What on earth shall we name the first and second waves of the Millennial Generation? Sure, this is hard to decide since we're not even sure yet whether the 4T has begun and the Millies have ceased to be born. And many, like me, could end up in the first or second wave depending on the eventual boundaries. But it's still a good question to start pondering.

We know Boomers are divided among Woodstock wavers and Disco wavers. The Woodstock wave, of course, is known to identify more with the "'60s experience", and the Disco wave more with the '70s and even early '80s. Woodstock wavers have an overwhelmingly liberal (even far-left) reputation as bra-burners, Vietnam protesters, and Black Panthers, though this is not wholly accurate (for every Angela Davis there were at least two George Bushes), while Disco wavers have a more split, even conservative-leaning, reputation, due to their dissatisfaction with politicians in general (coming of age with Watergate, then the Carter Malaise).

Xers are of course the Atari wavers and Nintendo wavers. This is rather odd terminology, but from what I can tell Atari wavers remember (usually, though not always, with fondness) the '80s while Nintendo wavers think of their youth in the '90s. Essentially, Atari teen years were The Breakfast Club; Nintendo had Clueless.

But what of us Millies? Are we to be identified by our music (like Boomers), our video games (like Xers), or something else entirely? I'm already seeing clear distinctions between older Millies who were coming of age as the millennium changed, and younger who were still very impressionable when 9/11 hit. I'm caught somewhere in between, possibly closer to the young side, but my story (and I suspect this is true of most of my peers) really hasn't been written yet. Still, if our generation had a name when the oldest of us were 9 years old, certainly we should have waves as the oldest of us pass 25.

Originally Posted by 1990

What on earth shall we name the first and second waves of the Millennial Generation? Sure, this is hard to decide since we're not even sure yet whether the 4T has begun and the Millies have ceased to be born. And many, like me, could end up in the first or second wave depending on the eventual boundaries. But it's still a good question to start pondering.

We know Boomers are divided among Woodstock wavers and Disco wavers. The Woodstock wave, of course, is known to identify more with the "'60s experience", and the Disco wave more with the '70s and even early '80s. Woodstock wavers have an overwhelmingly liberal (even far-left) reputation as bra-burners, Vietnam protesters, and Black Panthers, though this is not wholly accurate (for every Angela Davis there were at least two George Bushes), while Disco wavers have a more split, even conservative-leaning, reputation, due to their dissatisfaction with politicians in general (coming of age with Watergate, then the Carter Malaise).

Xers are of course the Atari wavers and Nintendo wavers. This is rather odd terminology, but from what I can tell Atari wavers remember (usually, though not always, with fondness) the '80s while Nintendo wavers think of their youth in the '90s. Essentially, Atari teen years were The Breakfast Club; Nintendo had Clueless.

But what of us Millies? Are we to be identified by our music (like Boomers), our video games (like Xers), or something else entirely? I'm already seeing clear distinctions between older Millies who were coming of age as the millennium changed, and younger who were still very impressionable when 9/11 hit. I'm caught somewhere in between, possibly closer to the young side, but my story (and I suspect this is true of most of my peers) really hasn't been written yet. Still, if our generation had a name when the oldest of us were 9 years old, certainly we should have waves as the oldest of us pass 25.

I happen to like "Aquarius" wave better than "Woodstock". Woodstock was an watershed moment, but New Age was a cultural phenomenon that became a way of life in its own right. The release of of "Age of Aquarius/Let the Sunshine" was the quintessential experience for millions of first-wavers like my mom (b. 1949) who reamins a 5th-Dimension fan to this day

I agree with you, using video games to define generational waves is not very substantive terminology. While it is certainly catchy and creative (for lack of a better title thereof) it doesn't do much to describe a generation's coming-of-age experience, which encompasses so much more than childhood cartoons or toys. I believe Strauss and Howe were, more or less, inclined to use the "Atari/Nintendo" monikers, because Generation X was just beginning to emerge during the time of their "13th Generation" release in 1991. This is why I am not inclined to refer to Millenials as "Pokemon" wavers, "American Idol" wavers, "Spongebob" wavers, "Rugrats" wavers. These titles are merely allusions to cultural trends that may have been popular during our youth, but ultimately bear little significance to the magnitude of our coming-of-age passage. And the first tremors of this passage have only just begun to take shape (Blowjob-gate, The Presidential Campaign crisis of 2000, the 9/11 attacks, the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, ad nusuem political scandals of the Bush administration, Hurricane Katrina, The VA Tech shootings, etc). Keep in mind, we are only on the cusp of the 4T, so we have yet to see what's in store for us ahead. Once the nature of the upcoming crisis reveals itself, only then can we consider a definitive name that suits this generation. What this title will be is anyone's guess. The "Millenial" and "Gen Y" labels may even be out of fashion for all we know. After all, S&H stuck with the "13th Generation" name for years, but did not apply the "Gen X" moniker until the mass media and popular opinion embraced it years later.

On that note, it is clear that first-wavers are setting the tone for those that will follow them. S&H were absoluetly right in saying that our generation will be one of trends. The Harry Potter series, with its stoic themes of love, team work, and courage have never been more popular; the surprising sucess of the "High School" musical has reaffirmed our taste for polished and lighthearted entertainment; The Sudanese genocide and Global Warming has become a priority for government at all levels, in part because of youth activism; the rise of Superhero films and series (X-Men, Spiderman, Heroes) is a indicator of this generation's craving for a heroic carthasis; Net-roots organizing is of growing importance for campaigns; social networks (from Facebook to Youtube) have become staples of an increasingly conformist and harmonized youth culture; and even the lage voter turnout for American Idol, as trivial as it may be, suggest that today's youth harbor strong civic instincts that are just beginning to be witnessed in the political arena. As the last-wavers come-of-age, who knows what they'll do to solidify these trends.

1990, I agree with your assement on 9/11's impact. The divisiveness and partisan rancor that it spurred is gonna have a lasting-impression on first-wavers who witnessed the attacks and its aftermath. I'd even say that the "Bush years" are going to be remembered as the defining hallmark of this turning (assuming that we are still in the latter-days of the Culture Wars) Whatever title becomes suitable, I think it has to relate to our generational endowments. For Boomers, it came down to inner-driven spirituality and euphoria (Age of Aquarius, Woodstock, Disco), but for us, it essentially comes down to our focus on outer-convention, technology, and wordly events - whether you want to call it the "9/11 generation", "Myspacers", or "Bush-babies".

Another distinction to make between first/last-wave Millenials is that first-wavers grew up on memorable childhood films of the likes of Lion King, Beauty & the Beast, Aladin, Pocahauntus, The Little Mermaid, etc. thanks largely to a resurgent Disney Studios. Today, last-wavers enjoy of computer-animated works that include Shrek, Finding Nemo, Ice Age, The Incredibles. But again, I wouldn't be too happy being known as "Toy Story" wavers How lame is that?

I'ts probably too early to pick wave names, since Gens have to come of age to find a moniker that expresses their coming-of-age experience (like "Disco" for my gen). I know my daughter, a later-wave Millie born in 1994 cohort, won't come of age until the next decade and who knows what will be going on then.

Originally Posted by Millennial_90'

On that note, it is clear that first-wavers are setting the tone for those that will follow them. S&H were absoluetly right in saying that our generation will be one of trends. The Harry Potter series, with its stoic themes of love, team work, and courage have never been more popular; the surprising sucess of the "High School" musical has reaffirmed our taste for polished and lighthearted entertainment; The Sudanese genocide and Global Warming has become a priority for government at all levels, in part because of youth activism; the rise of Superhero films and series (X-Men, Spiderman, Heroes) is a indicator of this generation's craving for a heroic carthasis; Net-roots organizing is of growing importance for campaigns; social networks (from Facebook to Youtube) have become staples of an increasingly conformist and harmonized youth culture; and even the lage voter turnout for American Idol, as trivial as it may be, suggest that today's youth harbor strong civic instincts that are just beginning to be witnessed in the political arena. As the last-wavers come-of-age, who knows what they'll do to solidify these trends.

I totally agree that our youth personality is beginning to show, through a VERY conformist youth culture. Arguably there were already signs of our conformity with the rush for Tickle Me Elmo in 1996, or at the very latest, the dawning of the Harry Potter phenomenon circa 1998. Now it shows up in our nearly unanimous agreement on what's cool: YouTube, Facebook, MySpace (okay, not cool anymore, but it was), the I-Pod, etc.

Originally Posted by Millennial_90'

1990, I agree with your assement on 9/11's impact. The divisiveness and partisan rancor that it spurred is gonna have a lasting-impression on first-wavers who witnessed the attacks and its aftermath. I'd even say that the "Bush years" are going to be remembered as the defining hallmark of this turning (assuming that we are still in the latter-days of the Culture Wars) Whatever title becomes suitable, I think it has to relate to our generational endowments. For Boomers, it came down to inner-driven spirituality and euphoria (Age of Aquarius, Woodstock, Disco), but for us, it essentially comes down to our focus on outer-convention, technology, and wordly events - whether you want to call it the "9/11 generation", "Myspacers", or "Bush-babies".

We'd better not be the "9/11 generation" or "Bush babies"!

Originally Posted by Millennial_90'

Another distinction to make between first/last-wave Millenials is that first-wavers grew up on memorable childhood films of the likes of Lion King, Beauty & the Beast, Aladin, Pocahauntus, The Little Mermaid, etc. thanks largely to a resurgent Disney Studios. Today, last-wavers enjoy of computer-animated works that include Shrek, Finding Nemo, Ice Age, The Incredibles. But again, I wouldn't be too happy being known as "Toy Story" wavers How lame is that?

Our childhood films were sooo much cooler.

Perhaps we should think back to the G.I.'s.

I'll say its too early. I guess I'd be first-wave, but I think the defining moment(s) are yet to come.

Originally Posted by 1990

But what of us Millies? Are we to be identified by our music (like Boomers), our video games (like Xers), or something else entirely? I'm already seeing clear distinctions between older Millies who were coming of age as the millennium changed, and younger who were still very impressionable when 9/11 hit. I'm caught somewhere in between, possibly closer to the young side, but my story (and I suspect this is true of most of my peers) really hasn't been written yet. Still, if our generation had a name when the oldest of us were 9 years old, certainly we should have waves as the oldest of us pass 25.

Oh how juicy.

First wave : Chernobyl babies (1986)
Second wave: Bubble Babies (dot-bomb/housing) bubbles.

Originally Posted by Ragnarök_62

First wave : Chernobyl babies (1986)

Good God, Rag; are you nuts?

IMO it's too early to label our waves now, but I'm guessing they will have to do something with how we use the Internet during the 4T. The only really good name for us older Millies I could think of, the Netroots Wave, is too politically loaded.

Originally Posted by Odin

Good God, Rag; are you nuts?

IMO it's too early to label our waves now, but I'm guessing they will have to do something with how we use the Internet during the 4T. The only really good name for us older Millies I could think of, the Netroots Wave, is too politically loaded.

No I'm not nuts. Chernobyl / 1986 has a lot in common with 1962. When I was cleaning up to get my furniture refinished I found an old 1962 Life magazine which had an article on page 44. "(atmospheric nuclear ) Bomb tests: this job must be done. It started out with "Reluctantly--forced by the bleak hostility of Russian negotiators and the competitive pressure of Russian tests -- the US 5 days ago fired nuclear bombs into the atmosphere over the Pacific..." This was in April, 1962. Of course the big event was the missile crisis in October. Sorry Odin, but we're both babies of years of fallout.

Interesting magazine. The main article was "Out of this world fair in Seattle".

On the very back is an add for Salem ciggies.

Originally Posted by Ragnarök_62

No I'm not nuts. Chernobyl / 1986 has a lot in common with 1962. When I was cleaning up to get my furniture refinished I found an old 1962 Life magazine which had an article on page 44. "(atmospheric nuclear ) Bomb tests: this job must be done. It started out with "Reluctantly--forced by the bleak hostility of Russian negotiators and the competitive pressure of Russian tests -- the US 5 days ago fired nuclear bombs into the atmosphere over the Pacific..." This was in April, 1962. Of course the big event was the missile crisis in October. Sorry Odin, but we're both babies of years of fallout.

I was born only 2 days after the Chernobyl disaster and 8 weeks before my due date. My mom was totally freaked out and thought that the radiation from the disaster was what caused my premature birth (yeah, like her smoking didn't have anything to do with it...)

I still can't convince her to support nuclear energy...

Originally Posted by Odin

I was born only 2 days after the Chernobyl disaster and 8 weeks before my due date. My mom was totally freaked out and thought that the radiation from the disaster was what caused my premature birth (yeah, like her smoking didn't have anything to do with it...)

I still can't convince her to support nuclear energy...

I have just the thing for her

NB. It's not to make her quit, but since she's already "enjoying radiation", then what's the problem with it as an energy source ? I know about the Po-210 thing so I just let my ciggies age in the freezer for a few half lives. Believe it or not, I have 2 year old cartons. Those are the ones I smoke and replace as needed. In any event , since 1962 was the max atmospheric test year and I have radioactive rocks in my rock collection, it's just part of life. I wonder if she knows about the radium that oil and coal power plants spew out ? In 5 years I can grow my organic Po-210 free tobacco on the pecan orchard. We don't use the source of Po-210, artificial fertilizer.

I'd vote for calling the 1st wavers the "Baby On Board-ers", cuz that's how I "place" them in my mind. LOL.

Jury is out on what I think the 2nd wavers should be called, though.

Bria

Those signs still exist it seems. Saw one of the "Baby on Board" things on my morning commute.

yeah, i know. i saw one yesterday.

Originally Posted by Bria67Xer

yeah, i know. i saw one yesterday.

And the sad face is for?

Originally Posted by Bria67Xer

Jury is out on what I think the 2nd wavers should be called, though.

Bria

Anime wavers.

Originally Posted by Silifi

Anime wavers.

I don't know. We were rather heavily into anime, and so were many last wave Xers. The first wavers may be the Cabbage Patch Wave, while the second wave is the Tickle Me Elmo Wave.

Just to test this out if you are a Millie, tell me your birth year and whether you remember the Cabbage Patch dolls. I'll begin.

I was born in 1982, and I remember the Cabbage Patch Dolls.

Originally Posted by Silifi

Anime wavers.

I don't know. We were rather heavily into anime, and so were many last wave Xers. The first wavers may be the Cabbage Patch Wave (CP Wave), while the second wave is the Tickle Me Elmo Wave (TME Wave).

Just to test this out if you are a Millie, tell me your birth year and whether you remember the Cabbage Patch dolls. I'll begin.

I was born in 1982, and I remember the Cabbage Patch Dolls.

Most of the 2nd wavers I knew at school seemed to do whatever the school told them to do. They all seemed to be preps or emos, they'll probably be how people from my generation will be remembered for being like.

I think the Clinton sex scandel should be a defining event for the Millienials. No joke.

Originally Posted by Dave 89

Most of the 2nd wavers I knew at school seemed to do whatever the school told them to do. They all seemed to be preps or emos, they'll probably be how people from my generation will be remembered for being like.

Emos aren't real Millies, though. Preps reflect us somewhat better. An emo is a fad.

Originally Posted by Mr. Reed

I don't know. We were rather heavily into anime, and so were many last wave Xers. The first wavers may be the Cabbage Patch Wave (CP Wave), while the second wave is the Tickle Me Elmo Wave (TME Wave).

Just to test this out if you are a Millie, tell me your birth year and whether you remember the Cabbage Patch dolls. I'll begin.

I was born in 1982, and I remember the Cabbage Patch Dolls.

I was born in 1989, and I faintly remember Cabbage Patch kids.

sean: How are they not real millies? They make up a significant portion of the population and were born after 1982. I'd say that makes them millies.

Originally Posted by sean '90

Emos aren't real Millies, though. Preps reflect us somewhat better. An emo is a fad.

I disagree. Every generation has its gothy pretentious faux-suicidal clique which pretends not to be part of its generational identity. Emos are the latest incarnation.

Originally Posted by 1990

I disagree. Every generation has its gothy pretentious faux-suicidal clique which pretends not to be part of its generational identity. Emos are the latest incarnation.

So who were the emos equivalents' within the Republican Generation?

The Macaronis.

Sean90 -
You ask why the sad face for still seeing 'baby on board' stickers on cars? All I can say is that if you were a Gen Xer, it would make sense.

Bria
P.S. Anyone remember the Garbage Pail Kids? A take-off of Cabbage Patch Kids.