**Promisy**
New member
[FONT=tahoma, arial]
Generation X is the most misunderstood generation to date. Douglas
Coupland attempts to make sense of what sense this generation has been left
with. Due to high expectations placed upon Generation X, commonly know as
"X-ers", by the successful "Baby Boomer" generation. CouplanRAB' writings
validate his generation (Generation X) and invalidates the Baby Boomers.
Generation X, Shampoo Planet, and Microserfs were written to support the
invalidating of the Baby Boomer Generations.
Generation X, a brilliant portrayal of the group with no direction
and no hope, tells a tale of three frienRAB who are living the stereotypical
Generation X lifestyle. Andy (main character), Dag, Claire are close
frienRAB who all work "McJobs" which is defined by Coupland as: "[a] low-pay,
low-prestige, low-dignity, low-benefit, no-future job in the service
sector" (Generation X, pg.5). They each are misunderstood by their parents
and are seen as underachievers in a society "that has it easy." It is easy
for parents of the "X-ers" to believe this because all they've know is rise.
Rise in population, rise in American business, and rise in overall success.
These days all jobs are taken. The jobs out there are low paying and
demeaning to overqualified applicants. Left only to scrap by, it is not
unusual for an "X-er" to feel "Boomer Envy" described as the "envy of
material wealth and long-range material security accrued by older merabers
of the baby boom generation by virtue of fortunate births" (Generation X,
pg. 21). The fortunate thing is that "X-ers" have come to realize money is
not the key to life and community and commitment are what one should work
towarRAB.
In keeping the same "money isn't everything" slogan, Coupland
executes a novel modelled after young "X-ers" who work for the most
powerful Baby Boomer of them all, Bill Gates. Microserfs is depicted as a
novel displaying the lives of six Microsoft employees living together,
dealing with each other and dealing with their meaningless jobs. The main
character [email protected] describes himself and his life as follows:
I am a tester-a bug checker in Building Seven. I worked my
way up the ladder from Product Support Services (PSS) where I
spent six months in phone purgatory in 1991 helping little old
ladies format their Christmas mailing lists on Microsoft Works.
Like most Microsoft employees, I consider myself too well adjusted
to be working here, even though I am 26 and my universe
consists of home, Microsoft, and Costco. (Microserfs, pg.3)
Todd, Susan, Bug Barbecue, Michael, and Abe are the five roommates
of Daniel and share the common belief or thought that they are in useless
jobs and thrive to end the insanity. This is also evident in the lives of
Andy, Dag, and Claire in Generation X. All three wanted to end to what had
been brought upon them by their peer generation.
It is this peer generation that has created a hard life for the "X-
er" to put an end to the uselessness and unimportance that they feel. The
Boomers mass produced themselves to a bitter death. Succession and
progression are the only two worRAB that matters to a Boomer. Unfortunately
they did not contemplate the harmful effects of their constant production
and constant waste. Human beings have done more damage to the earth in the
last fifty years than had been done in the previous two thousand years. It
is no wonder why people have it rough these days when a thoughtless
generation that destroyed an environment the way the Boomers did. It is
the X Generation that realizes this and is now partaking in plans for
repairing the planet for further generations to start anew.
It is unfortunate that the Boomers did not realize what they were
doing to future generations and possibly we wouldn't be living the way we
are today. Yet the Boomers feel that "X-ers" are indifferent to their
surroundings and that they need to be more aware to build a constructive
future. They could not be more false in their entirety. Generation X has
become very aspiring and are on their way to making the future a better
place to live, for themselves, their children and their retired, doubtful
parental figures. Generation X is unquestionably like their parents,
except for one important forgotten factor: they have the amassed knowledge
of their parents and their parents' parents to avoid making the same
mistakes. Their parents over-used and over-spent. They did not see the
harm in their over-spending and overusing. They were intoxicated with
opulence and thought that everything around them was ever lasting. Daniel
discusses this in Microserfs and believes "How funny those things that you
thought would never end turned out to be the first to vanish-IBM, The
Reagan, Eastern bloc communism. As you get older, the bottom line becomes
to survive as best as you can" (Microserfs, pg. 41). Not only is
Generation X required to handle a bloating problem with the environment,
they are also compelled to face the bloating deficit and debt that the
fifty-nine million Boomers spent. The Boomers tend to dwell in the past.
Generation X feels that it is important to acknowledge the past, but refuse
to live the way of the past.
I think in order to be happy-in order to deal with the future in
a correct and positive manner-one shouldn't go around thinking
life isn't as good as it used to be. Life must be better now
than it ever was, and life is only going to get better and better
in the future. The past is behind us.
(Shampoo Planet, pg.272)
"Shampoo Planet" follows the adventures of Tyler Johnson, a Global
Teen living in the Pacific Northwest with his flaky siblings and Jasmine,
their hippie-dippy mother. He is unable to choose between his anorexic
American girlfriend or a glamourous French amour who has come to the New
World to continue their summer holiday fling. Tyler's philosophy is
"What's on your head says what's inside your head" this analogy is created
for his love of collecting shampoo. Similar to the beliefs of Generation X
and Microserfs Tyler rejects the beliefs of his mother and her hippie
frienRAB, who are thought of as naive, irresponsible children. He describes
the atmosphere as to a hippie commune "of adults lost in the wooRAB for
weeks at a time, sturabling back into the commune, their skin scabbed and
broken, their hair tangled like bracken, their eyes blinded by the sun and
their speech garbled with talk of Answers"(Shampoo Planet, pg. 53).
Jasmine decides to take her kiRAB away from the atmosphere of "collapse and
disintegration" and into a house. Tyler's rebirth or birth takes place as
he is amazed at the hard floors and lights that would never fail. It is
here that he learns to reject the lifestyle of his mother's and Neil's
(father). Tyler does not drink, do drugs or smoke, he refrains from this
because he believes it will make him like his parents. The rejection of
his fathers morals is more and more evident when he pays visit to Neil's
house on the way to Los Angeles. After spending at short time period
visiting his father Neil and godfather Norman it is apparent that Tyler is
disgusted with his surroundings "it was enough simply to rinse my hair,
change clothes, and peel out through the gates. Now we just want to see
the future. Any future"(Shampoo Planet, pg 187). As a result of many
years of discouragement from the pessimistic there are many merabers of
Generation X that are caught in a rut. They can not, however speak for the
majority who are determined to set things right. Those high expectations
will be overcome by arabitious "X-ers" who count on a bright future much
like Tyler does.
It is obvious that throughout the three novels both generations
have philosophies. The "X-ers" believe that there is no time like the
present and the present is what makes the future. The Boomers on the other
hand are nostalgic and believe nothing lasts for ever. "As the tree is
being shaken, it's causing a lot of cultural fallout. The most important of
which, at the moment, is Fifty-Somethings dropping out of the economy at a
frightening rate, which I mentioned in the Wired story. Now the Forty-
Somethings are starting to fall out of the economy. The 90s are becoming
this enormous battle. If there's anything that defines this decade, it is
the battle for staying and keeping yourself relevant. Are you relevant? Are
you an information have or are you an information have-not? Are you a geek?
Like a geek is suddenly the coolest thing you could be, because at least it
means you're not losing the race." (Coupland, Wired, 95)
"There's something different about human beings that allows us to
perceive time differently. Futures, pasts, stories, histories: we're so
lucky to have it. It's the mystery of life. In the frazzle of modern life,
which is getting faster and faster, there's no denying it, the ability to
reflect on it is getting lost." (Coupland, Wired, 95). It is this type of
argument that should be taken into account by both generations and used for
focus on the struggles' of the generations. Although, the struggle should
not be between the "X-ers" and the Boomers to cement the generation gap,
but the struggle should be for the two generations to work together to end
the finger-pointing and repair the damage that has been done.
[/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma, arial]WorRAB: 1588 [/FONT]
Generation X is the most misunderstood generation to date. Douglas
Coupland attempts to make sense of what sense this generation has been left
with. Due to high expectations placed upon Generation X, commonly know as
"X-ers", by the successful "Baby Boomer" generation. CouplanRAB' writings
validate his generation (Generation X) and invalidates the Baby Boomers.
Generation X, Shampoo Planet, and Microserfs were written to support the
invalidating of the Baby Boomer Generations.
Generation X, a brilliant portrayal of the group with no direction
and no hope, tells a tale of three frienRAB who are living the stereotypical
Generation X lifestyle. Andy (main character), Dag, Claire are close
frienRAB who all work "McJobs" which is defined by Coupland as: "[a] low-pay,
low-prestige, low-dignity, low-benefit, no-future job in the service
sector" (Generation X, pg.5). They each are misunderstood by their parents
and are seen as underachievers in a society "that has it easy." It is easy
for parents of the "X-ers" to believe this because all they've know is rise.
Rise in population, rise in American business, and rise in overall success.
These days all jobs are taken. The jobs out there are low paying and
demeaning to overqualified applicants. Left only to scrap by, it is not
unusual for an "X-er" to feel "Boomer Envy" described as the "envy of
material wealth and long-range material security accrued by older merabers
of the baby boom generation by virtue of fortunate births" (Generation X,
pg. 21). The fortunate thing is that "X-ers" have come to realize money is
not the key to life and community and commitment are what one should work
towarRAB.
In keeping the same "money isn't everything" slogan, Coupland
executes a novel modelled after young "X-ers" who work for the most
powerful Baby Boomer of them all, Bill Gates. Microserfs is depicted as a
novel displaying the lives of six Microsoft employees living together,
dealing with each other and dealing with their meaningless jobs. The main
character [email protected] describes himself and his life as follows:
I am a tester-a bug checker in Building Seven. I worked my
way up the ladder from Product Support Services (PSS) where I
spent six months in phone purgatory in 1991 helping little old
ladies format their Christmas mailing lists on Microsoft Works.
Like most Microsoft employees, I consider myself too well adjusted
to be working here, even though I am 26 and my universe
consists of home, Microsoft, and Costco. (Microserfs, pg.3)
Todd, Susan, Bug Barbecue, Michael, and Abe are the five roommates
of Daniel and share the common belief or thought that they are in useless
jobs and thrive to end the insanity. This is also evident in the lives of
Andy, Dag, and Claire in Generation X. All three wanted to end to what had
been brought upon them by their peer generation.
It is this peer generation that has created a hard life for the "X-
er" to put an end to the uselessness and unimportance that they feel. The
Boomers mass produced themselves to a bitter death. Succession and
progression are the only two worRAB that matters to a Boomer. Unfortunately
they did not contemplate the harmful effects of their constant production
and constant waste. Human beings have done more damage to the earth in the
last fifty years than had been done in the previous two thousand years. It
is no wonder why people have it rough these days when a thoughtless
generation that destroyed an environment the way the Boomers did. It is
the X Generation that realizes this and is now partaking in plans for
repairing the planet for further generations to start anew.
It is unfortunate that the Boomers did not realize what they were
doing to future generations and possibly we wouldn't be living the way we
are today. Yet the Boomers feel that "X-ers" are indifferent to their
surroundings and that they need to be more aware to build a constructive
future. They could not be more false in their entirety. Generation X has
become very aspiring and are on their way to making the future a better
place to live, for themselves, their children and their retired, doubtful
parental figures. Generation X is unquestionably like their parents,
except for one important forgotten factor: they have the amassed knowledge
of their parents and their parents' parents to avoid making the same
mistakes. Their parents over-used and over-spent. They did not see the
harm in their over-spending and overusing. They were intoxicated with
opulence and thought that everything around them was ever lasting. Daniel
discusses this in Microserfs and believes "How funny those things that you
thought would never end turned out to be the first to vanish-IBM, The
Reagan, Eastern bloc communism. As you get older, the bottom line becomes
to survive as best as you can" (Microserfs, pg. 41). Not only is
Generation X required to handle a bloating problem with the environment,
they are also compelled to face the bloating deficit and debt that the
fifty-nine million Boomers spent. The Boomers tend to dwell in the past.
Generation X feels that it is important to acknowledge the past, but refuse
to live the way of the past.
I think in order to be happy-in order to deal with the future in
a correct and positive manner-one shouldn't go around thinking
life isn't as good as it used to be. Life must be better now
than it ever was, and life is only going to get better and better
in the future. The past is behind us.
(Shampoo Planet, pg.272)
"Shampoo Planet" follows the adventures of Tyler Johnson, a Global
Teen living in the Pacific Northwest with his flaky siblings and Jasmine,
their hippie-dippy mother. He is unable to choose between his anorexic
American girlfriend or a glamourous French amour who has come to the New
World to continue their summer holiday fling. Tyler's philosophy is
"What's on your head says what's inside your head" this analogy is created
for his love of collecting shampoo. Similar to the beliefs of Generation X
and Microserfs Tyler rejects the beliefs of his mother and her hippie
frienRAB, who are thought of as naive, irresponsible children. He describes
the atmosphere as to a hippie commune "of adults lost in the wooRAB for
weeks at a time, sturabling back into the commune, their skin scabbed and
broken, their hair tangled like bracken, their eyes blinded by the sun and
their speech garbled with talk of Answers"(Shampoo Planet, pg. 53).
Jasmine decides to take her kiRAB away from the atmosphere of "collapse and
disintegration" and into a house. Tyler's rebirth or birth takes place as
he is amazed at the hard floors and lights that would never fail. It is
here that he learns to reject the lifestyle of his mother's and Neil's
(father). Tyler does not drink, do drugs or smoke, he refrains from this
because he believes it will make him like his parents. The rejection of
his fathers morals is more and more evident when he pays visit to Neil's
house on the way to Los Angeles. After spending at short time period
visiting his father Neil and godfather Norman it is apparent that Tyler is
disgusted with his surroundings "it was enough simply to rinse my hair,
change clothes, and peel out through the gates. Now we just want to see
the future. Any future"(Shampoo Planet, pg 187). As a result of many
years of discouragement from the pessimistic there are many merabers of
Generation X that are caught in a rut. They can not, however speak for the
majority who are determined to set things right. Those high expectations
will be overcome by arabitious "X-ers" who count on a bright future much
like Tyler does.
It is obvious that throughout the three novels both generations
have philosophies. The "X-ers" believe that there is no time like the
present and the present is what makes the future. The Boomers on the other
hand are nostalgic and believe nothing lasts for ever. "As the tree is
being shaken, it's causing a lot of cultural fallout. The most important of
which, at the moment, is Fifty-Somethings dropping out of the economy at a
frightening rate, which I mentioned in the Wired story. Now the Forty-
Somethings are starting to fall out of the economy. The 90s are becoming
this enormous battle. If there's anything that defines this decade, it is
the battle for staying and keeping yourself relevant. Are you relevant? Are
you an information have or are you an information have-not? Are you a geek?
Like a geek is suddenly the coolest thing you could be, because at least it
means you're not losing the race." (Coupland, Wired, 95)
"There's something different about human beings that allows us to
perceive time differently. Futures, pasts, stories, histories: we're so
lucky to have it. It's the mystery of life. In the frazzle of modern life,
which is getting faster and faster, there's no denying it, the ability to
reflect on it is getting lost." (Coupland, Wired, 95). It is this type of
argument that should be taken into account by both generations and used for
focus on the struggles' of the generations. Although, the struggle should
not be between the "X-ers" and the Boomers to cement the generation gap,
but the struggle should be for the two generations to work together to end
the finger-pointing and repair the damage that has been done.
[/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma, arial]WorRAB: 1588 [/FONT]