Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Kids these days

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  • Che Tibby,

    rb, nice summary. made me realise how damn tedious this constant need to 'define' successive generations are.

    basically what those quotes state is that the 18-25ers are "young people". most people that age are liberal (they typically vote green in nzl), computer-literate, happy to copy and swap tapes, easily access and experiment with drugs like cannabis.

    it's just a sign of the times we live in.

    oh, no, wait... that's me describing new zealand in the early 1990s...

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    basically what those quotes state is that the 18-25ers are "young people". most people that age are liberal (they typically vote green in nzl), computer-literate, happy to copy and swap tapes, easily access and experiment with drugs like cannabis.

    It's a bit more than that. As Pew points out, it's not the case that young people in America always lean liberal. These guys are more Democrat leaning that the cohort before - and Generation X remains the most Republican-leaning generation in the whole sample. Interesting.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Austin,

    I can't help but laugh anytime I see the "Generation Next" label thrown about, way to co-opt a failed Pepsi marketing theme!

    http://www.beverage-digest.com/editorial/990312.html

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report Reply

  • Joanna,

    Yeah I totally have the Spice Girls singing 'Generation Next' in my head right now.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report Reply

  • Joanna,

    And whatever happened to Generation Y? I'm too old to be Next (although I can be Next apparently), but I'm too young to be X...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report Reply

  • Greg Dawson,

    You get the Spice Girls, I get mickey mouse*. Damn your eyes.

    *Y? Because we love you!

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 294 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    It's a bit more than that. As Pew points out, it's not the case that young people in America always lean liberal. These guys are more Democrat leaning that the cohort before - and Generation X remains the most Republican-leaning generation in the whole sample. Interesting.

    yeah, i'm 'down with that', but afaik broad demographic trends like this are the product of the political atmosphere that makes up a persons young-adulthood.

    gen x is republican because the democrats were a bit watery in the 80s, and it was time of high emotional intensity. remember the impact "the day after" had on people? it could be that the end of the cold war and the end of nuclear fear reversed the normal tendency for young people to swing to the more liberal end of the spectrum.

    what pew might have discovered is a resumption of business-as-usual in the liberal-to-conservative movement in voting publics.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Austin,

    I'm in the same boat Joanna. Lets refer to ourselves as "the lost generation"

    We can build up a set of cultural expectations around this, I'm already at work on my lost/moody yet not emo facial expressions. I'll try and incorporate "Monicagate was in many ways the death of my innocence" into at least one conversation today as well.

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report Reply

  • JP Hansen,

    Holy crap! That JC Superstore site is beautiful. Especially tickled by the Allah figure and the various assault weapons included.

    Waitakere • Since Nov 2006 • 206 posts Report Reply

  • David Ritchie,

    Isn't the joke that Ganesh represents prosperity, hence the store has sold out of him (and experienced a modicum of financial success)?

    Since Nov 2006 • 166 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    They are the "Look at Me" generation. Social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and MyYearbook allow individuals to post a personal profile complete with photos and descriptions of interests and hobbies. A majority of Gen Nexters have used one of these social networking sites

    Poor little bastards. Everytime I encounter a MySpace car crash I feel old and great, like a Creationist God.

    I'm hoping by the time my kids start wanting to write rubbish on t'Interweb that Usenet's obvious old skool kool will have seen it vanquish that beastly migraine inducing Murdoch travesty.

    NNTP is the new black...

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    I'm in the same boat Joanna. Lets refer to ourselves as "the lost generation"

    So you're the generation that's trying to be the new Generation X-Files? Sure, you look fine, you'll have your time in the sun, several seasons and the odd Emmy in fact, before we all work out that you're going nowhere and take our ADHD attention spans over to this year's latest generation 'Gray's Anatomy'.

    Mind you, that makes me Generation 'Tomorrow People'!?

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • lotech,

    I think this post at Tumeke summed it up - http://tumeke.blogspot.com/2007/02/barack-obama-and-rise-of-generation-x.html

    The baby boomers are dying - and if they've taught us anything 'Me First' is a great way of screwing everything for most people - mankind can only get to that ideal better/smarter place by working together.

    This whole religion over science is an excellent example.
    Maybe, in 20 years we'll be eating stem cells or have them automatically put in our water supply.

    AKNZ • Since Dec 2006 • 23 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    NNTP is the new black...

    You hope, grandad ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    You hope, grandad ...

    Pffft, I never saw why we needed to move on from Grep and Pine. Life was so much simpler in those days...

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • uroskin,

    How come I can't buy a Flying Spaghetti Monster at the JCSuperstore?

    Waiheke Island • Since Feb 2007 • 178 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    I hope you didn't give those Clean tickets to Nexters. I have reason enough to envy them without that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Marcus Neiman,

    I suspect part of what is going on is some sort of reflection of the Republicans having moved too far to the right, combined with their association with a deeply unpopular war, rather than the kids having moved en masse to the left.

    Sydney • Since Feb 2007 • 107 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    suspect part of what is going on is some sort of reflection of the Republicans having moved too far to the right, combined with their association with a deeply unpopular war, rather than the kids having moved en masse to the left.

    i'd be inclined to agree. it occurred to me before that the right-swing among x-ers could be because all their parents were 'far out' former hippies. i know a few conservatives who are in fact, "love matches".

    and no-one likes it when their oldies are more hip than they are.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Hogan,

    Let us not forget this is about Nexters in the U.S. As an expat American that travels back and forth regularly, I would say the cultural myopia that exists in that country is especially acute for that generation. A very large percentage have not traveled outside their country, or even own a passport. Yes, the trends do make their way around Pacifica and many other parts of the world; but young people here thankfully have other influences balancing their outlook and decision-making capabilities. These will hopefully help to form the beginnings of their own national and cultural identity. Americans export many things with great success; strong cultural values or political maturity would not be amongst those, I would suggest.

    As far as how they compare with Baby Boomers or any other demographic; each one seems to have its own version of the "me first", depending on the technology of the day. If "MySpacing" is not an exercise in narcissism, I don't know what is..
    Nothing wrong with social networking mind you, but just because it is done instantly via bandwidth,doesn't make it any more valid or useful than any other generations'. Unless it is used for generating real social change and political momentum to solve some of the mounting problems Nexters will need to address, it is just another cocktail party on steroids.

    Waiheke Island • Since Nov 2006 • 31 posts Report Reply

  • Neil Graham,

    I do wonder how much relevance this has to the rest of the world beyond calculating our chances of being 'liberated' in future years.

    The child wellbeing study was a good example of showing that children are growing up differently around the world. Look at figures 3.1 and 3.3b and the position of the US. It's a rather odd combination but probably shows the culture of the American Dream.

    ..and hells bells. 6.3b needs a campaign 'For just a dollar a day you can send a Japanese kid a postcard'.

    oh, and re: tomorrow people. They remade it in 1992, it was hideous. I'll take melodramatic over trite any day.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 118 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Litterick,

    Nothing wrong with social networking mind you, but just because it is done instantly via bandwidth,doesn't make it any more valid or useful than any other generations'. Unless it is used for generating real social change and political momentum to solve some of the mounting problems Nexters will need to address, it is just another cocktail party on steroids.

    Myspace is a lot of fun. There is nothing wrong with that, nor with cocktail parties. Lighten up, as we X-ers used to say.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1000 posts Report Reply

  • Adrian Wills,

    As someone who is in that age group AND pretty much fits with the majority on those statistics, I feel it's not really a fair representation despite that.

    Among most people, especially friends from school, university and now work colleagues, I generally stick out as I don't listen to commercial radio [go the b!], don't enjoy your typical "Blockbuster" film and have absolutely no opinion or affiliation with religion whatsoever [admittedly that's not as ostrasicing as the other departments]. Oh, and to further seperate me from kiwi's, I don't like rugby either.

    Don't get me wrong, I'm not some weird social outcast, I am plenty social but just because I fall into those categories doesn't mean I feel like one of them. I don't feel I'm a fair representation of people my age and yet I slot right in next to them statistically. I don't really feel you can group the generations into these broad summaries of what they're like. Yes you can say they're more prone to this and that and less prone to that and this but does that REALLY tell you a thing about them other than that they MIGHT have a myspace page?

    gosh - probably the most serious post i've made on pubaddsys thus far.

    oh and yes - of course i have a myspace... www.myspace.com/adrianwills

    Parnell, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 45 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    New York magazine recently had a very interesting article about the new generation of kidz on the net, and how they are rather uninhibited.

    The story's intro goes:

    As younger people reveal their private lives on the Internet, the older generation looks on with alarm and misapprehension not seen since the early days of rock and roll. The future belongs to the uninhibited.

    The main conclusion is that criticism is oldies who are just jealous cos they never had all that cool stuff when they were kids.

    But I think it's interesting that only last year, articles were coming out about how there was virtually no generation gap, that there were people in their 30s, 40s, 50s who were acting like teens.

    Except now it's these same hipster parents who are getting freaked out about their teenage daughter posting provocative photos on her MySpace account.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    I coudn't let this titbit slip past:

    There is a clear generational divide on the issue of evolution. Nearly two-thirds of Nexters (63%) believe humans and other living things evolved over time, while only 33% say all living creatures have existed in their present form since the beginning of time.

    The only issue I have is with the words "...only 33%...". Only one in three 18-25 year old people accept the scientific fact of evolution!?! That's not an "only" statement, that's a "sadly" statement.

    And while the trend shows Amnericans are getting smarter on this topic (33% is down on 39 for Xers, 46 for Boomers and 45 for Seniors), it's still a bloody big number.

    peace out (reprazentin' the Xers)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

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