Is Gen Y Neo to the Gen X Matrix?

By Kathy Korman Frey, @ChiefHotMomma

The story begins..

“You teach Gen Y, but you don’t hate Gen Y. Why do so many other people seem to hate Gen Y?” Jenn Sacks asked me one day.

“Don’t worry,” I said,  “I am Gen X and – when I was young – people hated us too.”

But the truth is, something else is happening. Something deeper. Can you feel it?

Some of us WANT Gen Y to be miserable.  Why is this?

Today, we learn.

Follow me. Each generation has a mission. Are you ready?

Boomer bumpersticker: Traded our acid drop for acid wash.

Rebellion is tiring.

Nothing proves this more than the 60s generation. Once the Vietnam War was over, the 60s generation moved on, got married, and bought cell phones the size of Big Gulps. The only remaining true self-respecting rabble rouser? Keith Richards. But, the guy looks exhausted. The rest of the rebels who kept up that pace are dead. The Boomers (1946 to 1964) who are around, are happy. They kept the appreciation for what they had, hold the angst.

Boomer women are the warriors:  Gloria Steinem and other strong voices were the largest beacon for women since the Women’s Rights Convention of 1848 along with later actual laws allowing us to walk upright. Women got educated, got jobs – big jobs – and fought through the glass ceiling for themselves and, hopefully, for us. They are our warriors, and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude. A Boomer woman was damn-near President, and not because her husband was President – but because her IQ places her in Mensa.

• Boomer Sisterhood of Success™ Mission:  The naughty Boomer’s fatal flaw is thinking nothing else matters because it’s not retirement, near retirement, or the Vietnam war.  It does matter. The fight is not over. So put down the Sudoku and get in there! You’re one of the originals. Oh, and bring your daughter. 

The big question: Is it too late? Have Boomers become lame?

Gen X bumpersticker: Caught in the Matrix

We’re the generation stuck in a real-life version of the Matrix.  A “reactive” generation – according to generational theory- born between 1964 and 1979. All we can talk about is work-life balance.  Back in the day, some of us were sugar pop valley girls and dudes, some of us were grunge, but as a whole we’re an angsty, misaligned bunch. We’re defined by the energy crisis, Cold War, 80s recession,  savings and loan crisis, and the Gulf War.

Stability is not our thing.  

No wonder we actually invented grunge (people yelling in plaid as a musical style).  The rap was angry, too. And we should be angry. Just look at all the leg warmers and Izods-with-the-collar-up some of us wore!  That was awful. Not too many people escaped from this generation truly happy. While “some of my best friends are Gen Xers,” on a bad day Gen Xers version of mellowing out is turning into hellicopter parents and ENTJ bosses. But we’re really successful.

Women Xers can be quite proud: X ers spawned the generation of women that now earns the majority of Masters Degrees and PhDs. We became Fortune 500 CEOs, and started businesses at two times the rate of men. I wrote this whole post on my Blackberry for G*d’s sake. We’ve come so far, that a woman came *this close* to running for President supported by our generation, and the one above us.

• Gen X Sisterhood of Success™ Mission: There are plenty of fab Xers out there, but the naughty Gen Xer’s fatal flaw is not supporting those after you and around you, because you can’t quite see straight in the Matrix. You are the primary ones giving it to Gen Y. So put a lid on it, and channel that angst into the following: Your mission is to surround yourself with peers and Gen Yers to mentor and, as Cher in Moonstruck says, “Snap ouudoff it!”
  

The big question: Are Gen Xers too bitter to lend a helping hand, and help themselves in the process?

Gen Y bumpersticker:  Don’t hate us because we’re happy

Everyones a lovin’ and a pimpin’ and everyone loves everyone in Gen Y.  The Beibs makes hearts with his hands.  But they’re robot hands.

Gen Y takes its issues like it takes its coffee and its bandwidth: Fast.  

These 19 t0 29 year-olds born (starting in 1980) were texting as fetuses. From Colombine to 9-11 to Virginia Tech, they just haven’t  had time to fully process the drawn out war and pain. They take issue with Congress and world injustices from time to time,  but mainly through Twitter. Dot dot simley face. The Queen of everyone of loving everyone – Lady Gaga, and uber empowerment diva – Beyonce – reign. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, this is the first generation not to hate their parents.  There are many tatoos and piercings which scare older generations, and then conversely inspire them during mid-life crises.

The question:  So – what’s the problem? Why – as our own Jenn – Y @JennSacks says – are “people hating on Gen Y?” Are we mad because Gen Y is not more miserable?

I have been teaching Gen Y for about 10 years, so here is my assessment: Because Gen Y is so positive, many are “yes people.” Yes people worry managers.

Good for managers: They don’t hate you. Gen Y will work at Starbucks or in a bunk-desk saving you 20k a year in overhead.

Bad for managers: They might “yes” something they can’t do.  Example:

 “Can you get me the get me the report by 3:00?”

• Boomer: I have lunch with my kids/granddkids.
• Gen X er: Can you tell me more about what this entails?
• Gen Xer on bad day: [middle finger]
• Female Gen Yer: Sure!
• Male Gen Yer: Mysteriously absent – as mentioned by Penelope Trunk.

Now – back to women..

• The Gen Y Sisterhood of Success™ Mission:  The women before you have done a lot. I would like to see Gen Y women grow million dollar businesses and catch up to men. I would like to see Gen Y build self confidence equal to men so they can move through whatever field they want with much agility. If Gen X was caught in the Martrix, Gen Y is Neo. If the generations were separated in the past, I believe Gen Y can bring us together. But the question here is: Are you up for it? What role will Gen Y play in the first female President? 

The Big Question: Are Gen Yers so content that they don’t need to do anything?

Or…Is Gen Y really Neo? Motivated. Ready for a mission. This is my hope. It is my hope that with everyone complaining and moaning, they have classically underestimated Gen Y. Gen Y who has been sitting in their cubicle…waiting for the call.

It’s time to accept your mission and start your training.

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