I’ve heard countless times the term “Generation Me” given to youth’s culture today, so it was interesting to read The New York Times editorial “Generation Sell,” which traces the history of youth culture from the beatniks and hippies in the ‘50s and ‘60s to the punks in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. Writer William Deresciewicz also makes a trajectory of the direction we’re going in now by highlighting many different cultural facets. What stood out to me was that he defined the self today as “an entrepreneurial self, a self that’s packaged to be sold.”
Since generations distinguish themselves by rebelling against the prior one, it makes sense that because slackers characterized the previous decades of the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s (according to Deresciewicz), then it would explain why today’s culture values efficiency and management, especially in self-presentation. There isn’t as much separation between professional life and personal life because “we treat ourselves like little businesses, something to be managed and promoted.” We’re energized by sharing our thoughts, opinions, and appearances, which is why the Facebook website is a prevailing image of our generation. Just by logging onto Twitter, we’re getting a marketing tutorial.
Many college students I know aspire not to join already established companies, but rather, to start their own business. Young people today see Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Blake Mycoskie and other entrepreneurs as heroes, so when a project isn’t going our way, we don’t assume we have to adapt to it. This self-reliance is admirable, but is it because we believe that we’re more competent than those with more experience? (Considering the suffering economy and financial corruption we’ve been exposed to, this question probably doesn’t have to be considered for very long.)
Let me know what you think, though. Since I’m obviously part of youth culture, perhaps my opinion can’t have weight to it. There’s no denying we’re in an age of adz, though.
If you have a suggestion for what I should check out next, email me at Mary.G.Richardson@asu.edu.
