Talkin' 'bout my g-g-generation

Throughout my years here on earth, I've always been fascinated with people and how society groups them into generations. I'e heard about the Greatest Generation, the Baby Boomers, Gen. X and even Gen. Y. Generations are great in the sense that it gives us all a way to relate to one another. They provide us with a cohort to identify with. We tend to view politics and society through similar lenses. We resemble each other in our opinions of the world and the way we interact with it. It gives everyone a sense of belonging and we tend to take pride in our generation.

The Baby Boomers are in the limelight now, as they are reaching retirement age. I can feel the pride of this generation as I've been forwarded emails, heard songs and seen commercials about or targeted toward the Baby Boomer generation. They have pride in the fact that they're tough, original, and creative. Yes, they fought in the Vietnam War, lead the civil right's movement, and helped establish women's lib-- and everyone one of them I've talked to are pretty dang proud of all they've accomplished. So I'm left questioning what generation I belong to. Who else feels the burdens and advantages of living as a twenty-somthing in this day and age?

I grew up during the prime of the often-talked-about Gen X, yet I did not relate to them completely, and I didn't know where I fit in. This has bothered me for years. When I talk to people about my inability to link myself to a specific generation, they always insist that I'm a Millennial, a Gen Y, or part of the MTV generation. But I've never been satisfied with that answer. How can I have similar opinions of the world as somebody who grew up with the internet, cell phones, no Berlin Wall, or someone who doesn't remember the good Saturday Morning Cartoons? I admit that some of our worlds overlap, but I tend to identify more with Gen X than the afore stated generations. But they won't accept me either. But let me tell about the relief I felt when I found that I'm part of an overlap in years between two generations. And guess what, it happens every 20 years or so.

I've now learned that the people born in the late 30's early 40's, late 50's early 60's, and late 70's early 80's are all their own little generations. They aren't part of the Baby Boomers or Gen X, or any other generation for that matter. They are their own group. Sure, some outsiders may view them as "lost generations," but I have to disagree. I now feel like I've been found.

Now, I have a cohort-- a group of people born from about 1976-1983, whose thinking and life experiences mirror my own. This generation is sometimes identified as "XY." I personally think that "they" (whoever "they" is) could come up with a more profound name than that, but it's fine for now. I'm just happy to have a home.

It's comforting to know that I'm not lost after all. There are other people who were born into "Reganonmics," remember playing Super Mario Bros on the first Nintendo game system, and carried around their (origianl) Strawberry Shortcake doll. So, my fellow overlappers from '76-'83, make your voices heard. When someone tells you you're neither "X" or "Y", tell them they're right. You are your own generation with a home somewhere between Grunge and the Internet-- and that's just fine.