W, X, Gen-Y, Z...

Were we this blase about the life around us while growing up?

As a so-called Gen-X (born between the Baby Boom & 1980) I don't understand the Gen-Y (roughly 1980-1994) amongst us. Typified by the character Jaye Tyler (Caroline Dhavernas) in the brilliant and quirky series Wonderfalls, these kids bring a new meaning to the word existentialism by adding the corollary, "I'm sorry - what does that have to do with me?" Yet and still an entire set of way to relate to them have been formulated in the workplace and in marketing to them.

Over the weekend while traveling through a small community here in Australia, I stopped at a service station for some gas. I think because it was a Sunday the counter was manned exclusively by Gen-Y'ers including a southern hemisphere edition of Jaye at the counter. Now being American, in these small towns it generally causes a stir when they hear my native accent spoken. Stepping up to our Jaye-alike, I said in my usual painfully American accent "I was at pump number 2." Without looking up from her magazine she held her hand out for my credit card, processed it, and handed it back to me without losing her place in the article.

What coolness! Would no pathos be effective? I could just see this scenario:

Jaye-alike: How ya going?
Me: Fine! I'll pay for this gas and I'll have a bucket of pigs blood to dump on someone's head at the prom tonite, thanks.
Jaye-alike: We don't sell pigs blood. Try the gas station across the street. See ya latah.

Sure you think it's far fetched, but I'll lay odds it could happen.

- Farmer Ted