Music

Mix Six “Gen X New Wave Slacker”

December 1, 2006

Welcome to another Friday, and another Mix Six! I was reading Salon.com yesterday, and they had a letter complaining about Gen Xers at work, and, well, I just wanted to say to author of that letter: “screw you!” 😉

Here’s the letter:

Dear Cary,

I’m in my late 40s. My interests and personality traits span those of the baby boomers (activism, idealism, community) and those of Gen Xers (technology, new music, adaptation). 

I work in a trendy Internet firm with people who are 15-25 years younger than I am. I love working with the younger 20-somethings, but I find myself increasingly frustrated with the Gen Xers — those from 28 to 39. The stereotypes seem to be true: They’re cynical, selfish, noncommittal, addicted to pop culture, oddly nostalgic, smart but not wise, suspicious of sentimentality but hypersensitive to criticism. 

To work effectively with this group, I’ve had to tone down my natural openness and honesty (it’s interpreted as weakness) and tread lightly in any political discussion. (Most of my 30-something co-workers are resigned and apathetic libertarians.) I avert my eyes during their flames and outbursts. I ignore their gross misunderstandings of history and their lapses in logic. I’m not intellectually superior; they’re much quicker and brighter than I am, but it’s an odd sort of knowledge — broad but not deep. 

So, my co-workers drive me nuts, but it gets worse. My beloved Internet is filling up with blogs, columns and essays by Gen Xers who don’t seem to have any framework for their arguments and who are militantly post-feminist (embrace your inner slut), post-hippie (I care only about my family — fuck the community), post-vegan (I raise my own meat, slaughter it lovingly, then serve it up to my foodie friends). 

I don’t want to quit my job and go work for a nonprofit like all the other boomers. I love this brave new world. My hardcore hippie friends seem naive and outdated. 

Does every generation decry the upcoming one? Or are the Xers some sort of aberration — a blot on humanity that will be overcome by the millennial generation (who, by the way, seem to be a fine, innovative, idealistic and hopeful group of kids)? 

And here’s my “Gen X New Wave Slacker” Mix Six. Download HERE

“Begin the Begin” REM “I found it/Miles Standish proud.”
“Spin the Bottle” Juliana Hatfield “He’s in a bunch of movies/Really stupid movies”
“I’ve Been Waitin’ For Tomorrow (All Of My Life)” The The “Another year older and what have I done/My aspirations have shriveled in the sun”
“Nobody’s Diary” Yaz “For the good, the bad/I don’t want to see/A page in your diary babe.”
“Pony St.” Elvis Costello “If you’re going out tonight/I won’t wait up/Reading Das Kapital/
Watching “Home Shopping Club”
“Strobe Light” B-52’s “I’m gonna kiss your eyes/Then I’m gonna kiss your neck/Then I’m gonna kiss your tummy/Then I’m gonna kiss your pineapple! (Oooo Waaaaaaahhhh!)

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  1. Ml

    December 1, 2006 at 6:26 am

    HA! What an idiot! Screw him is right on!

    I had totally forgotten about The The. Haven’t heard them in years. Happy Friday!

  2. J

    December 1, 2006 at 7:08 am

    Great Mix Six. Love these songs. The letter writer sounds pretty full of himself, though I have met people who fit his description…in many different age groups, not just Xers. 😉

  3. Py Korry

    December 1, 2006 at 8:29 am

    Yeah, it’s easy to make sweeping generalizations about a generation.

  4. Beenzzz (Bean)

    December 1, 2006 at 9:03 am

    Warning: Overgeneralization below:
    Boomers are such whiney bastards. Of course X-ers are cynical (I love being cynical by the way) because they had to deal with all that phony crap dished out by their boomer parents. Ah boomers, the most hypocritical generation! The boomers who practiced sex, drugs and rock n roll gave us AIDS, the war on drugs, and Tipper Gore!
    I love the mix! You an’t go wrong with Elvis Costello, B52’s, Yaz, and REM.

  5. Gina

    December 1, 2006 at 9:28 am

    I’m with Beenzzz. Boomers suck. Not all, but the “later” boomers especially. Their overconsumption and materialism is fairly boundless. And they gave us George W., so that will always be a blot on their permanent record. How’s that for being sweeping as well? 😉

    Great mix!

  6. Py Korry

    December 1, 2006 at 9:47 am

    I’m glad I’m getting some love here! 🙂 I was born in 1965, and I’m not sure if that makes me a boomer or a Gen Xer. Some say I’m a boomer, and some say Xer. Whatever.

  7. Daddy-O

    December 1, 2006 at 10:10 am

    In the words of Robert Hunter of the Dead, what
    a long strange Trip it’s been…none stranger
    than that Dude’s letter….

  8. Beenzzz (Bean)

    December 1, 2006 at 11:53 am

    I say you’re an Xer!

Comments are closed.