Enjoy the journey, Gen X.
The time will pass soon enough, no?
photo by robert
According to an article written by Martha Irvine, a reporter with the Associated Press (Chicago), Gen X is growing antsy and discontent in their jobs. This story has been told 100 times, but for some reason, I'm always surprised to see it get ink again. There is at least one major news story about this every month. The bullet points are all the same.
- Boomers aren't retiring and making way for Gen X.
- Gen X is weary of responsibility without authority.
- Gen X has lost itself in an overwhelming desire for work-life balance.
- "Everyone" seems to be talking about Gen Y taking the place of Boomers.
- And, Gen X keeps asking, What about me?
If I'm wrong, I'll be the first to say so and I'll even buy you a rootbeer float. Gen X needs to take it easy, and above all, don't lose the psychological battle. We are a generation of experience and promise. I believe it! We have so much to offer our employers and employees. I continue to believe the best is yet to be for Generation X.
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7 comments:
Good advice Jen. I can tell you from experience that one should be careful what you wish for. Oftentimes the more interesting jobs are at the individual contributor level. That is not typically where the money is though.
@YOGI - Thanks, Yogi. Can you tell I'm getting weary with the whining? I mean - c'mon. We could all live in Siberia throwing rocks and shoveling snow for a living. I'm just glad to live in America and have a warm house and food on the table!! I realize this is a lot coming from the future patron saint of gen x. hahahaha!
I hope you're right, too, but I'll still take you up on the root beer float option. Johnny's Express perhaps? :)
Great summary of the usual points covered and excellent encouragement to stay the course. The law of the harvest - as you sow so shall you reap.
Jen, your blog is always such a breath of fresh air - every post rings true with what many Xers really are - idealistic, sensitive, caring and good people, who have seen their share of disillusionment, but have not lost faith - those are our main qualities. But the mountain of negative press written about us piles on and on. I'm so tired of it. It's so untrue.
Presenting a more optimistic, honest picture of our attitudes helps all of us, but it doesn't change the fact that the bad publicity constantly generated about Gen X is a serious problem.
What is true is that many of us are having a hard time right now, and we are not being treated well by our superiors. The reports have that right - the problem is that kind of story ends up feeding the big fake negative picture of who we are, which is not true. Negative labeling of Xers has to be addressed - if we don't deal with it somehow, we will face more punishment.
This is so wise and so true, Jen. We GenX'ers have to remember that no matter how tough things are, we're tougher!
We saw the Berlin Wall come down. We saw the fall of Communism. We saw the space program repeatedly recover from tragedy. We are Star Trek dreamers. We won't loose our faith in a better tomorrow and a better world, no matter how many times we've gotten a black-and-blue eye trying.
We're rugged. This too shall pass. Besides, it could be worse. We remember our grandparents telling us so, and they did pretty good in the end.
@SEEKTHEQUESTION - I promise, I'll buy you one. I hope the day comes soon when we can all look back - at least collectively - and say - wow - we made a difference. it really worked out for us. But, I do understand keeping your options open. Ice cream in the mug first or rootbeer? Because in the mug first is a frosty. The other way is a float. hahahaha! =)
@JENNIFER - I do believe in the law of the harvest, which is a great angle on a post about generation X. What seeds do we need to be sowing? Don't we see - we're sowing them now. We are caring for our children better than any generation ever has. Thank you.
@LARISSA - You are so right, and I agree. The negative labeling needs to be addressed. But, how? It's really quite bizarre and as you point out, rampant. I have so many thoughts on this - that's a painful post to write. So much of it I was unaware as a kid and youth and even young adult. But, the facts and experiences all fall together. Your comment is post worthy. I hope everyone reads it.
@PENNY BLOOM - Another post-worthy comment. The phrase "Star Trek Dreamers" is one of the best and most accurate of any I have ever heard in regard to Generation X. It makes me a little melancholy - and what you said about being tougher. You're not kidding. This is a very tough generation. Gen Xers don't know how tough they are. Here's a line from a Springsteen song: "Tougher than the rest." Thank you!
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