Topic: Why I am a …
I know, I know! Your generation is assigned to you by the year of your birth in much the same way that astrological signs are handed out by the day and month of your birth. My birth year puts me in the Silent Generation, but I always felt that I marched out of that generation during the Civil Rights movement.
The generation I might have jumped into is Baby Boomer, those born after the war. They are said to be very conservative politically and to put work first in their lives. Conversations with Boomers often seem to involve their own importance or the vast collections of “stuff” that they have accumulated. This “Me Generation” never seemed to suit me either.
My children fall into Generation X, a bridge generation with members self-identifying as more progressive and more diverse than the Boomers. My kids had required middle-school classes in computer programming that sparked my interest as well. However, when my children were teenagers, I could not imagine why anyone would want the tags on the outside of their clothes so everyone could see the brand. We had endless arguments about whether they really NEEDED $100 sneakers that would have to be replaced in just a few months or jeans that cost a small fortune. Although more progressive politically, this generation did not seem to fit me either.
In writing this essay, I have realized that I was probably born again during the Millennial age. I finally found my true calling in 1995 when the Internet arrived at Judson College, and I knew at first glance that I was born to be a Webmaster. Technology is an everyday part of my life in my tiny apartment now, and once you are connected to billions of people, your actual surroundings fade into the background. As I read my online newspapers every morning I am increasingly drawn to the articles discussing climate change and social justice, so perhaps the tag Millennial fits.
Unfortunately, however, I have encountered a real problem in adopting a Millennial persona. Try as as hard as I can, I don’t think I will EVER be able to type with my thumbs on a cell phone. If that is a required skill, then maybe I am doomed to move on to our youngest generation, Generation Z, the generation of my grandchildren, who are defining themselves through TikTok and the shouted slogan “OK Boomer.” Are we moving toward a “voice only” world where, as in the distant past, only a few people actually learn to read and write?
Now it’s war: Gen Z has finally snapped over climate change and financial inequality.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/style/ok-boomer.html
Then again, maybe I should just forget generations and start to look into how I can move from that Aquarius stamp that I have been given.
