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Generation Jones

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Generation Jones is a term used to describe the generation of people born between 1954 and 1965. The term is used primarily in English-speaking countries and Western Europe, although it is used to some degree globally.[1][2][3] The birth years typically used in the U.S. are 1954-1965, but these tend to vary slightly in other countries, usually starting no earlier than 1953, and ending no later than 1968.

Etymology

American social commentator Jonathan Pontell defined this generation and coined the term to name it.[4] Generation Jones has been referred to as a heretofore lost generation between the Baby boomers and Generation X, since prior to the popularization of Pontell’s theory, its members were included with either the Boomers or Xers. There is a controversy about whether the term Generation X was originally coined by Douglas Coupland as attached to specific birth years; some believe that Coupland was not referring to specific years, some believe he was referring to those born in the late 1950s and 1960s, but even if that was Coupland's original intention, those birth years are rarely, if ever, currently used for Generation X.

The name “Generation Jones” has several connotations, including: a large anonymous generation, and a “Keeping up with the Joneses” competitiveness borne from this generation’s populous birth years. The connotation, however, which is perhaps best known stems from the slang word "jones" or “jonesing”, which means a yearning or craving. Jonesers were the people who as teens in the 1970’s made this slang word popular, but beyond this historical claim, many believe the concept of jonesing is among this generation’s key collective personality traits. Jonesers were given huge expectations as children in the optimistic 1960’s, and then confronted with a different reality as they came of age in the pessimistic 1970’s, leaving them with a certain unrequited, jonesing quality.

In demographic terms, Generation Jones was part of the baby boom which ended in the early 1960s. However, the events stereotypically associated with generational discussion of Boomers, including protests over civil rights and the Vietnam war and the emergence of rock music took place while the members of Generation Jones were still children or early teenagers. This is the situation described by Sex Pistols bass player Sid Vicious, who said that he had missed the Summer of Love because he was too busy playing with his Action Man. Thus the early life experience of this group was more similar, in many respects, to that commonly imputed to Generation X. Generation Jones is thus associated with such pop icons such as Pong, the "Walkman", Rubics Cube and MTV.

This age group became politically active in the United States during the Presidential campaigns of Ronald Reagan, who was extremely popular among people of this age group.[5] "The turn toward the Republicans was based very much on how the young felt about Ronald Reagan's performance in office," said Helmut Norpoth, a political scientist at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. In the 2008 election, surveys found that fans of classic rock music, popular during this period, tended to favor the Republicans.[6]

Generation Jones has been the recipient of extensive media attention. It has been written about in hundreds of newspapers and magazines and discussed frequently on TV and radio shows.[7][8][9][10] Pontell appears regularly on TV networks such as CNN, MSNBC, and the BBC, discussing the cultural, political, and economic implications of this generation’s emergence.[11]

In the business world, Generation Jones has become a part of the strategic planning of many companies and industries, particularly in the context of targeting Jonesers through marketing efforts.[12] Numerous industries have created new products and brands to specifically target Jonesers, like the radio industry, which has created “GenJones” radio formats.[13]

Politically, Generation Jones has emerged as a crucial voting segment in Western elections. In the U.S. 2006 Midterm and 2004 Presidential elections, and the 2005 U.K. elections, Generation Jones’ electoral role was widely described as pivotal by the media and political pollsters.[14][8][3][15] In the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, Generation Jones was again seen as a key electoral segment, partly because of its large size as almost a third of all voters, and because of the high degree to which its members were swing voters during the election cycle. Influential journalists like Clarence Page[16] and Peter Fenn[17] singled out Generation Jones voters as crucial in the final weeks of the campaign.[18]

The election to President of Barack Obama, born in 1961, focused more attention on Generation Jones. Many influential journalists, publications, and experts pointed out that Obama is a member of Generation Jones, including Jonathan Alter (Newsweek),[19] David Brooks (The New York Times), and Karen Tumulty (Time Magazine).[20][21][22][23][24][25][26]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Seigle, Greg, “Some Call It ‘Jones’”, The Washington Post, April 6, 2000, Washington Post Archive Search result - fee retrieved on 2007-02-18
  2. ^ Landesman, Cosmo, “I’ve Finally Found My Generation,” The Sunday Times (London), 28 November 2004 Times Online retrieved 2007-02-18
  3. ^ a b Press Release: Generation Jones is driving NZ Voter Volatility, Scoop Independent News (NZ), 13 September 2005 Scoop website, retrieved 2007-02-18
  4. ^ Generation Jones comes of age in time for election - Telegraph
  5. ^ Political Memo; G.O.P. Makes Reagan Lure Of Young a Long-Term Asset
  6. ^ Jacobs Media; Tech Survey IV Politics/Election 2008
  7. ^ Lang, John (2000-01-08). "Generation Jones: Between the Boomers and the Xers". The Cincinnati Post. E. W. Scripps Company. Archived from the original on 2005-01-15.
  8. ^ a b Rowan, David A guide to electionspeak
  9. ^ "Talk Radio News Service interviews political analyst Jonathan Pontell on what political party different generations vote for and why". Talk Radio News Service. 2006-10-30. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
  10. ^ Many in the 35-46 Age Bracket Identify with 'Generation Jones'. | The Denver Post (Denver, Colorado) (via Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News) (December , 2000)
  11. ^ Who is Generation Jones?
  12. ^ Toops Scoops: Keeping up with the Jonesers
  13. ^ Scripps Howard News Service
  14. ^ ePolitix.com - Key to election is 'keeping up with Joneses'
  15. ^ MPR: Pollster says Generation Jones tipped election for Bush
  16. ^ Page, Clarence (2008-10-22). "Generation Jones is in play". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
  17. ^ Fenn, Peter (2008-10-23), "Why the 'Generation Jones' Vote May Be Crucial in Election 2008", The Hill's Pundits Blog, retrieved 2008-12-07
  18. ^ Paulsen, David (2008-10-26). "Attention GenY'ers! Talk To Your Parents! Don't Let GenJonesers Vote Against Themselves!". Politics. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
  19. ^ Alter, Jonathan (2008-02-11). "Twilight of the Baby Boom". Newsweek. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
  20. ^ Kelley, Bennet (2008-04-24), "Obama and Generation Jones: It is Our Time to Lead", Santa Monica Daily Press, The Huffington Post, retrieved 2008-12-07
  21. ^ http://www.generationjones.com/2008election.html
  22. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ta_Du5K0jk
  23. ^ Anderson Cooper (anchor) interviewing Roland S. Martin (contributor). Election Night In America (Adobe Flash) (Television production). CNN (via YouTube). Event occurs at ~22:30 (ET). Retrieved 2008-12-07. {{cite AV media}}: Unknown parameter |date2= ignored (help) Transcript
  24. ^ Campbell Brown (anchor), Roland S. Martin (contributor). The Campbell Brown Show (Adobe Flash) (Television production). CNN (via YouTube). Event occurs at 0:41 (in the video). Retrieved 2008-12-07. {{cite AV media}}: Unknown parameter |date2= ignored (help) Transcript
  25. ^ Chris Matthews (anchor), Clarence Page (panelist). The Chris Matthews Show (Adobe Flash) (Television production). MSNBC (via YouTube). Retrieved 2008-12-07. {{cite AV media}}: Unknown parameter |date2= ignored (help) Transcript
  26. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIrjn50E2_I


Preceded by
Baby boomer
(1942-1953)
 Generation Jones
(1954-1965) 		Succeeded by
Generation X
(1966-1978)
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