Gen X & Layoffs

I love this, and it’s so true. I’m one of those 1978, last of the Gen-Xers and it’s bizarre even as young as I am and as young as my mom is how we fit those roles.

My Daddy didn’t get laid off until the mine he worked for closed after I was grown and married and out of the house, but back in the 80’s they came around and said everyone who was not in the union made too much money and whacked their salaries. And honestly that’s when I started to wonder why there was so much loyalty on his side to a company that would do that to people. I know he stayed for insurance, and because it still paid better than something else would have, considering he never finished his degree, but it still hit me.

(And I love that someone finally acknowledges out loud that those mix tapes I spent hour upon hour working on after school were innovative…)

Let’s not forget those Gen-Y kids (like me) who experienced the layoff of a parent at a young age. My Dad had been laid off more than once by the time I was six years old. Even though I was young, I still remember the effect it had on our family. Our house went up for sale and we spent a summer living with my grandparents to help pay the bills. Even though it all turned out ok in the end, I hoped it never happened again. Unfortunately, I’ll learn my fate next week.

WHAT HORSE-HOCKEY!! The Gen Y gen is the first generation whose parents got laid off? What kuh-RAP! How about all those people during the Great Depression? How about my own dad, who was a spy, no less, and got laid off? (I mean, who lays off a spy?) I’m a baby boomer.

And then this business about the Gen Y generation being the first to experience parents who got divorced? Uh. Hello?

This is what I hate about bs-conference speakers who are more about hee-yuck, hee-yuck than real substantive information.

Gen Y’ers, my dears…don’t believe everything you hear.

Laurie: LOVE YOUR BLOG!!! Can’t get enough of it!