Introduction
Generation X also referred to as Gen X, signifies all people born after the Second World War and the baby boom. Roughly 45 to 50 million people were born during the generation X range. The most crucial part of the generation X is that it is significantly smaller than the baby boom phase; as a result of this the overall population of this phase is also smaller than the baby boomers. Robert Capa, a Magnum Photographer was the person to come up with this term during the early 1950s. He eventually used this term as a subtitle to one of his photos depicting young men and women after the Second World War. This term was used to portray this generation of young people, who are likely to face uncertainties and hostilities in their future. This generation is often considered as the generation of leaders and are a more competitive workforce.
The definition of this term was not hard and fast and it soon took another form during the 1960s and the 1970s. During this period Generation X primarily referred to young working class white people. This term made a big comeback through the book written by Douglas Coupland in his novel entitled Generation X: Tales of an Accelerated Generation which focused on the adult people during the 1980s and primarily focused on their lifestyles. Generation X is often referred to as the “baby bust” generation within the United States primarily because the birth rate dropped significantly during this time.
There are conflicting views as to what should be the range of this generation. It has been argued that the generation includes all those births made until 1981 and 1982. However, this range may differ based on the researcher, geography and the time when this research was undertaken. Some books have also purportedly called this generation as the “13th Generation”, as contemplated by Neil Howe and William Strauss in their book entitled “Generations”.
Surprising the “Generation X” is also quite well-known for breaking the expectations that were expected from them. This generation is also considered as the generation of the leaders. When people from this generation swept into all the key roles during the 1990s, it was expected that they would help create a nation which was both just and prosperous. Although, people from this generation were able to change a lot of facets in the health, administration, environmental and women rights issues; they have also failed in some instances.
Most of the people in this generation hold senior associate, junior partner, mid-level paralegal, as well as other mid-level support positions in organizations. Apart from this, they also hold other mid-level positions in corporate legal departments, government organizations and other legal organizations. However, the career and study related aspects of the people of Generation X have not been studied properly. In fact, they are often considered as one of the most ignored generations.
There are significant differences between the baby boomers and the Generation X. In contrast to the baby boomers, the Generation X carries out their work with a deep sense of loyalty and mission towards the organization. They usually tend to avoid politics within the corporation and they also look down on organizational bureaucracy. The Generation X had seen their parents work and they also believe that working is crucial in order to lead their life. The people of this generation have also been found to be non-reliant on job security and they often see all of the work that they do as temporary and for the time-being only.
The motivating factors are also quite different in the case of Generation X, than those of the baby boomers. People of this generation tend to be more drawn towards relationships with individuals and also value it to a significant extent. One of the prime characteristics of such people is that they do not want to be classified into any specific category. Apart from this, the Generation X people are also considered to have a short attention span. However, they do like newer challenges and are also quite good at multi-tasking. Due to this reason, training sessions are quite successfully implemented in the case of these people.
Generation X also does not want to spend a significant amount time in just talking it out; they would rather go and do the work and then move on to the next thing. They also want to exercise greater freedom in their work life and do not want interfering managers; who tend to poke their nose into every move they make. This generation also tends to be very effective in managing their time as well as their work without the need of being supervised. These people also crave for quick feedback from their bosses, which is mainly attributable to the shorter attention span.
The Generation X also see their work and family life balance as their very core right, not as mere privilege, like their earlier generations did. This has also been made easier and possible by the modern technology which allows them to work at their convenience literally anywhere and at any time without the hassle of fixing a given position and time to their work. They also oppose the nine to five work approaches which were deemed as normal by their predecessors.
The people in Generation X are also more open to cultural diversity and openness. They see racial and the sexual diversity as a mere part of life and they are more likely to accept ideas of sexual and racial conversion that the baby boomer generation. They also easily accept the notion of homosexuality and the existence of minor ethnic groups amongst them. Increased diversity is also reflected in the diverse range of music that they listen to.
Gen. X also tends to be quite individualistic in their work life. They prefer working alone in solemnity. Most of the people in this generation grew up in families where both the parents worked, a flat economy and with high divorce rates. The women in this generation place their career above anything and are unwilling to compromise their careers. Although, they have found profound success in their work place, these women also give special attention to their families and children to make up for things that they missed during their childhood.
Generation X females also think that the feminist fight is over and they do not consider themselves as feminists like the baby boomers. Baby boomers often find it quite contradictory, as they have spent a great deal of time in opening up new opportunities for women in a wide range of sectors. The newer generation are also more tech-savvy and rely less on traditional work methods and practices than their predecessors. They also crave learning new things and prefer fast paced things. This generation is also the first one to grow up with computers which gives it an edge over the earlier generations and it has also helped them manage their time more efficiently.
The Generation X has witnessed a high rate of divorce amongst their parents as a result of which they intend to wait for the right person and then get married for life; instead of hastily getting married to the wrong person. However, this group of people also have the highest suicide rates amongst the other generations in the United States alone. This is mainly because most of the people in this generation think that it is their choice only.
The Bible Approach towards the Generation X is often marked by confusion, mainly because it assumes that people always think in a rational manner. The study has had problems mainly because of overestimating the rational thinking of the student. The Gen X student relies more on pragmatism and they emphasise more on the practical aspects of the Bible approach, rather than believing whatever is been said. Therefore, they need a rational explanation for everything and are not willing to believe everything that they are been said blindly.
Slackonomics as defined by Lisa Chamberlain explains how the Generation X is coping with the creative destruction in today’s times. The newer generation has different perspectives and preferences in almost every aspect of their lives as compared to their predecessors. They also have lower commitment in a lot of instances compared to their predecessors. There work life is less intense and stressful than their parents, as they do not seem too committed towards a single particular job. They are also quite open to changing jobs quite frequently if its conflicts with their personal life.
It is certain that the newer generation X is more inclined towards maintaining a balance between their work and life. They are not too judgemental, but require the proof of practicality for any claims that are been made. This generation has certainly brought in its fair share of change and norms in the society. They are less solemn than their parents were regarding their lives. Marriage, work life and personal choices are all important; however, the degree of their importance has changed over time.
Nowadays, companies also need to be more practical if they want to attract customers from this new generation. Parents and teachers relationship with this generation has also changed in the past years. This Gen X tends to be more practical and they prefer taking control of their own lives rather than letting someone else dictate it to them. This generation has learned from the mistakes done by their parents and they tend to be cautious in those sectors of life.
Teachers also need to be more cautious with Gen X students. They tend to be more inclined towards learning things that appear to be practical only, rather than believing mere assumptions made by others. What this generation has to offer in the future is something to look forward to.
References
1. Conversations With The experts. (2005). Retrieved on 29th November 2011, from http://wfnetwork.bc.edu/The_Network_News/08/The_Network_News_Interview08.pdf
2. Coaching Generation X. (1997). Retrieved on 29th November 2011, from http://www.coachingandmentoring.com/Articles/x%27s.html
3. Satisfaction Level of Job Expectations of X and Y Generation Teachers Working at the Ministry of National Education. (2011). Retrieved on 29th November 2011, from http://www.eera.de/ecer-programmes/conference/ecer-2011-1/contribution/1191/?no_cache=1&cHash=7179ac5d1e
4. Understanding Generation X. (2001). Retrieved on 29th November 2011, from http://www.voirdirebase.com/pdfs/gen_x.pdf
5. Brian Housman. (1995). Generation X and Bible Study Approaches. Retrieved on 29th November 2011, from http://www.intervarsity.org/mx/item/4648/download/
6. Slackonomics.(2011). Retrieved on 29th November 2011, from http://slackonomics.com/about/
