Boomer/X cutoff, sometime in the early 60s, though personally I'd make it more of the mid-60s. X/Y cutoffs, mid- to late-70s. And I've seen some people argue that someone who is 15 years old today is actually in "Generation Z" (or whatever other new name they wish to apply to the kid).
Which just goes to show that all the terms are pretty much made up out of whole cloth. Notice how comparatively gigantic the "Baby Boomer" generation supposedly is; the "oldest" of them are only a few years away from retirement age, which means Boomerdom seems to apply to anyone born from around 1945 to 1965, while the X-Y-Z zones only appear to encompass a 10-15 year period each. It's all BS in the end really, in terms of dates; the terms only have relevance in terms of how the members of each group think and act, the overall Zeitgeist of the given group. And IMHO, the only real differences between Gen-X and Gen-Y are that Gen-Y is growing up to be far more conservative and less whiny than Gen-Xers, who all thought they were going to change the world (gee, wonder where they got that idea from) through their big dotcom fraud, and are all pissed off that they didn't get to retire at 30 after all. Gen-Y, by comparison, have far more level heads.
And it's way too early to say anything about the Gen-Z zeitgeist, or even to declare Gen-Z to legitimately exist, if you ask me.
Strauss and Howe, in their work 13th Gen, pretty much the seminal work on Gen X and an interesting intro to their other books, Generations and The Fourth Turning, call it a little differently. They feel the Gen X generation was born from 1960 to 1979, on the basis of the shared experiences that most held.
Which just goes to show that all the terms are pretty much made up out of whole cloth. Notice how comparatively gigantic the "Baby Boomer" generation supposedly is; the "oldest" of them are only a few years away from retirement age, which means Boomerdom seems to apply to anyone born from around 1945 to 1965, while the X-Y-Z zones only appear to encompass a 10-15 year period each.
Strauss and Howe place the Boomers, as most do, as a somewhat pre- and post- war generation that was born from 1940 to 1959, on the basis of the shared experiences that most held. That they also cohort by about 20 years is also appropriate given the fertility cycle means that typically women actually had kids and started a new generation every 20 years or so.
It's all BS in the end really, in terms of dates; the terms only have relevance in terms of how the members of each group think and act, the overall Zeitgeist of the given group. And IMHO, the only real differences between Gen-X and Gen-Y are that Gen-Y is growing up to be far more conservative and less whiny than Gen-Xers, who all thought they were going to change the world (gee, wonder where they got that idea from) through their big dotcom fraud, and are all pissed off that they didn't get to retire at 30 after all. Gen-Y, by comparison, have far more level heads.
Funny. I'm much less likely to think that Gen-Y is conservative than you are. They are certainly more regimented and seem more led, but I think that of the two, Gen X is more conservative in deed, while perhaps not word. There are more Gen Xers that started businesses than any other generation before, and not just because there are more people now, but on a percentage basis. Might be that the Gen Y kids are more sullen instead of mouthy, and that is interpreted as more respectful of their elders. But I think that it's just that generationally, every other one 'sucks.' Think about it. Everyone wrote (and writes) about the baby boomers like they are the most important group EVER. Everyone hates Gen X. Everyone LOVES Gen Y--can't get enough of Britney and Avril! I've seen more outpouring of 'ain't they the greatest' in the last months than I remember during the Gulf War--what's so different?!?!
And it's way too early to say anything about the Gen-Z zeitgeist, or even to declare Gen-Z to legitimately exist, if you ask me
I'm pretty sure you could go back to Strauss and Howe on this one, and they'll tell you that the Millenial/Gen Y kids (1980-2000) haven't really made an impact culturally yet. And Gen Z is just being born.
There's a fundamental issue with me in the notion of calling a group of people born fifteen years apart three different 'generations.' It shows a lack of knowledge regarding the meaning of the word generation! It certainly seems odd that there would be a dividing line on the decade marks, and I'm sure that's not completely to everyone's satisfaction. But I think it's the best grouping I've seen of those with fairly common shared experiences. Certainly, someone born in 1980 and someone born in 2000 will be different, but their formative years will just as certainly be the Clinton government era, and they will shoulder the burden left behind by Slick Willie pretty equally.
Boomer '45-'60
Gen X '60-'75
Gen Y '75-'90
Generations are marked by the culture landmarks. The first Gen Xer would be one who does not -- due to age -- remember seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan.
The first Gen Yer would be one who does not remember Ms Pac Man or TV before cable.
Gen Yers will be with us for a few more years. They are kind of likeable.
What are you talking about??, You are so WRONG!!!!!!!
I hate to tell you but we Gen-Xers did change the world, Unlike the Baby Boomers who accomplished nothing and are basically self serving parasites we spawned the internet and brought in the new era of the Information Age which has had an overall major positive effect all over the world that will be felt and enjoyed for generations to come.
And so what if a lot of dot.com companies went bust, The Automobile and Airplane also changed the world and look how many makers of those things went bust early on that didn't mean cars and planes were failures.
When we set out to change the world we created something unlike the Boomers who when the set out to change the world instead of creating something they instead became Lawyers and we all know how wonderful it is that we have all these lawyers and regulations running around.
Compare the Legacy
Gen-X
Spawned a new era in the history of mankind: The Information Age
Will Fight and Win the war on Terrorism.
Voted in a Republican Majority*
VS
The Baby Boomers
The ACLU, Activist Judges, Junk Science, Tune in, Turn on and drop out, Anti-smoking/Health/Safety Nazis, RINOS, Destruction of the Nuclear Family, Destruction of the Black Extended family, Frivolous lawsuit, The Constitution as a living document, The Welfare State, The Nanny State, It it feels good do it, The Liberal Media elite, The founding fathers were nothing more than evil slave owners, Sound bites over substance or facts, Abortion on demand, The Clintons, Seatbelt laws, Feminism, Tree Huggers, Criminals that have more rights than the victim, Meathead, Blame America First, Latch key kids, Kids being raised by their grandparents and/or strangers, Helmet laws for Motorcycles, Helmet laws for freaking Bicycles, Cradle to grave entitlements, War on Fat, 21 year old drinking age, Yuppies, Careers over your children, Hatred of the Military, Reporters who think they are not only part of but bigger than the story they are covering, Focus groups, Weekend dads, Single moms, Prisoner rights groups, Prozac, Ritilin, Viagra, ½ our income going for taxes, America owes me, Living past failed dreams through your children, Cocktail Parties with the likes of Micheal Bloomberg, Turning an educational system that once was the best in the world to S!@, The 2nd Amendment doesn't mean the Right to bear arms, Peacekeepers instead of soldiers, The weakening of the CIA, Power Couples, Soccer Moms, NPR, Eradication of Dodge Ball, It's all society's fault type excuses and made up syndromes instead of personal responsibility, and so many more but I will close with.
And an Obscene National Debt that WE have to pay off.
I sense extreme jealously on your part and I understand your hostility it must be hard being in a generation that has accomplished nothing and has fully or partially destroyed many great American institutions and values. You will go down as being the worst generation in American history. It must be especially hard since you are sandwiched between two Generations that has and will accomplish much and has had such a positive effect on the world.
* Yes we did vote in a Republican majority in Congress, Senate and White House but unfortuanetely those Republicans we voted in also happen to be Baby boomers and just like everything else connected to that pitiful generation they to are turning out to be failures.