Generation-X culture vs Boomer culture

[Trevor]

I admit, speaking for myself, I blame both generations equally.

[John]

I admit, speaking for myself, I blame both generations equally.

I agree

[JR_in_Mass]

I'm here from downtown. I'm here from Mitch and Murray. And I'm here on a mission of mercy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-AXTx4PcKI

Who's responsible for the behavior of the sales force? Do Mitch and Murray have anything to do with it? Some of it comes down on the choices made by the the people who can either close or hit the bricks, but who created that choice?

(Hint: Who makes the most money if the sales force starts deceiving customers? Mitch and Murray, or those losers?)

[Marc]

JR_in_Mass said:

Some Boomers are incredibly cynical, and they're the ones who end up in charge of organizations whose legal purpose is to "maximize shareholder value." (They're also attracted to any place where loose money is shaking around.) When they're in charge, they set an example of self-indulgent authoritarianism and promote the careers of underlings who will facilitate that. Governance (boards of directors, etc.) is also in the hands of Boomers, and will continue to be so for the next 5-10 years (assuming average Boomer birth year 1950).

My strong hunch is that the ushering in of the recent Third Turning helped to usher in an ethos of things like "maximizing shareholder value" (at least in many corporations/businesses), part of a "new" culture that was embraced by many but not all Boomers — and at least to some extent by many Silents and even some G.I.'s who were still around. Everybody could now get a credit card; the TV became saturated with infomercials on how to "live the American Dream" and get the income you are entitled to; and on top of that, there was now going to be a mortgage for just about everyone. As Boomers in the recent Third Turning were now rising to middle-management and even some senior-management positions, I can see how the mood of the times helped to entice many Boomers, and even some Silents, who had particularly narcissistic tendencies to leave a mark within organizations. (Think of the 1980s savings-and-loan crisis, even though there were many Silents still around to bring forth many prosecutions for all the fraud committed.)

As such, I think that the mood of the times helped to promote narcissistic cads in many instances; then, as Generation-X Nomads began to enter workplaces, their nihilism and opportunism gave the process a powerful thrust, especially considering that the X'ers frequently were/are analytical doers, shot-through, again, with amoral nihilism and opportunism (and yes, who could mentor and control Boomers' actions in many cases). Once it all got to this stage, you had a toxic organizational culture in many organizations — and which also now provided maximal opportunity for cads and "butt-coverers" of any generation (especially for those who happened to be able to take on significant positions, including production-oriented ones, in such organizations).

Just some further synthesis and ideas here....Thanks, JR, and well as others, for the further valuable insights. —Best regards, Marc

[Trevor]

I have to admit, I've known numerous people belonging to generation X. Some of them are quite friendly people, like the person I practiced job interviews with. We disagreed on many things politically, but even so, we got along quite well.

As for the Boomers I've known, they generally have at least some arrogance and self-righteousness, even if they're not as crazy as some you see in the media. It can really get on my nerves, especially the incompetence. I've come to develop a very low opinion of the Culture Warriors, no matter where they stand. The description I've seen on this website is unfortunately pretty accurate. Not all of them, but it does seem to be pretty common.

Generation X often seem to be more rational and pragmatic and often more tolerant. Unfortunately, when they're not, they actually scare me, such as the person I mentioned who wanted to throw every Turk out of Cyprus, even if that meant exterminating them. I've never heard a Boomer spew that kind of poison and from the tone, this was no grandstanding; she meant every word of it.

[Marc]

Hi, Trevor,

My perceptions are similar to yours, including what you say about Generation X. And yes, I think that there can be some great X'ers out there, including many who are willing to fight for what's right and who have a sense of social justice. Yet, even for them, there is frequently, we both probably feel, often a defining penchant of liberty, survival, and honor, which is cultivated by the way they were brought up and what they have/had to do to "make it" in the world (and not get eaten by sharks).

Thanks again for sharing! —Best regards, Marc

[Higgenbotham]

As as Xer, I've always found Boomers to be pretty much OK unless they are in charge of something.

In the instance of this thread, we find John, a Boomer, feeling like he is in charge. He feels generational theory is his specialty and he's got all the answers, nobody else, and certainly not an Xer. So we see behavior here that we don't see when John is outside his element (in the Financial Thread, for example, it exists but to a far lesser extent).

When a Boomer is feeling like they are in charge, that's when things get really crazy and we will see the following:

(But let me first digress here and talk about one thing the Boomers did back in the 1970's when they thought they were in charge of the streets. It was the most insane thing you ever saw, but the Boomers invented something called streaking, where a lone Boomer or a group of Boomers would run naked through the streets or through public events. Now that the Boomers are in charge of other things, their behavior tends to be similar to streaking in the sense that they announce their authority in very provocative ways. OK, now that the proper tone has been set, I'll continue.)

1. We will see a lot of "edicts" being proclamated.
2. If something fact based is mentioned that irrefutably contradicts an "edict", that is simply ignored. Xers revel in detail and facts, so that's a problem.
3. If something is mentioned that is based on sound reasoning but is not irrefutable, it is dismissed outright.
4. Things that fall into gray areas that can't be proven or disproven are dissected to death, with the Boomer claiming superior knowledge.

In my experience, the Boomers who are the absolute worst in this regard were born in 1947 and as we move away from that particular birth year things get less crazy.

[Trevor]

Boomers seem to be good at parenting, which seems to be why they raise the current hero generation. Have an average boomer in charge of something, though, and we're in big trouble. Course, I've heard X-ers can be almost overprotective, the stereotype of "Helicopter parents". I would imagine that comes from "My children will never go through what I went through."

I admit, part of the reason I became interested in generational theory is that they were some of the few not calling my generation stupid, spoiled, selfish, and so on. The more I learn about it.... well, let's just say it's a cause for concern.

A question: is 1960 considered X-er or Boomer?

[Marc]

Hi, Trevor,

Strauss & Howe categorize the year 1960 as the last birth year for Boomers.

John Xenakis, however, in video communications, has postulated that the first birth year for X'ers is 1959.

I personally am more comfortable with John's cutoff date for Boomers (which, incidentally, would barely make both me and my two siblings all X'ers, which just feels right to me).

Thanks for asking —Best regards, Marc

[Trevor]

That would also mean that my mother's an X-er, since that was her birth year, which was why I was asking.