Week 3 EOC: My Demographics

Generation X. The baby boom was followed by a “birth dearth,” creating another generation of 49 million people born between 1965 and 1976. Author Douglas Coupland calls them Generation X because they lie in the shadow of the boomers and lack obvious distinguishing characteristics.

Generation X
The 45 million people born between 1965 and 1976 in the “birth dearth” following the baby boom.
The Generation Xers are defined as much by their shared experiences as by their age. Increasing parental divorce rates and higher employment for their mothers made them the first generation of latchkey kids. Although they seek success, they are less materialistic; they prize experience, not acquisition. For many of the Gen Xers that are parents, family comes first—both children and their aging parents—and career second. From a marketing standpoint, the Gen Xers are a more skeptical bunch. They tend to research products before they consider a purchase, preferring quality over quantity, and they tend to be less receptive to overt marketing pitches.
Once labeled as “the MTV generation” and viewed as body-piercing slackers who whined about “McJobs,” the Gen Xers have grown up and are now taking over. They are increasingly displacing the lifestyles, culture, and values of the baby boomers. They are the most educated generation to date and they possess hefty annual purchasing power. However, like the baby boomers, the Gen Xers now face growing economic pressures. Like almost everyone else these days, they are spending more carefully.

I would have to agree with most of the criteria that is used to describe Gen X also describes me. For me my family is a top priority and was the key factor in my retirement from the US Air Force right at 20 years instead of trying to stay longer and make more rank. Experiences drive most of my recreational lifestyle. I continuously look for new "adventures" from ATV riding to trips down slot canyons to rock climbing, I am always looking for new experiences. I will spend large amounts of time researching and comparing purchases to the point that my wife( in Generation Y) gets frustrated adn tells me to just buy it. Although I don't fit in the category for pay check with mine being only my military retirement, overall I fit the definition of a Gen Xer.