Generation Gasp

Recently, I went for a 2 day course at IPAM. Something to do with working with different generations. In a nutshell, here's what I learned:

Attributes of the 4 working generations.
Early Baby Boomers (post war generation)
Late Baby Boomers (born in the 50s)
Generation X (1965 - 1980)
Generation Y (1981 - 1999).

3/4 of the class belonged to the Late Boomers. There were 8 Gen Xs and no Gen Y. We spitefully said that all the Gen Ys are in Division 1 bossing us around.

The attributes for Gen X ..hehe..my generation. Known also as the slacker generation - so that's why during my school days, the phrase "Apa mau blajar....rillllekkkkk suaa" is all too common. Everything was so laid back. Relax was the order of the day. That's why I always procrastinate when it comes to math homework and rather spend an entire Sunday afternoon painstakingly copying the Guns N Roses logo on mahjong paper to paste on my school file. Hah...that is what I call chill.

When it comes to work, we are quite techno savvy. We learn the basic mechanics of new softwares fast because we were introduced to computers at a young age although not many of us own one at home. But at least when we first started working, we didn't expect the keyboard to produce musical notes.

Here's another interesting thing I learn. The early and late baby bloomers are hardworking workers who like to follow rules. That's why my parents listen to the 'gahmen' when they say stop at two. In the early 80s when 'gahmen' say "Have more if you can afford it", they decided to produce two more. My family make quite an interesting case study because there is one early baby boom (Dad), early boom (Mom), two Gen Xs and two Gen Ys.

The Baby boomers are known as such because after the war, there was an increase in birth rate. Either birth control was an unpopular choice or there was nothing interesting on HBO.

All the Gen X have moved on in life and entered the work force while the boomers are slowly retiring. But then again, the main bulk of the course is based on American lifestyle. If you apply it to local context perhaps only 98% is accurate. But it's quite interesting to analyse these. Afterall the main aim is for us to work among cross generations and understand each other. Yeah. All those Gen Y bosses should attend too and not make our lives more miserable than it already is.