A generational guide to pop culture

Everyone’s worst fear is turning into their parents. For years, pop culture has served as a way for younger generations to separate themselves from “old people” and give each generation a more specific identity. From specific vernacular to revolutions in style and music, each generation has its own quirks and inside jokes used to keep older generations out of the loop. AIDAN LYND STAR WARS

Baby Boomer Generation The years 1946 to 1964 are considered the postwar baby boom, and the appropriately named Baby Boomers are those born during this time. This is widely considered the first mass consumer generation, as,during their childhood, boomers could watch TV and listen to music from the comfort of their homes using new color TVs and vinyl record players. Movies like “Star Wars” and “Mary Poppins” gained mass popularity on big and small screens. Disco music was in full swing, and psychedelic rock music gained popularity through the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Newspapers were the primary source of media for all ages. This was also a period of great social and political unrest, with anti-war and free speech riots happening throughout the United States and the Black Panther Party gaining traction in urban areas. The assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King shocked the country, and the Watergate Scandal illuminated the flaws of the American government.

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Millennial Generation Millennials are people who were born from around 1986 to 2000. Often referred to as “90s kids,” millennials grew up watching “Spongebob,” “Mean Girls,” and “Gossip Girl,” and listening to Britney Spears, The Backstreet Boys, and Beyoncé. Notable political events for millennials include the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the Columbine shooting. Each of these had a lasting impact on U.S. politics, traveling, and school safety. “This was still a difficult time due to it being fairly recent after 9/11. We had a lot of active shooter drills, and bomb scares. In short, it was not a good time politically,” said Molly McNinch, a Millennial math teacher at Carlmont. Many millennials have embraced minimalistic living and healthy lifestyles, with activities like yoga, fitness, and camping becoming increasingly popular with millennials. Millennials are also traveling much more than previous generations and have found entertainment in video games as well as TV and streaming services.

Generation X Those born from 1965 to 1980 are considered generation X, also known as the Baby Busters or Post-Boomers. Generation X controlled pop culture and mass media from the early 80s to the mid-90s, with notable events including the release of ABC’s miniseries, “Roots,” and the Iran-Contra Affair. Popular media culture from this generation includes Movies like “Forrest Gump,” “The Lion King” and “Top Gun.” After ‘Top Gun’ came out, everyone wanted to wear a leather pilots jacket, cowboy boots, and aviator sunglasses,” said Jarrod Harrison, a history teacher at Carlmont born in the 1970s. Generation X was also able to talk on the first cell phones and use early computers, and music was heard via compact disks, which became mainstream in the mid-1980s. Grunge music exploded in popularity through bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, and hip-hop saw its golden age in Biggie Smalls and Tupac. Generation Z The current generation of high school and college students, Generation Z, includes people born from 2000 to 2015, though some argue that generation Z is still in production. Generation Z is seen as a melting pot of the three previously mentioned generations. Vintage clothes are coming back in style, there are movements for equality and speech mirroring those of the 1960s, and throwbacks in the music and entertainment category are hugely popular. There are also trends of thrifting clothes and moving away from fast fashion, showing a greater emphasis on carbon footprint awareness. “I really enjoy thrifting because you can find some good clothes for cheap, and it helps to limit the number of clothes that are thrown away,” said Katrin Lelyushkina, a junior. In addition to carbon footprint awareness, there is a greater emphasis on equality for people of different races, religions, sexual orientations, and genders. Demonstrations like the Women’s March, George Floyd Protests, and marches for climate change show the eagerness of generation Z to improve their world. Artists like Drake, Taylor Swift, and BTS stand at the top of music charts, music now being streamed digitally. Popular movies and shows are found on streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, with standouts being Netflix’s “Tiger King” and Disney+’s “The Mandalorian.”