Do the Watchmen Need Watching?

The Millennial Generation

 

Copyright 1986, 1987 by DC
Comics Inc. See disclaimer.

Originally this page was called the "Gen Y" page, and included the following complaint about that title, along with a request for a better one:

I hate this label. It's derivative (refers back to "Gen X" the same way "echo boomers" refers back to Boomer parents), condescending, and smacks of the incessant marketing that is perhaps the greatest scourge (so far) of younger people. As I'll discuss later, even the "generation" half of the title may be fatally flawed.

Shortly thereafter I found there is another title, "Millennials." In addition to young people preferring it to other titles (1)--especially "Gen Y" or "Echo Boomers"--it has the additional virtue of working really well with the graphic I had already placed at the top of this page. (2)

In spite of sounding like it has to do with raising flowers, Neil Howe and William Strauss's book, "Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation" is just full of interesting information and irritating predictions. But let's stop dallying around and get straight to a discussion of "Fight Club."


 

Notes

Take me to the Bibliography

(1) Howe & Strauss, 6, 10-11. Take me back.

(2) Unfortunately, I don't have the time to change all the directories and web addresses that include "geny." Sorry. Take me back.

Not surprisingly, most of these sources for Millennials are concerned with selling things to them, just the opening trickle in what will be flood of information and products. In fact, the term "Gen Y" was first coined by "Advertising Age" in 1993 (Howe & Strauss, Mil, 42).

Best source I've found:

Howe, Neil, and William Strauss. Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation. New York: Vintage-Random, 2000.

Besides the book "Millennials," these are worth a gander:

"Merchants of Cool", a PBS Frontline Special. Directed by Barak Goodman. Original Airdate: February 27, 2001

Paul, Pamela. "Getting Inside Gen Y" (Roundtable Discussion). American Demographics. 23.9 (Sept. 2001): 42-49.
In a sidebar labeled "Show Me the Money: Divvying Up the Gen Y Spending Pool," the article subdivides Gen Y into three waves: 1st wave, born between 1977 and 1983 (36% of Gen Y); 2nd wave, born between 1984 and 1989 (34%), and 3rd wave, born between 1990 and 1994 (30%).

Other articles:

Neuborne, Ellen and Kathleen Kerwin. "Generation Y." Business Week. February 15, 1999. 81-88.

Stapinski, Helene. "Generacion Latino." American Demographics 21.7 (July 1999): 62-9.

Fetto, John. "Down for the Count." American Demographics 21.11 (Nov. 1999): 46-48.

Gardyn, Rebecca. "Granddaughters of Feminism." American Demographics 23.4 (Apr. 2001): 42-48.

Stein Wellner, Alison. "The Young & The Uninsured." American Demographics 21.2 (Feb. 99): 72-78.