Ode on the Generation X

Top 10 Reasons why Gen-Xers are Awesome:

1. Blade Runner
I've never actually seen this movie, but that hasn't stopped me from assuming it accurately defines an enitre generation. At my company's required annual Diversity Training, I was the first and only person to list such qualities as "non-conforming, counter-culture, gritty...like the movie Blade Runner" under the Gen X category during an exercise designed to increase inter-generational awareness. No one added to my statements, but no one outright denied my statements either: win, Blade Runner.

2. Mark Lisanti
www.defamer.com - until 2008*

3. Thriftiness
Growing up, they weren't the recepients of all the guilty peace-offerings and money the Greatest Generation had to offer. Gen-Xers were nourished by oil shortages, stagflation, and the Iran-Contra Affair. Gen-Xers learned at an early age that when 'easy money' monetary policies are combined with strong supply shocks, things can only end in tears. It was the spending habits of the overcompensated Baby Boomer generation that got us into this festering, debt-ridden economy, and it'll be the thriftiness of the Gen-Xers that will have to get us out. All 10 of them.

4. Just a little bit cooler than we are
They were the junior high schoolers who could (almost) slam dunk on the courts when we would watch them from across the elementary school playground. They were the ones orchestrating Senior Skip day when we were still struggling to learn our middle school locker combos. They were the saavy college students reading Nietzsche and explaining to us how college girls are different than high school girls because they wear less makeup...As always, just that much cooler than us.

5. The Wonder Years
Kevin and Winnie. Sooo angsty. Sooo generation X.

6. Michael Keaton
Iconic role model of Generation X. Why? Longsuffering, practical and utilitarian - these terms describe both this generation AND every character Michael Keaton every portrayed (Yes, even Beetlejuice...think about it) Keaton's Batman, in particular, was the guy who fought some crime after a long day at the office and maybe played poker with your dad later that Friday night.

7. Not needing 10 reasons to prove their generation's Awesomeness.
Here's to Generation X!




*That was the end of an era. Albeit, a short and trivial era. And Defamer doesn't even exist as a stand alone site any more. It's merged with the Gawker blogging hive (fyi..and such).