Generation X or Y, Do or Die

The blog title is inspired by Loudon Wainwright III's song from the album Strange Weirdos. However, Wainwright is a Boomer. When I first started blogging, I ran into Generation Y like a crash test dummy runs into a car windshield. Generation Y runs most of the blogging world like Hugo Chavez runs Venezuela. Dogmatically and the courts or rule of law are not needed to change rules.

Generation X lurks on the outside with occasional rushes towards the forefront. Results are often comparable to Chavez's opposition party tactics. Therefore, when I interacted with the blogging community, I did it sparingly and specifically.

These generation musings were triggered by the book The Ask by Sam Lipsyte. The reviews declared that this was the latest voice of Generation X. Since the main character was a recent father, I almost too strongly identified with him. Combined with a recent perusing of Generation Y blogs, this led to my further think about Generation X and Y and the generational rivalry.

I am not including the Boomers in this generational musing because enough has been written about the boomers. Even USA Today wrote a series about the Boomers and a probling, controversial story for them is generally, "US still eats more hamburgers than India." This boomer series was inspired by the first wave of boomers turning 65. Boomers turning 65 strikes me more as an Outlook calendar reminder than the trigger of a generational examination.

This Boomer retirement wave may be the assassination of the archduke that triggers the full fledged generational rivalry as X and Y compete for the corporate and business spoils that are left behind. Some write that there is a closer alliance between Generation Y and the Boomers since they are more team oriented and optimistic. Generation X's response is that it's on like Donkey Kong as we don't intend to be passed over again. However, this may all be irrelevant as Boomers may figure out a way to take the spoils with them to their graves and hold their positions and power for life just like Hugo Chavez.

Generation X and Y's philosophical leanings also place them on a collision course for rivalry. From reading Generation Y blogs, I see their gurus are Tim Ferris and writers of self-improvement books. They look to Seth Godin about following their passion. They love writing lists of what they plan to accomplish.

Generation X looks to the book/movie Fight Club and wishes to subvert the mainstream or John Hughes movie about nerdy underdogs finally receiving societal acceptance through unconventional methods. We're too cynical for failed cycles of self-improvement. Our New Years resolutions are snarky vows to update our hard drives or use fewer cue tips. We don't understand Generation Y's preacher-esque zeal for self-improvement and accomplishment and find their efforts come across, as well, too much preaching.

The rivalry is probably most intense among the older Y's and younger X's due to the freshman/sophomore dynamic. Sophomores feel their extra year warrants respect from freshman and that they should be treated differently by elders. However, sophomores are often really just older freshman who are still trying to figure out the same issues.

As an older Generation Xer, my contemplation through this post has made me realize that I am mainly just annoyed that Y's are littering on the internet and are terrible writers. Their web businesses that fill the internet like spores are typically affiliate marketing arrangements or "lifestyle design" which seems to be a way to justify writing about your navel gazing as a business. The true lack of any business model once traffic was achieved disillusioned me the about Generation Y's contributions to the internet.

Furthermore, their affiliate marketing or lifestyle design business models need to be driven by compelling content since they are mainly just writing about themselves. However, they kill their content with overusing awsome, awesomeness, sweet awesome goodness, or other words that don't really lend any descriptive value. I am waiting for awsomeful to catch on next. They declare ninja or rock star status for various abilities like networking or nose hair trimming. Unless it involves a throwing star or actual musical instruments, ninja or rock star are just another way of saying awesomeful. The Generation Y twitter driven writing style creates short blog entries with lots of ideas but no substance behind them. Titles of articles declare, "Everything that you know is wrong!" when the title should be: "I would like to suggest a slight shift in how we think about a new social media tool."

My Generation X co-workers and I talk about the challenges and how it's different working with Generation Y. One of my coworkers is managing 2 Y's and had the difficult experience of having to fire one of them. As we get older, the rivalry will fade and our different philosophies will complement work styles rather than be divisive. Until then, I will be more welcoming of Generation Y when they learn how to write awesomfuller and stops littering the internet with Amway schemes.

I avoided the Quarter Life Crisis but can I escape the Mid-Life Crisis?

The quarter life crisis is the new mid-life crisis. A search for "Quarter Life Crisis" on the Generation Y career website Brazen Careerist reveals entries on how to assess if you're having a quarter life crisis, what happens when previously clear paths fog over, and the existential struggle in between.

It does not surprise me that this crisis involving the search for meaning, uncertainty about the future, and ambivalence about the past now hits us in our mid-twenties. Previously paths were more certain as you worked on the farm, your parent's business, or got married. Paths were also delayed as apprenticeships or paying your dues were typical so tough career decisions could be delayed until we were in our 30's. Now, Generation Y has to worry about the right decisions on their Facebook post let alone the choice of graduate school, entrepreneurship, corporate jobs, or year long bender in a Thai opium den.

I dodged and juked past my quarter life crisis like Barry Sanders used to dodge the Green Bay Packers defensive line. My early 20's were spent in the Peace Corps, working on-call at multiple psychiatric floors with complete control of my schedule, or living in a commune. Actually, I should clarify, communes are now called Intentional Communities since commune's got a bad name in the 1970's. During these jobs, I spent the time thinking about what kind of graduate degree I should get to be able to do what I wanted in the health care field. At the end of the 3 years, I had decided on an MBA. I had complete confidence in my decision and future path. Additionally I embraced the small victory of each skill developed. I had experience in construction, grant-writing, and social work. I knew how to knit a sock, spin a pottery wheel, traveled most of South America, cooked for 50 people, garden, used power tools, made soap, spoke 4 languages, and butchered a pig. Actually, my ability to butcher a pig excited one of my rugby classmates so much that everytime I answered the phone, I thought that I would hear squealing in the background with my classmate yelling, "Come on over and let's barbeque!" In summary, I had more than enough stories of adventures to take center stage at most cocktail party conversation. On a serious note, I felt accomplished, lived a life less ordinary, and had confidence in my ability to make decisions about my future.

My method of avoiding a quarter life crisis is not a new one. The idea of spending 2-3 years finding your way in the world, sewing wild grains, and experimenting is a pretty standard career path for my undergraduate class. I know there are those with bigger student loans, visa issues, or family expectations or culture that playtime was over and it was time to get a job that could not take this path. My point is that a quarter life crisis is, for the most part, a relatively modern construct of our making. Some part of it does involve the collapse of the American dream where 4 years in college leaves you with a staggering load of debt and no health insurance. The ability to spend 2-3 years traveling, being a subsistence organic farmer, Americorps, working part-time and doing art part-time, moving to San Francisco and seeing what happens, homesteading in Alaska, or any of my other classmate's pursuits has faded. However, the quarter life crisis emerged well before the economic crisis so I will stand by my position that the quarter life crisis is our own invention and we have more control over it than we may think.

I turned 35 this year so my mid-life crisis is approaching. In some ways, I'm ripe for it as I am married, have a child, clawed my way to middle management, and am 20 pounds heavier than I was in college. One of my high school classmates with a suburban lifestyle lamented how he's realized that we've reached the age where we have as much chance picking up young Generation Y women in a bar as our grandfathers do. My car died recently and I saw a perfect opportunity to embrace a mid-life crisis by buying a sporty red convertible. My wife said that it was fine as long as the baby's car seat fit in the front seat. We bought a station wagon.

What's saved me from a full blown mid-life crisis so far has been maintaining a life outside of work, family, and social life. I still climb a mountain or two a year which keeps me connected with life and the wilderness outside of the normal 9 to 5. My high school classmate who lives in suburban Chicago doesn't have this outlet and I can tell that he needs it badly. By some quirk, I am also in better shape than I was in my 20's. I can run farther and faster, get into more yoga positions, and rock climb harder routes. Blogging also keeps my feeling connected and involved in what's new in the world, whatever that may be.

However, I can't pronounce my mid-life crisis to be avoided until I have had at least 5 more years of hindsight. There's also still my plan to grow my hair down to my shoulders again when I turn 40. Long hair is part of my plan to embrace a mid-life crisis since I may not be able to avoid it.

I'm not trying to cause a big Sensation, just talked about the role of Generation X

My job involves trying to sell health insurance (Medicare) to the Baby Boomers or Generation Y (our individual plans). My blog reading and research of these generations has caused me to think more about my own Generation X.

With regards to generational differences, I don't think there's anything too unique about it. Each generation starts out idealistic and prone to running around naked completely wasted, then moves onto raising families and careers while smoking the occasional joint, before moving on retirement, grandchildren, great prescription drugs, and contemplation (fueled by those great prescription drugs). There are key events that shape each generation through various phases. Some generational writers have much more eloquent terms than I do to describe it but essentially we go from casual to monogamy to Viagra.

Website like the Brazen Careerist (where I am a prolific guest columnist) and GenXconnect (which I just joined and we'll see how it goes) give on-line opportunities for generational battles. This post by Jamie Varon entitled "Does Generation Y Need to Grow Up" was the latest brush fire. Gen Yers brashly talked about how they'll be the change that they see in the world while Gen Xers used all our cynicism that we have earned to douse the flames. This got me thinking about what role I want to play in the generational blogosphere.

To get this out of the way, Generation Yers can be really annoying. I mean really annoying in that way that the freshman talks about what kind of medical school he'll attend and what kind of doctor they will be while you're just trying to pass Organic Chemistry. Annoying in the way that new person at work asks why someone hasn't fixed that process issue already that you have spent the year trying to scope, build consensus, and solve. But that's okay because they can be really insightful with all the possibilities that they see.

Generation X can be really cynical. Not just cynical but as bitter as some of the darkest roast coffee that you'll ever fine. Bitterness that just oozes out of pores like a facial. But that's okay, too. I like being a Gen Xer as I feel like a survivor. I always have a Plan B and Plan C ready to go and will not be surprised by corporate america, parents, or my favorite rock star again. I won't get fooled again.

I figured out my role with the Generation Wars doesn't have anything to do with generational perspectives. As a member of the older generation, I want to be a mentor. I'll work on my mentoring skills and reach out to the younger generation. I'll encourage and let Generation Y learn for themselves and they will learn. I'll try to make sure they don't leave enough rope to hang themselves. For example, whenever I see a post about how social medid defies the conventional notion of an ROI, I'll remind them about solid business principles and following the money. I'll tell stories, too, just to share and relate. Everyone like stories. Finally and most importantly, I'll give respect. I think that's what any younger generation craves and is not always given. If I am to be a decent mentor, I need to give respect regardless of the response.

Another important aspect of mentorship is to have an ally against the Boomers. Now that's the real Generation War that needs to be waged.