11.14.08 | 
2 Comments Gavoweb posted a great slideshow about Generation Y. One of the most interesting parts of the show is slide 11, which claims that the “rite of passage” for Gen Y is twofold: 9/11 and the economic meltdown (Just as the boomer rite of passage was Vietnam and the civil rights movement). It appears that “rite of passage” in this case means some sort of shared experience of influence and maturation.
What is significant to me is that, if true, we are smack-dab in the middle of that maturation process right now, which means the true defining character of our generation (I’m a Gen Y-er, made it in by two years) has yet to be seen. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
I wish it was possible to hear the presentation that goes along with the show. I’m sure it’d be quite interesting to hear. Alas, why is it that amazing content about generations often comes from marketing agencies like this? (That’s a rhetorical question. I know why. I just wish some other avenues were capable of doing such great work in the field.)
Tags: Gen Y, Generation Y, generations, research, trends
Matt,
After looking through the slide-show, it appears what they are saying is that in recent years there has been a blurring of the easily recognizable caste system in America… credit has made it easier for the working poor to look like the rich. Because we are in the middle of an economic melt-down and that is one of the shaping influences on your age demographic (the GEN Ys) we may see some interesting things come about. Will we see a reversal in some of the ambiguity that has resulted because it will be harder to afford to carry that forward? Its interesting that the culture would say we value individuality but it appears instead that we want to be like everybody else. Do you think that may be due to an overblown sense of personal rights, justice, or fairness?
It was a very interesting slide show and, like you, it would have been nice to know what the presenters were trying to relay through the dialog that would have gone with the slides.
I think one of the interesting things was the claim that this generation will reject the materialism of the Boomers. So far that doesn’t seem to be the case, but I can see how they arrived there.