The Younger Generation

[xyzzyplugh]

Seriously, apart from reality tv, quiz shows and Britney Spears, what have the younger generation ever done for us?

[bimsey]

Nothing at all as far as I can see apart from get on your nerves and irritate you to death I worry for the future as one of these morons will be heading the country and having kids of thier own...what hope is there ay.

[Blender]

Funny, I was young during the late 50's and 60's and the "older" generation was saying the same then. I reckon we didn't turn out too bad

[stephaniel]

How young does one have to be to qualify for the younger generation? I'd like to know which side I speak for !

[Waterwolf]

What makes you think 'the younger generation' are responsible for any of those? BIg Brother is made by Endemol in the UK, whose chairman, Peter Bazalgette, is not exactly young at 49. Neither, I suspect, are the record industry moguls who made Britney a star. Quiz shows have been around for at least fifty years, probably a lot longer. I get your point, but we should really blame the youth-obssessed media, not necessarily the young themselves.

[xyzzyplugh]

Ww; by the younger g. I mean 16 to 36 yrs old now. They have the spending power and dictate the norms. when I was so young, our generation brought 'we're not gonna take it', youth culture, pop music (inc. Stones Who Lennon etc.), freedom of expression, positive attitude and nonconformity. This y.g. have brought, dumbing down, selfishness, conformity, disposable goods, eating,and 'the public wants what the public gets' apathy. They have returned our revolution back to square one. Isn't that what they say; rags to rags in three generations? Even Oasis and Jarvis Cocker were transient damp squibs. I hope the next g. will get a grip before the corporate world has us by the balls completely.

[Waterwolf]

Got to agree with you there xyzzy -- but modern youth culture's even more depressing when you're young (I am almost 22)!

[boognish76]

Where do you think the younger generation came from? They weren't grown in pods in an evil plan to unleash them on decent folk and corrupt society. They were raised by the older generation.

[xyzzyplugh]

What do you mean, 'they weren't grown in pods'?! ...

[eatstatic]

Microwavable chips, pizza, chicken and pies. Rap, house, jungle and the Teletubbies.

[WaldoMcFroog]

xyzzyplugh, that's incredibly insulting! Generation X is a reaction to your generation, just as yours was a reaction to the austerity years. We grew up with Thatcherism and the souless mentality of accumulation that went with that... Generation X are the people who feel let down by it, unable and unwilling to compete. And, as your generation proved, hippies turn on themselves and become bloated capitalists. We've got our mistakes, but your generation had theirs, and doubtless the next will have their own. As it ever has been.

[couchy]

I was 9 when Margaret Thatcher was voted in, according to my maths nobody who is aged 16 - 36 today could have voted for her, your legacy to us was her and subsequent tory leaders, we have had our moments like the Acid house scence that were crushed by the people you put on the road to power. Boognish76 is right we are products of our enviroment and your generation has raised us. So you had Lennon, Stones, and the Who look at the Stones now, have they turned out like you wanted?, can you see Keith from the prodigy owning a fishing farm - rock on. We are the generation whose taxes will pay for your pension, whose soldiers will die to defend you, whose technology will make your life easier, were the generation whose students everyone will rely to find a cure for aids, cancer etc. xyzzyplugh - you sound like your dad. You'll be saying chicken doesn't taste like chicken next.

[FTVS]

Cast your mind xyzzy to when YOU were the younger generation. What would your generation as then have said about your peer group? layabouts? Long haired drug addicts? " We didn't fight a war to see our country go to pot etc". Unfortunatley you are displaying exactly the sort of prejudices that you probably railed against in the oldsters of your time.

[xyzzyplugh]

Generation X? Generation bland, more like. Yes I do sound like my dad - but this time it's true. And that music? - boy bands, girl bands, what about musician bands, actually playing musical instruments; now there's an old idea. Though I must say, sampling is a great idea that needs more work, open your minds be less compliant and you got a chance.. Missy Eliot, Nelly, nice music.

[simon_says]

I'm 28 and I am NOT old ( am I? ). I can remember being at school like it was yesterday, but it was 10 years (!!!!) ago.

[DavidUK]

Hopefully, the younger generation will pay for our pensions when we are retired and they are working. Or, then again, perhaps they won't. Best to play safe and try and be nice to them now!