Generation Y Has No Culture
One subject that I have always been interested in is the cultural impact of generations. Each generation brings different changes to the cultural landscape and leaves a lasting impact. Well… except for generation Y or “generation whine” as some cynical experts call it.
First let me define what generation Y is. Gen Y is basically includes anyone that was born after 1981. The previous generation, Gen X, is anyone that graduated high school in the 1980s. (Which puts me in this odd category because I don’t fall into either group. This allows me to criticize both without having to take sides, which is a nice bonus.)
Most of the criticisms of Gen Y are that they are distracted (always multitasking but never doing a good job), feel a sense of entitlement, they are the most marketed to generation ever (not only do they accept it, they relish in it), have chosen to date or have sex with me (which says something about their taste), and there is a gaping void when it comes to cultural contributions. I feel the first couple of points can be debated because they always seem like a typical swipe at younger generation that happens every few years. The one I want to look at is the cultural contributions because you can see some real issues there.
Music
Generation X: Grunge, Hip-hop, and Indie Rock
There really is no debate about the lasting contributions of the music of this era. Although everyone want to distance themselves from Vanilla Ice, which everyone in generation x agrees about.
Generation Y: Pop punk?
(Fall Out Boy doesn’t make me want to beat it… )
Gen Y’s music can be defined as wholly unoriginal and the band Fall Out Boy personifies it. They aren’t original enough to come up with their own video concepts; they have to adapt stuff that was created by the generation before them. Their pop music is prepackaged Disney stars that are created by a massive marketing machine. There is no real movement here, mostly co-opting the culture of the previous two generations.
Movies
Generation X: Kevin Smith, Reality Bites, Singles
Gen X had movies and filmmakers that helped define a generation. We are all lazy, mistrusting, weed smoking, coffee swilling, cynical smart asses… I have come to accept that personification. Oh and we all want to bang a young Wynonna Rider.
Generation Y: All those crappy comedy parody films
The comedies that are created for teens aren’t even original to come up with their own ideas. It is all prepackaged pop culture references jammed into 90 minutes. I’ll even give you Juno and you still just have a shit load of pop culture references and nothing that defines that generation.
Reality Television
Generation X: The Original Real World
We gave you a show that talked about race. That had Kevin Powell who is going on and running for Congress. Musicians who actually put out music and got signed by labels like Becky, Heather B, and Andre. Plus a founder of Gay Entertainment television. And who can forget Eric Neiss who brought us… um… uh… excellent aerobics shows?
Generation Y: The Hills and the Real World Hollywood
It isn’t a good sign that even Gen Y’s reality television turned out to be scripted and fake. Plus when you look at the shift generationally from the first few Real World seasons to the last few where the shows just include attention whores and people that want to be famous for being famous… Well it isn’t a good sign.
Although it did bring us the greatest episode of the Real World ever that included court, strip clubs, a guy going to rehab, threats to roommates, some of the most pointless conversation ever, and possibly cemented this cast as the one I have the most disdain for ever. So I guess I need to give them points for that.
Where does this place Gen Y? Are they just going to be known for the mash-up? Combining the cultural production of others into their own products?
Has Gen Y produced anything of value?
This is going up at humor-blogs.com
On 05/20/08 at 8:23 am
leigh said:
actually, i think even juno blew.
On 05/20/08 at 9:05 am
Kevin said:
I was trying to give you guys credit for something.
On 05/20/08 at 9:47 am
leigh said:
considering i’m nowhere near born after 1981 i’ll take that as a compliment. but the movie still blew.
On 05/20/08 at 9:49 am
Kevin said:
You looked 22 to me… Maybe I need coffee
On 05/20/08 at 7:56 pm
Noah David Simon said:
those kids today…
come on! it is funny… but you sound old.
wasn’t it that they found this ancient Greek guy saying the same thing or something like this that they told me in Jr high school. I forget.
…oh um …Time Magazine and Newsweek classified me as Generation X even though I graduated and was 18 in 1992.
Totally call us Generation Multi-Chromosomes!
OK? I mean RILEY!
WHATEVER
On 05/20/08 at 9:01 pm
Kevin said:
How do I sound old? I was poking fun at all of this… It is a comedy blog after all.
On 05/20/08 at 9:43 pm
Drew said:
Man, that is some hilarious Gen X satire. I just spit-take’d coffee all over my Doc Martins.
Reality television is awesome! Thanks a lot, Generation X!
On 05/21/08 at 1:23 am
anonym said:
If you have to ask why your post sounds old, you’re clearly too old to understand. I agree with some of your points about my generation, but honestly, lots of good music/film/TV/art has come out in recent years. Of course there’s been lots of unbearable crap like Fall Out Boy too, but the same can be said for every generation. If you really think that there have been no “worthwhile” cultural developments to come from “Gen Y,” then you’re either not paying attention or you’re just a very bitter old man. BTW, what is this doing on a comedy blog anyway? I mean, I guess it was kinda funny, just not in a “laughing with you” sort of way.
On 05/21/08 at 5:07 am
Ian said:
I am generation Y (born 1982) and I agree with this article. I don’t think this article is just an older generation looking down on a newer one. American culture has been the export to the world for many years. Currently, I think its running on the fumes. Just consider all the remake and sequel activity that has been going on the last 8 years? I think if I’m 26 and I can say that most new music sucks, then you as Gen Xer’s can feel comfortable with also noticing and not feeling out of touch.
On 05/21/08 at 5:48 pm
anonym said:
I’d agree, most new music sucks. But there is so much music out there, that if you look, you can still find plenty of gems among the junk. Looking at the music of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, it seems like it’s always been that way. Innovation in music is still happening, you just have to be willing to look for it.
As for film, I can’t argue. Good movies are few and far between these days. It’s funny how the more money they pour into that industry, the worse it gets.
On 11/23/08 at 12:34 am
Geoff said:
so true. I’m 25 and lately I’ve given up on ‘new’ music and started really checking out 70s/80s stuff. Good music gets rememberd…the shit gets forgotten. 10-20 years from now we’ll be saying the same thing about generation whatever’s music…etc. The internet is what is making shit different this time around. Everything is instant and easy to distribute. Even crappy music/movies, it doesn’t matter. Hopefully us (consumers) can see past this and support the good artists/film makers that are out there.
On 05/22/08 at 10:35 am
Iron Mike said:
This article truly is pointless considering the fact that it is merely a repeat of the motions that elder generations have gone through when facing the chilling realization that they are no longer the new generation. So I say let them have their bitter rants, for their time of relevence is drawing to a close. Respect for elders is admirable, but remember to take anything they say with a large grain of salt.
On 06/19/08 at 12:12 am
jjj said:
u will be the old generation in a few seasons. so watch out fall out boy!!! dont get too cocky. time will snatch ur ass
On 06/19/08 at 12:09 am
jjj said:
1982 is NOT Gen Y. no matter what the critics say. 1982 is very much Gen X. All u 82ers know it too. stop playing.
anyway….
gen y is these knuckle head kids born after 86 - Gen X clones.
its painful to watch the 80s all over again.
On 05/21/08 at 10:51 pm
cocopoof said:
yeah anonym is right im gen x (15) and every genration has bad parts but that doesnt mean it is all bad and give gen x some credit we made the internet what it is today and there is some amazing gen x music out there u just have to look btw i hate fall out boy
On 05/20/08 at 9:10 pm
ross said:
The statement “every young generation gets picked on every few year” is a good one, despite the typo. The generation that created the baby boomers complained a shitload about them, and they were probably both the best and worst thing to happen to America. Just a bunch of old fucks getting worried that their grip is loosening, and noticing that they are indeed old fucks.
Remember that before, during, and after wars massive amounts of fucking humans are spawned as a result of X male diving from his freshly-docked navy boat all the way into his unmarried X girlfriend’s vagina (where X = every american name ever) and “discharging the seamen.”
As a result, we have baby boomers and generation X.
Generations can’t be broken up with trends. The ipod and youtube don’t define a generation. Population surges are the force behind any generation, along with the vague hatred we have previously discussed.
This article doesn’t hold many valid points.
Music-
Gen X: The 80s
Gen Y: Progressive electronic music, progressive metal
Movies-
Gen X: Spielberg, Schwarzenegger
Gen Y: Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan
TV-
Gen X: MTV
Gen Y: Southpark, Seinfeld, Simpsons
Its easy to list a couple bad things about a generation and then list things that are good about yours.
I believe that marketing and corporate america saturate every pore of this country. You can’t even get on the fucking internet without seeing 20 ads for free ipod nanos. Remember when the internet was a simple place? When Al Gore invented it? When Netscape Navigator was sweet and we just read interesting bbs and txt files? Well, shit… there I go again. I guess I’m just one of those old timers now: born in ‘83.
So when generation Y finds the cure for cancer (or makes bio-engineered super mutants for war)… don’t be surprised.
On 05/20/08 at 9:25 pm
Jay said:
Actually, Gen X was responsible for Tarantino, Southpark, Seinfeld and the Simpsons. Spielberg and Schwarzenegger are decidedly not Gen Xers.
I’ll give you progressive electronic music, but when we break that down, most of the artists are Gen Xers as well. So, nevermind, I won’t give you that one.
One thing I’ve noticed about Gen Y is extreme misogyny as evidenced in such pop culture references as Pimp my Ride, Strawberry Shortcake and killing the hookers to get your money back in GTA.
On 05/21/08 at 12:08 am
Sean said:
How can you say this material belongs to gen y when it’s producers are still clearly gen x and baby boomers madly scrambling to market to a generation they’re pretty sure they don’t understand.
Analyzing a current generation is pointless… Give it a few years will ya?
On 05/21/08 at 3:58 am
Tony said:
Thank you! Practically nothing on the air is being made by people born after 81 yet. Its really going to take another 10 years before our stuff really starts getting out there. The baby boomers are still in the board rooms telling the gen X’ers what to do.
On 05/21/08 at 2:31 am
Dale said:
in response to this then, how can you say gen y never created anything if you claim that everything created recently was by generation X’ers. if this is your argument then you need to wait another generation to see what the Y’s make when the are that age…
On 05/20/08 at 10:36 pm
Sonny Clips said:
What the f@#k is this clown talking about. You have confused Gen X with the babyboomers, who are your parents. I think we can agree that the boomers are our biggest nightmare.
You guys did facebook I know that but not Google. The boomers did MSFT and Apple but Yahoo is all X. Now if things go right with Obama the Xers get a President well ahead of schedule. It would be nice to hear some hip hop in the White House no? Sure as hell better than the Fleetwood Mac and mainstream country bulls@#t that has been blasting out of that place for the past decade.
On 05/21/08 at 3:45 pm
kyle said:
Thank you, my thoughts exactly.
On 05/22/08 at 6:48 pm
Mona Pellerin said:
Hey from this “oldie”, coming through generations who discovered the Salk Vacine, Penicillin, giving you Jazz, R & B, writers like Hemingway, Frost and Wadsworth, scientists like Einstein and Hawkins and movies such as Sound of Music, Raisin in the Sun, Casablanca. We’ll believe in a cure for cancer -go!!
Don’t be so quick to judge all - many of us detest this war and all wars. Here is a world of wisdom. Don’t participate in things you don’t believe in. As far a multi-tasking - read about “brain-fog” research showing it is impossible to achieve with excellence - the brain cannot do it effectively. Focus is the key.
On 12/2/08 at 12:33 pm
amanda said:
Whoever wrote this article is an idiot. I love how he says he doesn’t take sides but since he’s obviously in the X generation he seems to never look at the good things that generation Y has done. Of course he has positive things to say about his generation. I wouldn’t even consider this a legitimate article because he does not have any valid points. What an idiot.
On 05/20/08 at 9:47 pm
Tyler said:
Dear Kevin,
You have no room to judge us, because you are not us. First the reason we “don’t have culture” is because we have learned to accept everybody for who they are. We don’t care if your black,white,mexican,gay,straight,tall,short,fat,skinny. The reason we don’t have any particular type of music,movies, or tv shows is again because we like to have a taste of everything, not just one thing. Sure we multi task, because we can and we know how to do it. One thing we do not do is whine, we merely voice our opinions, we are the one fighting trying to make this country a better place, most of us are over seas fight right now. We are the ones fighting a war that you “OLD FUCKS” created out of greed. More than likley we are the ones that fix all that electric crap that your family buy you for christmas, just because you own an iphone doesn’t mean you know how to use one. We are those kinds a cross the street you call over to fix the internet when it goes down, we can use a computer like you take a shit in the morning. Right now we are all very PISSED OFF because everyday we get some sort of religious conservatives bullshit put down our throats, or that color coded terrorist level really mean anything to us, we can all see right through all the crap people try to put our way. To finish this off with the word of a great man”DO NOT FUCK WITH US!”
On 05/20/08 at 11:15 pm
Rebecca said:
I would also like to add to this, that Generation Y is the generation thats doing more for the enviroment and seem to have a more genuine care for humanity as a whole. The “me” generation (X)were selfish and money hungry-which is the reason we’re so marketed to. So before you call us cultureless with no real sense of self or an ability to complete tasks well take a look at the generation before us. They bathed in glitter, wore shoulder pads, and had on concern which was themselves!
On 05/21/08 at 10:54 am
Bill said:
Sorry Tyler, but Im calling bullshit.
Racism is just as alive and well as it ever was in this generation… maybe things are better, but dont fool yourself into thinking youre of a generation that accepts everyone for who they are. The most hilarious part of that is the legions of Gen Y kids with their hats on sideways, blasting rap music from their new cars, wearing chains and emulating black culture, all while being strongly bigoted toward blacks. You can pretend it isnt so, but that doesnt make it true.
Gen Y is a very angry, very aggressive generation, and you are kidding yourself if you dont think it is a generation that feels a sense of entitlement! It is the fast food, fast results, gimme it now generation… its a generation of 16 year old with brand new cars that mom and dad bought them, a generation that hasnt had to work to get by (a majority of people I know didnt get their first job till post high school or post college).
The aggressive tone of your response (old fucks? dont fuck with us?) is pretty much proof of what Kevin is saying.
Robert Kennedy Jr. gave a speech at a local university last year, and I think he put it very aptly when he said
“We are the best-entertained and least-informed people on Earth.”
But with that said, it bears mentioning that EVERYONE in Generation Y doesnt fit that mold. I dont believe in blanket statements, but there is a lot of validity to what Kevin wrote.
On 05/28/08 at 11:50 pm
Rabble, Rabble. said:
Yo Tyler…
As a member of the generation, we don’t do these things so well. And simply because we possess a bottomless pool of tolerance, it doesn’t mean we’re given a pass on also possessing individuality or free thought. We live in the myspace generation, and what has myspace or facebook done beyond allowing us to grow comfortable in defining ourselves by the past works of others. I found this blog linked from the youtube page for Weezer’s ‘Pork and Beans’ video, which is a sad portrait of our ‘culture.’ Chris Crocker and Kevin Federline and idiot pageant queens.
Things are not boding well for Generation Y. We’ll get through it, people always do, but it’s tough to stand up and proclaim that -right now- we’re the pinnacle of civilization.
Also, it’s a tough thing to take you seriously when you claim Tyler Durden as a great man. Even within the context of the book and movie, he’s a figment of the imagination encapsulating our ids. FDR was a great man. Tyler Durden resonated with a lot of people in our generation, but he’s far from great.
On 08/2/08 at 3:04 am
Jean said:
I think the reason we don’t have a definitive brand of music is because we are going through a transition faze. Gangster rap is now dying out and I think hip hop as well and now Pop has taken the stage while we wait for the next music revolution.
On 10/28/08 at 9:51 pm
Lauren said:
Nough said right there Tyler, good job man
On 11/23/08 at 1:28 am
Cooper said:
I appreciate the Fight Club reference and I strongly agree with everything you’ve said. We know how to use the technology given to us because we are the ones who are making it. We’re redesigning the way we live because we realize that the lifestyles of past do not work anymore. We’re the ones who are being prepared to solve problems that we have inherited because of past negligence. This world will not look the same when we are the ones making the decisions. It will be much shinier.
I also, resent the exclusion of metal in the music genre. It may not have originated here, but if there is any music that has manifested greatly in Gen Y, it’s metal. And many of these artists are Gen Y’s themselves.
On 05/21/08 at 3:04 pm
Scott C said:
Generation Y did not have to bring new music, movie or TV shows, instead Generation Y or as I call it Generation Net, helped form the internet to where it is today (facebook,twitter,blogs), with the very blog you have written and my response to it, Generation Y is responsible this. Okay the music has not been great but it’s been free. Generation Y is the best Generation because they have the ability to listen to what they want, watch what they want and wear what they want. 90 percent on the reason most generations have these iconic symbol and factors is because it was shoved down their throat, by record labels, movie producers and TV executives and everyone followed like sheep. Generation Y goes on my space listen to something they truly like, watches youtube videos instead of movies if they want, downloads what ever TV show they want when ever they want. I don’t see why you can harp on Generation Y as far as I am concern they have done a whole lot more then any other Generation.
On 06/9/08 at 2:12 am
fantail 31 said:
I am 16 and I HATE my generation! Apathetic, illiterate, technology addicted pampered morons! My fave music is Led Zep, David Bowie, The Beatles fave film directors - Bergman, Scorsese and Fellini, Fave authors Vonnegut, Updike and Dostoyevsky. N-one in my generation has heard of any of these ground breaking artists. They care nothing for history or show no respect for their elders and basically people who know better. They spend their whole time on Facebook and Myspace, kidding themselves that they are part of a real community. They are pathetic pussies and would last 5 seconds in a real war or a recession. Do I get rocks thrown at me at school? Yes. Beam me up Scotty!
On 08/2/08 at 3:10 am
Jean said:
I think we are slowly getting to a point where we will have real online ‘community’ and facebook and myspace are only the baby steps of connecting people together and starting a conversation. As for culture, I think we will just have to wait it out and see. And yes, we are pretty dismissive of our ‘elders’ but we are so different from them. I think you will have to wait and see what the best of generation y will bring because there are actually people who care and want to make a difference.
On 05/21/08 at 5:17 pm
Alex said:
What about all the OG Nickalodeon shows like Rocko’s Modern Life or Figure it out with summer sanders haha. Those were some good childhood memories.
On 11/25/08 at 11:22 pm
harry spencer said:
Sublime. Radiohead. Metallica. The older the music is, the more you look through rose tinted glasses at it. There was a lot of shitty music in the 1970’s. We just don’t remember it now. You can’t judge a decade of music until after it is over.
On 05/20/08 at 8:54 am
Marcie said:
Gen Y produced me….so I guess they did at least 1 thing right…
On 05/20/08 at 9:06 am
Kevin said:
Well technically unless your parents were born in 1981 Gen Y really didn’t produce you… or you are like seven and reading my blog.
On 05/20/08 at 10:29 am
Marcie said:
I am like….7….who says a 7 year old cant enjoy a blog every so often…?
my boyfriend is the kid you wanna adopt…
On 05/20/08 at 11:44 am
Kevin said:
I hope that I have molded your future well
On 05/20/08 at 9:01 am
Josh said:
You’re quite spot on. I was born into Generation Y, and I find it to be one of the most pathetic and dumbed down generations of all time. Too many people focusing on “The Hills”, instead of focusing on a good book.
On 05/20/08 at 9:07 am
Kevin said:
I want to know what happens with Spencer and Heidi.
On 05/21/08 at 12:03 am
JD said:
You really need to find some better friends. I don’t watch much TV, I read way too much, I go out with large groups multiple times a week, and I have plenty of time for my girlfriend and family.
It’s all about finding those who are self motivated. Right now the media highlights only those Y’ers of the lowest intellect because people from Gen Y will watch it with varying degrees of interest while Gen X will watch and like to make fun of it. Whenever a generation loses its relevance, they apparently get very angry.
As for music, we’ve taken indie music to a much bigger level. Artists like the Shins, Arcade Fire, and Bloc Party are successfully bringing a more independent sound to the masses. And, shock of shocks, John Mayer has planned his career around slowly easing his audience into the blues.
The use of technology has opened up enormous doors for our generation to present itself artistically. Many independent films are unbelievable, just the volume that is produced makes it hard to get individual ones that stand out. Juno was fantastic, but so was “Wristcutters: A love story”.
I have to ignore all other statements though because of the clear bias presented in this article. It’s a joke above all, and as such only the best of Gen X and the worst of Gen Y were shown.
Just know we’re not all a bunch of semi-defunct subhumans. Our generation is going to produce a lot of real quality for the world. Don’t forget how many of us there are to work on the world’s biggest problems.
On 08/2/08 at 3:15 am
Jean said:
Judgments about culture are all very subjective so I can’t talk about that, but I agree that there are definitely people who are interested in what’s going around them and people have to realize that the condition of our world (which was handed down to us in a pretty fucked up condition) is left to us to improve on.
On 05/20/08 at 9:24 am
supernik said:
agreed, gen y is a bunch of dumb asses, yes i was born during the 80’s but wow! i am amaized how stupid they are, actually its the ones born in 86 and beyond, spoiled lazy ass people!!!
On 05/20/08 at 9:40 am
Kevin said:
I want to be spoiled and lazy… I am kind of jealous actually.
On 05/20/08 at 4:34 pm
Jean said:
Wow your a jerk. i was born after 86 and trust me i have not been spoiled. You generalise too much and probly focus on the stuff you see that is wrong. just like the guy who wrote this blog in the first place.
On 05/20/08 at 4:38 pm
Kevin said:
Well I got the lazy part right… Thanks for proofing your comment.
On 05/20/08 at 4:41 pm
Jean said:
hahaha… its not like im writing a book. It just isnt worth proff reading what I wrote. nI fcat i lvoe tpyos!!!
On 05/20/08 at 9:44 pm
Kevin said:
Isn’t that what a generation is? A bunch of generalizations thrust upon a group of people. For being true, there seems to be too many people who believe the stereotypes don’t apply to them.
On 05/20/08 at 11:21 pm
Suzanne said:
Yes I’m spoiled in lazy (born in 87) going to school full time, working 40 hours a week, living on my own. Oh and paying for my own school while riding a bike everywhere SOOOOO spoiled and lazy. I think every generation has spoiled and lazy people in it, it’s just right now we see Generation Y in the present. Of course a generation cannot be defined by its cultures and what not until its over so I’d keep my opinions to myself since if anyone saves your ass from the big snowball mess we’re in, well its going to be someone from Generation Y.
On 05/21/08 at 12:15 pm
BC said:
hahaha. people like supernik make me laugh only because of their ignorance. maybe some of the people that accuse gen-y of being “spoiled lazy ass people” should get their lazy asses away from the television and talk to some gen-y’s, they would see that a majority of people in that generation find that stuff absolutely retarded.
yeah, i know people watch it. i also know that many people dont want other people to KNOW they watch it. of course every group of people have every kind of person, so blanket statements always and never apply.
On 05/20/08 at 9:26 am
Meghan said:
Indeed. I could go the rest of my life without another ‘America Pie’ series straight to DVD movie in my world. I graduated high school in ‘95. I think I am Generation WTF.
On 05/20/08 at 9:30 am
Kevin said:
I graduated the same year… that might be the proper term.
On 05/20/08 at 11:06 am
The Rocketman said:
I also graduated in ‘95.
I once heard someone call us the ‘Mosaic Generation’.
On 05/20/08 at 11:41 am
Kevin said:
I like that a lot better than saying I am a tweener…
On 05/20/08 at 12:07 pm
Meghan said:
‘Tweener’ sounds like a Word of The Day from Urban Dictionary…
On 05/20/08 at 9:29 am
chris in kingston said:
Gen Y certainly makes the rest of look like Rhode Scholars - except for the lovely Meghan above me; that was a witty comment
On 05/20/08 at 9:42 am
Kevin said:
Don’t give Meghan any props it will go to her head.
On 05/20/08 at 12:09 pm
Meghan said:
He’s right - I can barely fit my dome in that teeny tiny box as it is.
On 05/20/08 at 11:13 pm
Brian said:
That’s what she said.
On 05/20/08 at 9:34 am
Meghan said:
Spencer and his sister make me so mad, I just want to set myself on fire!
On 05/20/08 at 9:41 am
Josh said:
Better yet- Let’s set THEM on fire.
On 05/20/08 at 9:42 am
Kevin said:
Can I pitch in for that?
On 05/20/08 at 9:52 am
Mandygirl said:
I was born in 81, never could figure out what that makes me!