Qua?
ahAmericans are lost. We have fallen to the lowest of rungs. We can look no worse, and even our young people begin to adapt the desperation of their capitalist elders. This was a moment to change, to show empathy and evolve, to say that you weren’t the worst last generation, but that you were the defining generation.
The Millennials failed us (that’s Gen Z). Let’s do this quickly:
Missionary Generation: 1860-1882
The Lost Generation: 1883-1900
Greatest Generation: 1901-1945/pre-’36-1945/1901-24/pre-’28/1901-1924
GI: 1901-1924/pre-1936
Silent: 1925-1945/1937-1945/1925-1945/1925-1942
Greatest Years
Baby Boomer//Boomers: 1946-1964/1946-1964/1943-1964/1943-1960
Generation X//X: 1965-1980/1965-1976/1961-1981/1961-1980
Baby Busters: 1965-1980
MTV Generation: 1975-1985
Boomerang Generation: 1978-1990
Generation Y/Millennial/(s)/The : 1978-1990/1977-1993/1982-2005/Post-’80/1980-2000
Echo Boom
Generation McGuire
Millennials/Generation Z/Zoomers: 1995-2007/1994-/2001-2013
New Silent Generation
Binary: 2013-
There are many ways to outline generations, but there are primarily two ways to denote years. The first is by birth year, when you were born. You can be included in any generation based on that, but you aren’t a personal participant of that generation (at least “culturally”) until around 9, or puberty. The case can be made for 2 (awareness), or 3-5 (socialization), or any age from 5-9, but consuming “pop culture” by choice seems to mean you’re a part of that group. This leads to the second way to be included which is according to mental consumption of that culture from age 9-25 (that age being the last of neurological development, thereafter only death of nerve and no more growth, just maintenance of).
So most of the dates are taken from Strauss & Howe, Pew, Time Magazine... those whom should not dictate hierarchically the choices of our culture, our tastes, our minds. America is bourgeoisie, for even the poorest has access to the richest of culture, the deepest paths through to the past. Yet, we forget. Some anarchists tell you to eclipse the past, which is a moment at a passing fad across some bright light. The bright light never changes to the naked eye, but the darkness within it may explode, and in the meantime flares past our condescending ignorance burning our eyes. Honestly, start right into it and you’ll go blind, but hide from it and you’ll fade away.
So the range is this:
Missionary: 1860-1882 (22)
Lost: 1883-1900 (17)
Greatest: 1901-1945 (44) ?
Baby Boomer: 1943-1964 (21)
X: 1961-1990 (29) ?
Y/Millennials: 1977-2005 (28)
Millennials/Z: 1994-2013 (19)
?: 2013-
Let’s clarify what a generation is. The suggestion is when one’s reproductive abilities have been moved to their offspring, which in America ranges from 15-40, but which averages in the early to mid 20’s, around 23. That will be our average, with 30 years being a full generation (parents ensuring their 7-15 year old will maintain their culture), and the half-generation being 15 years long. We’ll see that some generations will have to merge and we’ll have to choose.
Missionary through X are pretty much set, with only a little overlap and years extended. The Greatest generation should be from 1901-1943, but separating into G.I. and Silent is essential to maintain “generational intersectionality" (since that is the BUZZWORD, although it’s kinda old).
Missionary: 1860-1882 (22)
Lost: 1883-1900 (17)
GI: 1901-1924 (23)
Silent: 1924-1942 (18)
Baby Boomer: 1943-1964 (21)
X: 1965-1980 (15)
Y-Millennials: 1981-1994 (13)
Millennials Z: 1994-2013 (19)
So my thinking is this with the last few generations, as I believe we’re more alike and we’re currently the mass population on Earth:
X: 1965-1989 (24)
Millennials: 1990-2012 (22)
That takes care of any other letters (no Y’s or Z’s), and it fits a more natural generational cycle, one I believe Gen X and the Millennials have adapted more than the generations before, who were less thoughtful about reproduction and scarcity. But it has taken years for me to wrap my head around the power of age and generation in America, how much older and younger generations disrespect each other and lack the communication and hearts to get along. Sure, you can get along with your grandparents, and our grandparents tolerate your thoughtlessness, but we can’t solve the deeper existential and spiritual crises plaguing three generations of Americans who have grown up with nothing but pop culture, materialism and capitalism as their binding ideologies, forget liberty, freedom and happiness, those overinterpreted and inconsequential words so many of you hold so dear, so personal, as if you had any part in establishing them through mass alienation and extermination of those who didn’t understand them the same. Fuck you!
These are the extensions of “American generational cultural” influence for each, focusing on individual's born during, age of acculturation, and major shifting events:
The Missionary Generation extends for 22 years from 1860 to 1882.
The Lost Generation extends for 17 years from 1883 to 1900.
The GI Generation extends for 23 years from 1901 to 1924.
The Silent Generation extends for 18 years from 1924 to 1942.
The Baby Boomers extend for 21 years from 1943 to 1964.
Generation X extends for 24 years from 1965 to 1989.
The Millennials extend for 22 years from 1990 to 2012.
The Binary Generation began in 2013 and should end after 2030. I’m calling it this because there are two major divisions that will be amended: no longer will that generation worry or use dichotomous terms like BLACK or WHITE, and they will free themselves from dependency on techn010gy.