Generation Y Eats The Pop Culture Leftovers

After reading a chapter in Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman, entitled “Sulking with Lisa Loeb on The Ice Planet Hoth,” I started thinking of all the shows and movies that could possibly define Generation Y.

• The G.I. Generation (currently in the nursing home) had…not alot since television wasn’t invented yet.
• The Silent Generation had their Betty Davis and Rhett Butler styles with black and white films and Roosevelt’s “Fireside Chats.” 
• The Baby Boomers had their wholesome “Leave It To Beaver” and “The Brady Bunch.” 
• Generation X had their angsty “Reality Bites,” “Saved By The Bell,” and “E.T.”   

And these give a little flavor to Generation Y because we seem to be the deconstructed generation, post-moderning it up and defining ourselves from pieces of what was already there.  Recycling, Vintage, and ‘Going Green’ are cool for a reason, if you hadn’t noticed.

Yesterday, I found a picture of my dad’s First Communion, where all the children look like their names would be something squeaky clean like “Mary Ellen” or “Susan” or “Dick and Jane.”  And they all wore bow-ties and white gloves.

Instantly, I wanted to frame it and put it up in my living room as wall decoration.  (I mean, why wouldn’t you?)  But my dad didn’t get it.  I’m sure he was thinking, “Why would a person want to put up a picture of somebody else’s First Communion when they could put up a picture of their own?!” 

He comes from a generation where things have their place:  A family portrait (of your own family) goes on the wall (of your own house).  Just as Mrs. Cleaver from ‘Beaver’ or even Mrs. Seaver from “Growing Pains” would have done.

I come from a generation where Britney Spears is allowed to have children.  AND Michael Jackson, for that matter.  The generation where we all have to take a hard look at what’s going on, and ask ourselves the same question The Talking Heads have been asking since 2003, “How did I get here?” 

With Gen. Y, everything is derived from something.  And a vintage picture of my father’s First Communion gives me ten cool points! for having something with history.  Something that shows I have looked back and asked myself that very question. 

If you’re completely lost in my thinking, let’s go to something we can all look at (if you watch NBC…or TBS): ”The Office.” 

“The Office” is a mockumentary of reality, a form of entertainment which has become quite popular with the coming of Generation Y.  Why? (or Y?) Because Generation Y seems to enjoy taking things that all the other generations took for granted (like a communion picture or an incompetent boss in a paper factory) and making it a commonality or shared experience. 

But it’s not just a shared experience or we’d all be having “Boy Meets World” revelations about life all the time.  Shows like “The Office” or “Arrested Development” or “Family Guy” portray this stereotypical commonality in an ironically artistic manner.  Showing us exactly where we’ve come.

As if we’re making fun of all the “unspoken rules” of previous generations.  In a way, saying, “This isn’t working, but it sure is entertaining!”

Of course, as my dad looked at me questioningly as to why I’d want to have a copy of his First Communion picture, all I could say was, “I just like how the priest and nun look so stereotypically awesome.”

And thus my dad is given one more instance where he can shake his head and wonder if some other creature had put me in the nest at birth so that my parents would unknowingly raise me as their own.

-The Boxcar Children

(See if you can add to the list) List of Shows/Movies That Define Gen Y:

MTV Pseudo-Reality Shows (The Hills, Next, Date My Mom…)

The Daily Show/ The Colbert Report

The Office/ Arrested Development

Not Another ___ Movie…