(03) 9020 2905That we’re apathetic, aimless, ambitionless, slackers.
Generation X – Tales for an Accelerated Culture was the 1991 book by Canadian Douglas Coupland, which kicked the whole thing off. It was followed by “Slacker”, a movie about a day in the life of a bunch of deadbeat 20-somethings.
The term “Generation X” caught on. And we were going to be the laziest generation ever let loose on this solar system.
Generation X would shun commercialism, ignore careers, perpetually watch MTV, drink coffee, play video games and generally ruin everything the Baby Boomers think they created.
The era’s marketing “geniuses” (those to the right), grabbed it and ran with it, thumping the stereotype and branding us as a generation of lazy losers.
But that was 20 years ago. We were just teenagers being teenagers. They think they were different. They weren’t, but they didn’t have Donkey Kong, video cassette recorders and often have both parents working, as we did.
Sure, we took our time growing up. Adults at 18 or 21? So arbitrary! So we created “adolescence”, which meant we didn’t have to grow up until, oh, about 30.
Well, we’ve grown up now. We’re in our 30s and 40s. Our huge mortgages won’t pay themselves off. Both people/parents in the house tend to work. We’re striving towards the prime of our careers.
And we’re beginning to run the planet. Possibly even save it! We’ve already got a few in the top jobs, including Julia Gillard, David Cameron and Barack Obama.
Slackers? I think not. If we have a common problem, it’s bad backs. From carrying the rest of you!
Bruce Brammall is the author of Debt Man Walking (www.debtman.com.au) and principal adviser with Castellan Financial Consulting.