Apparently some in "Gen Y" or whatever media and marketers are calling this generation want a new name. The folks at the Splinter Generation emailed to let me know they're trying out "The Splinter Generation" as a new name and are looking submissions from folks ages 15-2535 to help define their own generation themselves. Why the Splinter Generation? From their site:
1. Our generation is split into a million different cultures and subcultures, whether they are religious, musical, literary, racial, class-based or consumer-based. Our identities have become selective and insular. We have each found the little niche we think we fit in and we stay there. As a result, we stay in our little group -- or our little splinter -- and we rarely talk to each other.2. Splinter generation is a weapon-making term referring to the creation of fragments, or splinters, that form in an explosive reaction. Our generation has seen a lot of explosions.
Definitely sounds like a reaction to being "lumped together," a necessary evil when it comes to media and marketing. Still, looks like a cool project.
Posted by anastasia
Marketing
Comments
And here I thought no one would come up with a tag more hated than Millennial...
Here's what's wrong with "Splinter Generation": it's essentially an insult. There's no way to conceive of the Splinter Generation positively. At least Gen Y is somewhat neutral.
If you want to ID this generation and get this generation to self-identify as that ID, then it had better not be an insult. We're not like the Beats. We're hopeful.
Also, we're egotistical. Heck, there's already a "Greatest Generation," why stop there?
If you want to be descriptive, let's call it the Hero Generation (okay, that one's straight from the ego) or the Builder Generation. It's not like Generation names really describe everyone in them, anyways.
But I'd a hundred times rather get saddled with a generation name that sounds like we don't suck than one that sounds like we do.
My favorite one - which is fairly neutral - is the Hello Hello Generation. It makes me smile, and still allows for editorial columns about the meaning of the name.
Posted by: Kristen O | April 16, 2008 5:10 PM
Well then! Point taken.
In our defense, it's not meant as an insult but as a result of our very postmodern culture. It's also not meant as a name that's supposed to last forever. As it says on the site, it's meant as a placeholder until we find something better.
Anyway, thanks for the post! And Kristen O, you should submit something -- especially if you don't agree with us!
Oh, one small correction: we are looking for work from people who are between 15-35, not 15-25.
Posted by: Seth Fischer | April 17, 2008 1:03 PM