The nomination of Barack Obama yesterday guaranteed another historic
milestone. The next President of the United States will not be a Baby
Boomer. Whomever wins the presidency will usher in a new generation to
the Oval Office.
Will it be the first wave of Generation X (1961 – 1981) or the last
wave of the Silent Generation (1925-1942)? I am student of Strauss and
Howe; check out their book The Fourth Turning for more generation
information.
It’s probably no surprise that the first Silent presidential
candidate comes from the ranks of the senate. This generation has
always been about process and compromise. This is the Peggy Sue Got
Married (too early) generation. The Silents ushered in the divorce
epidemic as well as civil rights, women’s rights and the age of cool.
The Silents also produced Generation X. Arguably one of the greatest
generations to ever walk the earth :-) (thank you). Generation X is
the “Just Do It” generation and the Ferris Bueller’s Day Off generation
(savvy, smart, individualistic). They are also screwed up because they
got caught in the brunt of the before mentioned divorce epidemic and
the greatest anti-child period of American history.
Right now, the political campaign is all about symbols and slogans.
However, if the media becomes more savvy, it will delve into the value
systems of the slogans that we are already seeing.
Change vs. Honor
Audacity vs. Experience
Hope vs. Integrity
Yes We Can vs. Leadership
This is more than a generation gap. It’s a values gap, and now that
Baby Boomer idealism has been checked at the door, this gap may also
mark the end of the culture war.
Which generation has a corner on the marketing? That’s a traditional
question and the answer is, it depends on which generation you belong
to. The real question is, which candidate can capture the imagination
of the other’s generational base?
Ahhh... That's a no-brainer.