Gen what?
I read about the “Gen X?Y” gathering of United Methodists and I wonder, “could I possibly be too old for the edge of United Methodism?”
I approached a group of guys (yes, actually, in this case they were all males) at Annual Conference a couple of years ago. I had meet each of them and built relationships through working senior high camp together at Glen Lake. One of them said to me, “Hey, let’s see what an old guy thinks.”
(They were having one of those conversations that happens regularly at sessions of Annual Conference. Broadly, the topic was, “How can we make this a better Conference?”)
I was stunned. Me, an old guy? Yeah, well, I realized I had at least a decade on any of them. And yeah, I know I’ve been ordained since they were in junior high, but I hadn’t realized there might be such a perceived gap from their side.
After all, they are the one I enjoy talking with. Their souls are young and vibrant, and, most importantly, resistant to maintaining the status quo for no better reason than “we’ve always done it this way.”
Depending on who defines it, I am either a Boomer or an Xer. Born in 1963, I am a cusper. On a very few things I tend to identify with the Baby Boomers. On most things, I am an Xer.
So, what do you think? Where do I fit in the current discussions? Where do you?
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come on steve. you’re not old. why…i remember a person named steve teaming up with a couple brower boys to play the hell out of some basketball! show me an old man that can do that.
Thanks, Johnny; I know I’m not old!
I’m not asking “am I old or not;” I am talking about the differences in perceptions and perspectives between generations – the study first (as far as I know) popularized by Howe and Strauss
There are interesting differences (generally) between Boomers and Xers.
As a fellow “cusper” (born in ’60), I can relate to the X’ers more than Boomers, but that doesn’t keep the Y’s from seeing me as an “old guy” (makes you want to beat them with your cane).