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Sheesh.
Nobody even disputes the definition of a Baby Boomer; it was the post-war baby boom that happened after World War II ended in 1945. The definition, oft-repeated and known around the world without dispute, is that Boomers were born from 1946-1964. If we allow exactly 18 years in the generation, then really it stops at the end of 1963.
Therefore, X'ers were born from 1964-1981, and turned 18 from 1982-1999. Among X'ers, I myself was born in 1966, and turn 42 in this year of 2008. Congressman Thad McCotter--already 42--could be a child of 1965 or 1966.
Millennials, or Gen Y'ers, were born from 1982-1999. And, think about this as a validity check: (Rhetorical question:) When is the 18th birthday of someone born Jan. 1, 1982? Their 18th birthday is.....(drum roll) Jan. 1, 2000 (rim shot).
See, that's a validity check. The whole idea of Millennials is that they come of age, or turn 18, AFTER 1999. By the standards above, they correctly do so. When some say "Gen X is 1980-2000," I think that more precisely, they mean that Gen X turned 18 from 1982-1999.
Now of course, my standards above are FAIR and EVENHANDED with each generation, alloting 18 years to each. Many, many times I have seen writers and 'wizards' or ersatz gurus "slaughter" the definition of Gen X or Y. For instance, just today in my Inbox, there came this notice hawking a seminar. It said,
"The Millennials, or Generation Y, born between 1976 and 2001 represent the largest generation since the Baby Boomers."
Gee, there could be a reason WHY they're "the largest generation." Could it be.....they've been alloted six years from Gen X and two years from Gen Z? By the marketing gurus who wrote that ad copy?
Grrr!!...
