Although the feeling may not be mutual, I love generation Xers.

While conducting generation search on the Internet yesterday, I ran across an article entitled “Why I hate Boomers.” So tonight I did a search and got a whole page of returns for the phrase “I hate Boomers,” including a blog and a forum thread.

I’m a Boomer so if you’re in Generation X, you may hate me, but I love you for many reasons. I cover seven of these reasons below.

I haven’t always loved Generation Xers. In fact, the first time I taught them at The University of Oklahoma, I didn’t like them much. They were totally different from any students I’d taught in past. They accepted nothing that I taught at face value and often challenged me.

I was compelled to start researching Generation X in order to better understand and teach my students. So the first reason that I love Generation Xers is because they motivated a line of research that has been my passion for the last 15 years.

At first Boomer writers described Generation Xers with adjectives such as “whiners, malcontents, drifters and cynics.” But I began to see another side of them - their pragmatic, self-sufficient, savvy, ambitious and independent side.

So the second reason that I love Generation Xers is because all these adjectives somewhat describe them, and yet no set of adjectives can truly describe the diversity within Generation X.

The third reason that I love Generation Xers is for the same reason that I found them so difficult many years ago. They have strong convictions and are independent thinkers. They don’t believe what a person says just because that person holds an authority position. This serves them well as they enter authority positions.

Fourth, I love Generation Xers because of their commitment to their children and acceptance of diverse ideas of family. As one of the Boomer women who pioneered a formerly male-dominated profession and had a latch-key Generation X child, I respect Generation Xers’ determination not to put jobs, careers or businesses before their families.

And I love Generation Xers, fifth, because although they are committed not to sacrifice their families to do so, they are achieving success and bettering their lifestyles, in spite of all the predictions to the contrary.

Sixth, I love Generation Xers for their patriotism, their independent spirituality, and many others characteristics that I and many Boomers are growing to appreciate more as Generation Xers take their place in adult society.

Last, but not least, I love Generation Xers because they have the characteristics that their Boomer parents wished for them, just not in the way that their parents imaged. In short, they are the adults that they were reared to be, and the world is better because of them.

Discover more about Generational Differences or choose a report on One of Four Generational Differences to understand why they differ. Discover the best appeals for your target market. This article is available as a unique content article with free reprint rights.

Submitted to Article Directories 4-29-08: Why This Boomer Loves
Generation Xers

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