Generations...so that is why....

We have a gal who is the Chamber of Commerce

President. She is a kick butt type of a gal, as anyone

who has seen the Angels over Sandpoint Follies.
And for those who wonder, if this gal can be serious,
the answer is yes. She takes her office very serious.
And Sandpoint is richer for it.

She also does a column called Greater Sandpoint Chamber.

This week, she had subject of great interest to me.. kind of a
ah-ha moment..  So  I hope Kate McAlister doesn't mind me
borrowing some of her column... For those who want to read
the whole column, Read the Bonner Biz section of the Daily
Bee ... Thursday, September 27th issue. Here is what her
words of wisdom.. about generations and what each one
means.
Generattion of 1900 to 1945 ... TRADITONALIST
Kate says there are 75 million of us still around.

Boomers 1946 to 1964 of which Kate tells us there are

80 million of them.  

Generation "X" those born between 1965 to 1980

which Kate says is the lowest of all..46 million

And lastly, coming up is Generation "Y" (Millennials) 1981 to 2000

 

And this is where Kate gives me the AH-HA moment...

She says that the Traditionalist are the generation of chain of
command: of loyalty meaning they trusted their companies because they were trustworthy, and you went to work for them, for the rest of your life.

(Kate's thoughts, my words)

 

Then the Boomers are the optimistic, believing in the change of

command, as the country was recovering from a war, and everything

was starting to take off again. They got television and life was considered good. (again Kate's thoughts, my words)

 

Lastly the "X" are the ones who are skeptical. Self command..

And this one is the "ah_ha" moment that makes sense. 

Kate says, that the "X" generation are skeptics because of how life

changed so much.  Cable television (with adult entertainment) video games,
bring isolation, instead of the neighborhood playground. Cell phones,
computers, violence games and movies. Drugs more in your face now.
AIDS, the "me" group, Single parents, latch key kids,  (Kate's
thoughts, my words)

 

It all makes a lot more sense to me... Also I can add.. that the

Traditionalist were ones who lived near their parents.. either next
door or in the neighborhood.  So it was job and housing the same
for years... My parents were very much like that. They had the house
I was raised in for 20 years, and then built one 8 miles away for later
in their lives. Dad did over 35 years in civil service job he had and Mom
of course, like the women of that time, were stay at home Mom.
While I am from the same generation, I am on kind of the cuff.. and I
was raised during the boomer generation.. being 5 years old when it
started.  So was a bridge between the two. 

The Boomer was starting to be on the move. Women were starting to

be in the work force. Some times out of divorce, as that was starting to
be more common and not a scandal as it was before. But still be some
what loyal to the job. And women juggling both, if forced out into the
job market. And women started looking for an outside of the family, as
their time... their meaning...after the children were out of the household.
Some went back to school and then a job, that was hers.
Some causing divorces because the spouses grew apart.  And marriages
partners didn't have the thoughts of the Traditionalist, of working hard
to keep the marriage together.  ( I say this in general) They also were
on the move.. some staying in the same state or near by states. With
few going across country.

 The "X" Generation, really on the move, across country, different

countries. Jobs are lasting 3 to 8 years. Changing houses more
often, And the credit card.. way widely used. Maxing out for many.
Instead of one or two credit cards, it is common for 8 credit cards.

The "Y" Generation is a growth out of the "X" Generation maxed

out. Buying on line. Computers bring everything to them. Education,
knowledge, books, and newspapers.  Slowly things of the past
are going to the wayside. Many newspapers are folding, as books.
Encyclopedias, cook books and etc are gone.. Now you carry a I-pad
or a cell phone with apps. that will bring up anything you want to know.
The entitlement generation, who is more on the move than the "X"'
were, everything is disposable.. Products, as well as lives, relationships
it is get it to me NOW.

What is Generation "Z" going to be like? Will any of it turn around?

As a Traditionalist slash Boomer raised.. it is all confusing. Things
that were true before, are not now or are being changed. It is hard to make
these changes for those of us who are still around.  Now I understand
how my grandfather felt when my generation brought Rock and Roll,
faster cars, bigger and better everything.... how hard it must have been for him.
Especially when at the age of 76, he has a granddaughter move in with
him, who is 18. Generation gap for sure.

But thanks Kate McAlister, because now it starts to make sense to my

generation.