One of the reasons I think that members of
Generation X are so vocal and work hard to articulate how they feel is because it seems to us that everything in our lifetimes just changed so fast. Generations are marked by how they are
different; this is done so that all of us may feel some significance in our own time, so that we can feel set apart and therefore legitimately argue that previous generations may not
understand ours. In one fell swoop, we are unified within our ranks and walled up from others. It's quite the
tribal mentality we often only accuse of religious groups. And I am no better. I understand
Ground_Control's statement, though for different reasons, since I didn't pay attention much to politics or war when I was growing up. In fact, I didn't really realize the uniqueness of our generation until I was out of
college, which I guess is when everyone realizes it, when some time has passed between living the moment and recounting it.
Just as Generation X has its cliches, the one that follows it will have it even more so. As times goes on, it seems that all those still around from prior generations cling to those label with which they label us in an attempt not to understand but to safely categorize us. As history gets bigger in its volumes, we will have to shout that much louder, we believe, to be heard.
The thing I am most interested in is what our kids will be like. We know how the Baby Boomer kids came out. I am looking forward to seeing how we handle being wives, husbands, fathers and mothers. And I know some of us have already started. But we haven't attained our own voice yet, we haven't become a target market for middle class stereotypes: the minivan, bulk groceries, biodegradable diapers, school voucher programs, teenagers on our car insurance. It's sad but somewhat true that you won't know how any generation turned out until you hear about it on the news, whether the news is telling the truth or not. We will always know the difference.