generation x and my career
I've been reading Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, which is a collection of essays by Chuck Klosterman.
The essays revolve pretty much around pop culture, and how Klosterman reacts to it and thinks about it. He says some things that I agree completely with, and some things I disagree with. In my head, while I'm reading, I think of all the responses I have to various points, and as a result I think Klosterman would be an interesting person to share a few pints with.
Since I'm not having a pint with Chuck Klosterman, I'm going to foist some of these thought onto my blog instead. And recommend you read the book yourself. (I'm also probably going to steal his 23 questions as good blog material, but that'll come at a later date).
(From "Sulking with Lisa Loeb on the Ice Planet Hoth"):
When sociologists and journalists started writing about the sensibilities that drove Gen Xers, they inevetiably used words like angst-ridden and disenfranchised and lost. As of late, it's become popular to suggest that this was a flawed stereotype, perpetuated by an aging media who didn't understand the emerging underclass.
Actually, everyone was right the first time.
All those original pundits were dead-on; for once, the media managed to define an entire demographic of Americans with absolute accuracy. Everything said about Gen Xers - both positive and negative - was completely true. Twenty-somethings in the 90s rejected the traditional working-class American lifestyle because (a) they were smart enough to realize those values were unsatisfying, and (b) they were totally fucking lazy.... There are no myths about Generation X. It's all true.
When I read this excerpt I wanted to laugh and shake Klosterman's hand, because, of course, I agree. I don't know a single person my general age (the very tail end of "Generation X") who thinks that an average working class job is acceptable. Some of us have these types of jobs, but we're all just waiting around for something more.
If you're one of these "Gen Xers", you had parents who always told you the importance of college, because the people with all the good jobs their age have college degrees. It was the magic ticket to the even better life. So off to college you went, where you probably received a liberal arts degree.
And how's that working out for you?
Me - when I graduated from college, I was waiting tables. I continued to do so throughout the summer, in between road trips with friends, sending out maybe 10 resumes. Then I took a job doing slightly less annoying work for slightly more money, with the intention that it would be a good place to work during my job search. I sent out a couple more resumes, and quickly moved up in the company, through very little actual effort on my part. Next month will be my 6-year anniversary with this same company, and now I'm in lower-level management.
I've been actually sending out at least 3 resumes a week, looking for something more related to my major and what I might want to actually have a career in (you know, other than 'rock star'). But truthfully, there's a part of me that expects someone to just walk up to me one day and say "Oh - you're just what we've been looking for!" and offer some spectacularly interesting job... even though I probably don't actually have any experience at doing these jobs.
I can't even decide exactly what fabulous job I want. I just know I don't want my current job, because it's so tedious and boring. And for those of you who know my job, you know that I do about 35 different things every day, and even that changes on a daily basis. And I'm still bored with it.
Maybe it's just that Chuck Klosterman has it right about Gen X, and therefore me, when he says: (b) they were totally fucking lazy. Because I just have never, in the past 6.5 years I've been out of school, really put a lot of effort into what I want to do as a career.
The essays revolve pretty much around pop culture, and how Klosterman reacts to it and thinks about it. He says some things that I agree completely with, and some things I disagree with. In my head, while I'm reading, I think of all the responses I have to various points, and as a result I think Klosterman would be an interesting person to share a few pints with.
Since I'm not having a pint with Chuck Klosterman, I'm going to foist some of these thought onto my blog instead. And recommend you read the book yourself. (I'm also probably going to steal his 23 questions as good blog material, but that'll come at a later date).
(From "Sulking with Lisa Loeb on the Ice Planet Hoth"):
When sociologists and journalists started writing about the sensibilities that drove Gen Xers, they inevetiably used words like angst-ridden and disenfranchised and lost. As of late, it's become popular to suggest that this was a flawed stereotype, perpetuated by an aging media who didn't understand the emerging underclass.
Actually, everyone was right the first time.
All those original pundits were dead-on; for once, the media managed to define an entire demographic of Americans with absolute accuracy. Everything said about Gen Xers - both positive and negative - was completely true. Twenty-somethings in the 90s rejected the traditional working-class American lifestyle because (a) they were smart enough to realize those values were unsatisfying, and (b) they were totally fucking lazy.... There are no myths about Generation X. It's all true.
When I read this excerpt I wanted to laugh and shake Klosterman's hand, because, of course, I agree. I don't know a single person my general age (the very tail end of "Generation X") who thinks that an average working class job is acceptable. Some of us have these types of jobs, but we're all just waiting around for something more.
If you're one of these "Gen Xers", you had parents who always told you the importance of college, because the people with all the good jobs their age have college degrees. It was the magic ticket to the even better life. So off to college you went, where you probably received a liberal arts degree.
And how's that working out for you?
Me - when I graduated from college, I was waiting tables. I continued to do so throughout the summer, in between road trips with friends, sending out maybe 10 resumes. Then I took a job doing slightly less annoying work for slightly more money, with the intention that it would be a good place to work during my job search. I sent out a couple more resumes, and quickly moved up in the company, through very little actual effort on my part. Next month will be my 6-year anniversary with this same company, and now I'm in lower-level management.
I've been actually sending out at least 3 resumes a week, looking for something more related to my major and what I might want to actually have a career in (you know, other than 'rock star'). But truthfully, there's a part of me that expects someone to just walk up to me one day and say "Oh - you're just what we've been looking for!" and offer some spectacularly interesting job... even though I probably don't actually have any experience at doing these jobs.
I can't even decide exactly what fabulous job I want. I just know I don't want my current job, because it's so tedious and boring. And for those of you who know my job, you know that I do about 35 different things every day, and even that changes on a daily basis. And I'm still bored with it.
Maybe it's just that Chuck Klosterman has it right about Gen X, and therefore me, when he says: (b) they were totally fucking lazy. Because I just have never, in the past 6.5 years I've been out of school, really put a lot of effort into what I want to do as a career.
posted by Silver Turtle at
5:56 PM
8 Comments:
I have this pipe dream that people (in general) want something new. Something more. Some different ground to cover.
I want to believe that there's something more than going to school, getting a job so you can wear a tie and produce paperwork that somehow generates money somewhere that you never really see. Then getting married, to have 2.5 kids. Raising those kids to go to the same school district you just finished so they can graduate and start their own generational cycle of misery.
I think Gen X kind of realized there's not much you can do to break out of that, so why dive right into it? There is no new technology on the forefront, there is no future date to look forward to like there was with 1984 and the year 2000. Those dates set us up with something to be excited about. A deadline that will bring easy living via technology right into your homes. I suppose that's happened, but now what.
Where do you go from surround sound, DVDs, hybrid cars, cell phones the size of credit cards, camera phones, and internet?
Maybe that's it. We finsih school to wear ties so we can afford to enjoy those things. (Well....I don't wear ties)
By
Anonymous, at 9:03 AM
As if I didn't write enough already.
I just wanted to mention how lazy society has become in general. I just got an ad campaign on my desk stating how they're marketing to Gen-Z.
Yes, we've become so unoriginal and lazy that we've just yawned our way into labeling a generation Gen Z simply because it's 2 generations after Gen X.
You really nailed it on the head there pundits.
By
Anonymous, at 9:22 AM
Sometimes I wonder about all those .5 kids running around, never being a full kid...
I think you're right, though. (Even though you have a kinda cool job).
By
Silver Turtle, at 6:40 PM
"I don't know a single person my general age (the very tail end of "Generation X") who thinks that an average working class job is acceptable. Some of us have these types of jobs, but we're all just waiting around for something more."
The operative word being ....waiting... like for it to fall into your lap(not you, just a generalization).
Most of the people that I know that are in rewarding, fulfilling careers are those that have done what they loved, no matter the pay, status, or relationship to their education.
Sounds corny, but I believe its true...do what you love, the money will follow.
And no matter what career you have, your status, education, your wealth, its all pretty meaningless if you are a miserable person.
My only problem with so many of my gen-ex peers is that they look down on me for choosing to be a wife and mother, as it was put to me once, "throwing away your education"
What bullshit. I've had jobs. Great ones. The best paying and most desirable of which, had NOTHING to do with my degree. I decided a long time ago, that my diploma was wothless(please don't tell my parents I said that!).
Those same peers look down on Hubs profession(he's a butcher), but what they don't know is that he makes a shitload more than most of them...and he LIKES his job.
Okay, end of rant.
I will read the book, sounds interesting.
Did you ever come up with a name for the band?
By
FreedomGirl, at 1:16 AM
FG - you're right, of course. It's the whole waiting for something to happen. When in fact we need to make something happen.
There isn't a profession (including mom/dad) that isn't worthwhile if it's really what you want.
Does Mr. FG own his own butcher shop? Interesting career - how do you find out you love being a butcher? And it's great he found something he does love.
And no, we haven't decided on a band name yet.
By
Silver Turtle, at 7:37 AM
Yes. I have a cool job. Now.
But I weren't working here, I'd probably be in the same situation I was in for so long.
I will say that when it comes to careers, it is absolutely who you know. (and sometimes how well you know them) Employers glaze over resumes unless it is presented to them with a smiling face from someone they know. When they dig through the stacks of resumes their first inclination is to eliminate most of the stack.
Why? then they don't have to read as many. If they decide to dispose of all the resumes with blue ink, because black is more formal...then it eliminates 12 resumes they don't have to bother reading. However if one of the blue inked resumes came with an inquiry from a buddy or friend or coworker....they would hang onto it to give it a read.
I stumbled across the job I am in now, but once I stubled in the door of the business, I worked my ass off to make it happen. Mostly cause I saw that it was something really worthwhile. And yes, I enjoy it. There are some many places that are worse than this.
By
Anonymous, at 8:44 AM
You're so right about resumes and job searching and stuff. And just about everything in life - it's about who you know.
I definately give you credit for working your ass off to go from unpaid intern to -well - whatever your title there is. Definately well deserved on your part. :)
By
Silver Turtle, at 7:12 PM
Ahh...but Miss Silver Turtle, we live in the city of Columbus where diversity & culture are frowned down upon. The closer you are to the 'Burbs, supposedly your life will be sooo much better. (Which it won't. I wish people would stop idealizing 1950's Americana. It encouraged people to live in fear of being themselves.)
- just a lowly, humble Copy Princess who's ranting...
By
Anonymous, at 3:34 PM
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