindsay’s comments on their differences from this generation. It gives me hope for my own children and reminds me to try to help all kinds of readers with my words.
I was born the tail end of the Gen-X…in 1978..and I guess I don’t fit the mold at all!!! I was homeschooled though, oldest of 11 children, love, love history…a bit of a nerd over it. I am vary of authority though…very into politics, but agree with not just accepting black and whites….interesting!
Mary, these posts are fascinating. You’ve capsulized a lot of information and kept it interesting. Thanks for providing us with so much to ponder.