I'm a Gen X'er and perhaps this question has been coming up because I'm approaching a pivotal birthday: from now on, I will be closer to my 40's than 20's. I keep telling myself, being "next gen" is really a state of mind, being someone who gets it. I still consider myself a person who gets it, a young professional fairly in tune with the latest trends, lingo, and technology the world is offering.
But does all this make me next gen?
Perhaps you are no longer considered part of the next generation when you begin having more generational moments with people younger than you rather than older. Do generational moments ever happen to you? Those moments when you experience the generational gap between you and another person or situation? I used to have them often with my parents but now I find I'm having them more and more with my Millennial nieces and nephews. Just yesterday I received a text from my 14-year-old nephew, and all it said was "idk." I had to text him back and ask what he meant (I'm bad with text abbreviations).
So, am I next generation? Is the next generation determined by year of birth, state of mind, or both? I don't have the answers, but I have to say more clues are popping up daily!
When was your last generational moment? What do you consider to be the next generation? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below.
Comments
1
By Rebecca Ryan — 05/27/2009
Mol - Love the post! I think people are “next gen” if they’re young thinking, regardless of age! I’d rather have a 78 year old progressive on my team than a 23 year old fossilized-thinker. Like you, I too have been thinking about what it means to be ‘next gen.’ I think as long as we stay committed to being open and curious, - and not getting ‘set in our ways’ - we’ll be YPs!
