Generations
Interesting
how we separate and name different generations.
There are
generations we never really met, known as “The
Olden Days.”
There is the
generation of my parents, WW II or “The
Greatest Generation”, then we had Beatniks, Hippies,
Yippies, Yuppies, Generation X and
currently Millennials.
Each
generation has its own music, its own way to dress, and it’s own
expressions. I find it interesting that
with each generation attitudes change along with descriptive phrases. Expressions seem to escalate.
For instance,
the Greatest Generation would say something good was…”Good.” Beatniks would call something good… “like
cool.”
It is easy to
identify someone’s generation in just how they describe different events.
Something good:
“You’re getting a raise in pay.”
The olden
days – “OK”
WWII – “That’s nice”
Beatniks – “Like OK…cool.”
Hippies – “Like no way man, far out, more time to make
love and tune out.”
Yippies – Dude, that’s gnarly! …but how much more is ‘the
man’ getting?
Yuppies – “Excellent!”
Gen X’s – “Awesome, when is my next raise?”
Millennials –
“That’s like super epically awesome, so
do I also get more personal days?”
If something
is not so good:
“I’m going to have to let you go.”
The olden
days – “OK”
WWII – “Darn”
Beatniks – “Huh…I don’t have to work? That’s cool.”
Hippies – “Let go from what, I already tuned out?”
Yippies – “Bummer”
Yuppies – “Damn”
Gen X’s – “Fuck you, I found a better job for much
more money.”
Millennials –
“What? Can you do that? Where do I go to
file a complaint?”
Generations
react differently to stress:
“We’re going to need this finished by
Monday.”
The olden
days – “OK”
WWII – “I’m on it.”
Beatniks – “Relax man, it’ll get done some time.”
Hippies – “We’ll see, whatever.”
Yippies – “Damn, I don’t think it can be done.”
Yuppies – “I’m worried, that’s going to take several all-nighters.”
Gen X’s – “Dude, I am FREAKING OUT!”
Millennials –
“I
am extra SUPER FREAKING OUT!”
On spending
money:
The olden
days – “Just going to make do somehow.”
WWII – “We need to save for a rainy day.”
Beatniks – “Hey daddio, you like have some extra bread?”
Hippies – “Make it, grow it, borrow it or steal it.”
Yippies – “Guess I have to get a job.”
Yuppies – “I need it, I can charge it and pay for it
in a few payments.”
Gen X’s – “I want it, I can charge it and my credit
score will go up.”
Millennials –
“I really want it, can I just open one
more line of credit and pay the minimum amount for the rest of my life?”
I’m a little
worried about the newest generation that is now just learning to walk. They will probably do just fine. To them, my generation will be “The Olden Days” and they will be super
radically epic and excellently awesome!
THE WHO
“Talking Bout My Generation”


