Choose Life

Baby Boomer Die-Off

From The Onion, 1999:

"Our nation must steel itself for one vast, final orgy of Boomer self-obsession as we are hit with a bewildering onslaught of magazine pictorials, hardcover coffee-table books and multi-part, Motown-soundtracked television specials looking back on the glory days of the 1960s," Clausewitz said. "But once this great, final spasm of nostalgia passes, the ravages of age will take its toll on boomer self-indulgence, and the curtain will at long last fall on what is regarded by many as the most odious generation America has ever produced."

"I learned it by watching you!"

This commercial led to much mockery during high school. Everything that could be answered with the above statement was answered with the above statement.

Quote from when we should have mattered

"Everybody worries why Japanese and German and Swedish students are doing better than us. One reason is they're not spending their afternoons wrapping tacos."

-Laurence Steinberg, psychology professor, Temple University

Yes, there is a little humor in this

GenX Sociopaths

I'm knowingly soft on my generation by too often giving us the benefit of the doubt. When the video of the 2 nutjobs responsible for the North Hollywood Shootout hit the news that day in 1997 I was floored. Psychos in full body armor and AK's outgunned over 100 Police officers. Unbelieveably, no Cops were killed and it did serve a greater purpose: after this incident Police across the country became properly armed to deal with well armed maniacs.

Yeah, Gen X had its share of kooks that are nothing to be proud of.

Van and the Man

Van Halen came to town this week and put on a "stellar production". Although none of the members are technically GenXers, they had a huge influence on what we listened to and created from their influence. Eddie Van Halen finally flushed blues riffs down the toilet and made Boomer heros Clapton and Page much less relevant. Without Ed it's hard to imagine Gen X greats like Slayer, Anthrax and Pantera ever coming into existence.

Here are the boys at the top of their game:

Quote From Way Back

"I was in this mode of trying to strip things down and simplify......I had a desire to clean out."

-Steven Soderbergh, director of sex, lies and videotape.

McJob

-noun

a low-pay, low-prestige, low-dignity, low benefit, no-future job in the service sector. Frequently considered a satisfying career choice by people who have never held one.

Those that "came of age" during the 80's/90's probably have 2 or more on the resumé.

Because Boomers Hate It

What have we become?

This website, Stuff White People Like, does an outstanding job capturing those GenXers that have bought into the Babyboomer ethos of becoming obedient consumers that like to help the less fortunate just as long as those less fortunate do not wander into their neighborhoods.

H/T: LT Nixon

My Favorite Game was Defender

SLAM!

From Douglas Coupland's Classic Book

YUPPIE WANNABE'S: An X generation subgroup that believes the myth of a yuppie life-style being both satisfying and viable. Tend to be highly in debt, involved in some form of substance abuse, and show a willingness to talk about Armageddon after 3 drinks.

"ALL I WANTED WAS A PEPSI !!!!"

"I'll figure it out myself"

How many fuckin' times did I say that??

Try this at home

If you've done an 'Ollie' or 'kickflip' pay homage to Rodney Mullen (Born 1966) for inventing it.

Arrested Development (the band)

It took them 3 years, 5 months and 2 days to be offered a record deal and then they just disappeared.....

The Skinny Tie Must Die

Please don't make a comeback, please don't make a comeback, please don't make a comeback.....

PJ Harvey

One of the most remarkable musicians of the 1990's through today is PJ Harvey. Learn more about her here.

Listen to her here:

A Nation At Risk (1983)

This report came out just before I began middle school and it seemed to throw the country in a tizzy. Essentially it said "we're failing our children by not giving them the opportunity to succeed in a modern world economy". Yet, it seemed to have been interpreted by my elders as "the kids today just aren't as studious and bright as we were".


While it would be unfair to say all my teachers sucked, I remember many I had were bored housewives that had priorities that extended past me getting educated. Those that loved the profession were SHOUTING to increase their pay so that they may afford to remain teaching. Overall not much seemed to get done after 'A Nation at Risk' was published. Teachers' salaries caused the most qualified to seek a different profession and small budgets had us students learning from out of date books and programs like Music, Art and P.E. fell off the map (speaking of maps- the ones I had in middle-high school were way old with many countries no longer existing or new ones having sprung up). And the 'wise elders' continued to point their fingers at us 'dum' kids.