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- felman87, on 05/17/2009, -4/+193It's about time I got praised for all those years of doing nothing.
- Pyehole, on 05/17/2009, -3/+170I knew that I had a cunning plan all these years, I'm glad I now have a justification for being a 38 year old unemployed bachelor.
Hopefully Mom buys this argument... - inactive, on 05/17/2009, -2/+157The generation before the slacker generation doesn't realize they were busy consolidating their grip on the world. Slackers entered that consolidated world and realized they had to compete with one hand tied behind their back - so they said, thank you very much and opted out. It's simply as that - human beings seek the road of sensible strategies. Some call that the road of least resistance but I don't. Any human being under the same conditions would.
There isn't "a generation of slackers". There is a generation of people coping with the cards they are dealt. - Rell812, on 05/17/2009, -11/+121Slacker living conditions are by far the way to go. Only problem is that the generic slacker doesn't contribute to the world. I can't wait for a generation of laid back engineers and scientists. Because there's literally nothing wrong with buying a used car (much more environmentally friendly than buying a new car, even an electric or hybrid) and absolutely nothing wrong with having a one story house with one or two bathrooms. Once people stop living in extravagance will we truly progress. And people who live in these kind of disorganized, cozy environments are often brimming with creativity and problem solving skills.
- Eorster, on 05/17/2009, -6/+107Work smarter, not harder? Being content with what you have? Enjoying life and respecting its balances? WTF? And here all along I thought if I didn't have a home with a mortgage, and if that home didn't have 2.5 bathrooms and 3 bedrooms on two floors with the greenest lawn (no weeds and as green as Mr. Jones next door), I failed in life. LOL.
- benologist, on 05/17/2009, -1/+94.......... and pizza for dinner?
- Janinco, on 05/17/2009, -3/+88FTA "We jumped from job to job. Put off marriage. Never bought a place. And we never heard the end of it. We were drifters, they said. Layabouts. No respect for work and real estate or the value of a good pair of cufflinks."
I can't wait to send this article to my brother. Describes him perfectly! - robinthehood, on 05/17/2009, -2/+68excuse me?!?! The GenX/GenY people I know are just as guilty of being overconsuming. The problem, despite what people may want us to believe, is not a generational one. It's a societal problem, and no offense, but aside from pretending to care about the planet now society hasn't really changed since the 1980's. We're still a bunch of overconsuming asshats (on a whole, there are some good ones).
- franklyamicable, on 05/17/2009, -0/+55As much as I like his perspective, slackers are a small sub-category of Xer's. According to American Housing Surveys, we make up 59% of the mortgage foreclosures in the US. Sorry to be the Debbie-downer.
- cawpin, on 05/17/2009, -6/+57From the description: "We lived a smaller life, a life we could afford."
My ***** ass. It unnerves me to no end how stupid most of the people in my generation are with their money. - mysticalone, on 05/17/2009, -3/+54Well, go on, walk upstairs out the basement and into the kitchen and explain it to her.
- bookelly, on 05/17/2009, -0/+48Humans are actually quite adaptable. Regardless of what the future holds for America, a downsized living doesn't necessarily mean an unhappy one.
- protodon, on 05/17/2009, -6/+47I thought the GenXers were the ones with all the new families buying the cookie cutter houses and the SUV/Crossovers because that's what everyone else does in their age group and then being shocked when they can't afford it all. If it isn't them, who is it then? Baby boomers are pretty much established. Gen Yers are still drifting.
- twomeyw23334, on 05/17/2009, -3/+43GenXers are also supposed to have an over-inflated self image, which could explain the article and many of the responses.
- Canadian0207, on 05/17/2009, -14/+53too lazy. didn't read article. cliffnotes?
- jer2eydevil88, on 05/17/2009, -5/+44You know what. I refuse to accept that progress cannot be environmentally friendly!
Homes need to be built in a more environmentally aware way but they don't necessarily have to be built smaller. A perfect example of waste is Pheonix Arizona where almost all new homes are built solely with a gas heater in the garage. This is a desert and yet we waste fossil fuels on heating their water?
A home built with materials that absorb heat and homes built to allow less direct sunlight into the home in the south will mean less energy spent to cool them. As for homes up north we need more efficient Windows/Insulation and tax incentives to make every homeowner/company interested in making changes.
The problem is that people are convinced bigger homes mean burning more fossil fuel's, we are also told that this means an unsustainable future given the carbon emissions they put out. What we need is a viable green alternative for every energy hog in this country. It starts with Nuclear power plants that can use thermolysis and electrolysis to generate Hydrogen for our mobile power needs.
I am not some sort of expert on this subject but I have read extensively on these issues and I know we can fix this by good old American elbow grease. Call your congressman/women and tell them you want your state giving incentives for alternative energy companies to move in.
We need Nuclear. We need Hydrogen. With a combination of the two we have a completely carbon byproduct free future for ourselves. - demiz23, on 05/17/2009, -1/+38like I always say, "I'm not lazy, just efficient."
- moxley, on 05/17/2009, -3/+34Wow....nice...That is entirely too insightful for a Digg post...I thought I was on Slashdot for a minute.
- somnus, on 05/17/2009, -1/+30I wish I could explain how much I agree with you and why*. Dugg.
*Drunk. - dmm219, on 05/17/2009, -3/+31I'm GenX. And just about EVERY genXer I know, giddily bought a house back in 2002-2005...I didn't. It wasn't because I'm an lazy Xer, it was because I had a brain. Every generation has is fair share of idiots...and we have ours. Like this author, who obviously has no data of evidence to back up his view. I guess he was just being lazy...
- SamSks, on 05/17/2009, -1/+27"All that job-hopping and freelancing? We were dilettantes, on some level, it's true. But we also understood, before most, that something had shifted - that we were moving to an economy of telecommuters and independent contractors and less-than-loyal employers."
I did that and it's really hurting me because I'm known as a "job hopper".
Why did I do that?
Because I was sick of the whole "career" BS. Growing up I saw my Dad work his ass off only to be laid-off when his employer had the slightest downturn in business.
Not for me! Loyalty works both ways.
Of course now, bust your ass and be "loyal" and your job will just go overseas.
To quote a manager I knew, "Why should I hire an American when I can get an Indian who's twice as smart and costs half as much!"
You can't be average or even above average anymore. We're competing with the World and there are a LOT of people out there. There's absolutely no career that's safe. even law and medical is being sent overseas. Or just look up "Medical Vacations". Go to India, have an American educated Indian Doctor work on you, then hand out on the beach to recoup - all for a third of the price of an American Hospital and Doctor. And the Insurance company PAYS FOR IT! Win/Win - except for the doctors. They're will be more! - IndyDoug, on 05/17/2009, -0/+24Nice article. Now excuse me while I fire up this joint and get high.
- Kyan, on 05/17/2009, -1/+24Yep, I live in a small, stone house (75 m2), with solar panels and a small garden and some chickens (yummy chickens). We are quite happy with this set-up.
- B1665r, on 05/17/2009, -3/+24By comparing it to Boomer and GenY negative accomplishment! Sweet! We win!
- twomeyw23334, on 05/17/2009, -1/+20Everybody is different, and I'm sure some don't understand your idea of a cool lifestyle. My idea of cool is living in the sticks where I can't see any of my neighbors. I lived in the city, shared a car with my wife, lived in a small apartment, etc., and hated it.
- doctressjulia, on 05/17/2009, -0/+1833 years old, never married, no kids, living with 2 of my good friends in a cheap 3 bedroom flat (with a yard, even!)... woo hoo! Glad I'm doing something right...
- Jlaugh, on 05/17/2009, -0/+18My Aunt bought a house when I was a kid for 24k, it's now worth 750k. Adjusted for inflation my buying power is much less hers was in the 70's. Also when the boomers start retiring the housing market will nosedive, so why throw good money into a bubble.
Same thing with college the previous generation came out of school with hardly any debt while our generation is hamstrung. When I was laid off in 2000 my student loan payment was as much as my food and rent bill. - xav8r, on 05/17/2009, -0/+17If Dilbert says it's true, then it is ....
http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2009-05-04/ - DarkStar3333, on 05/17/2009, -4/+21Because no prior generation has ever been stupid with there money?
Just because there was no tangible asset left over doesn't mean it was a bad investment because if you aren't enjoying your life why are you living it?
Buying artificially inflated property(s) with money you don't have should be the definition of being stupid with money. - hfactor, on 05/17/2009, -2/+19My father is a senior physician - he and my mom live in a rented inner-city apartment, nicely furnished and within walking distance of groceries, theaters, restaurants. They share a small (used) car, perfect for the city - for larger distances they take the train or fly. (Plus he finances my car, because I'm a spoiled student.) And they wouldn't want it any other way. What's the use of a huge house just to make vacuuming and cleaning it a full-time job? What's the use of moving to suburbia just because of the huge house and then needing several cars? I don't get some people's idea of a cool lifestyle.
- blacklilyninja, on 05/17/2009, -2/+18lol that doesn't make you a Gen-x'er. That just makes you an *****.
- RooC10, on 05/17/2009, -0/+16It's obvious that you've never seen a crappy apartment anywhere near NYC.
Bad is bad anywhere you go. - randall814, on 05/17/2009, -2/+17I'm so sick of the generic, cookie cutter, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" baby boomer types. Just ***** die off already.
Guess what. It's ***** broken now, isn't it? - garlicdeath, on 05/17/2009, -2/+17For years America has always been "bigger is better" and we've gotten so accustomed to that. Down sizing our living does not mean a lesser quality of life. If anything, it would do us damn good.
- Bloodwine, on 05/17/2009, -1/+16I think the slacker label for Gen X is a bit overblown.
Truth be told, the U.S. peaked with Gen X. Unfortunately, Gen Y has gotten the short end of the stick with them being subjected to a joke of an education system (taught the test, not the material), pampered and sheltered by their parents so they aren't taught how to deal with failure or how to truly compete, and so forth. There are bright Gen Y'ers just like in any other generation, but the Gen Y generation as a whole has gotten the shaft.
Education and personal wealth peaked with Gen X. For the foreseeable future, each generation will be less educated and make less money. One day we'll swing back to the right path, though, where future generations outshine us again. - Jerryrad, on 05/17/2009, -14/+29No to be too brash here; but this is typical GenX asshattery. Be a slacker, and then try to take credit for something that you had nothing to do with. Maybe if all us GenXers worked harder and weren't "simple" (a.k.a. lazy slackers) the economy wouldn't be failing. There's a big difference between being financially smart and being lazy.
- Synn, on 05/17/2009, -0/+13Apparently some people missed the joke.
- skellener, on 05/17/2009, -1/+14I don't agree with every last item in the article, the I do with the spirit of it. I did buy a condo, but it wasn't expensive at all. I pay less with a mortgage per month than most people I know pay in car payments. It's called living within your means. That's a slacker skill everyone should practice.
- inactive, on 05/17/2009, -8/+20It wouldn't make any difference how hard we work. The employer would just get richer. I was told by HR once that my "contribution", in return for a $50,000/year salary (ridiculous, with 4 hr. commute) must be at minimum, $200,000 profit for the company. So why kill myself working?
- memper, on 05/17/2009, -3/+15Oh yeah, none of the people flipping houses at ridiculous market over-valuations weren't genXers playing with family inheritances. And a large number of bad mortgage holders aren't genXers.
Tell me another fairy tale. On the one hand they'll say poor us, and on the other they blame the hand that helps them. Whatever lets them sleep at night I suppose. - hfactor, on 05/17/2009, -2/+14My point wasn't so much city vs. country, my point was living a fulfilling life vs. accumulating gigantic piles of crap that ends up owning you.
- inactive, on 05/17/2009, -2/+13Gen X really created two different groups, the yuppies and the slackers. You're thinking of the yuppies.
- Mithradates, on 05/17/2009, -6/+17Definitely. On the other hand, you could probably make the argument that they contribute more of a steady growth to the economy since they're not vulnerable to market conditions like real estate crashes. At the same time I expect the second-hand car a slacker would most like to buy would be something tiny like a Civic since it's also annoying to have to fill up the tank all the time, so that also strengthens the country a bit in making it less vulnerable to energy price fluctuations.
- robinthehood, on 05/17/2009, -0/+11In my subdivision of Toronto (Richmond Hill), everyone on my crescent has at least 3 cars. My neighbour has 5 (FIVE!!!). Jesus Christ. My wife and I share one and we get on fine with that. When I was growing up my parents had 2 cars that my sister and I eventually shared with them.
Yes, I know you need to take into account of the amount of people in the family, and the conditions may allow for all those cars, but does someone want to tell me that the average family needs 3 cars? That's *****. - rjey, on 05/17/2009, -1/+12Think about what? What is the point of your post? We have it better in the US? Move here then.
- lexpattison, on 05/17/2009, -0/+11Eventually even a blind squirrel finds a nut.
- Pyehole, on 05/17/2009, -0/+11<shrugs> by choice in both cases. And no, I don't live with my parents. I make good money when I do work and have deliberately avoided entanglements that tie me down somewhere like a mortgage.
- Kyan, on 05/17/2009, -0/+11Well, chicken is not all we eat. We get most everything else from a farmer's market a 20 bike ride away.
Robin - don't wait to do it. It's a great life. We built small, but very good quality, hardwood floors, woodburning stove we can cook on - not for some end-of-the-world-on-noes!!!- but because I love stove top cooking. Floor to ceiling bookshelf in the "sitting/living room", which has a great nook for my workstation that is completely not intrusive. Upstairs is the bedroom with a huge bath...
I said 75 m2, but really downstairs is another 30 m2, unfinished basement. We plan to split it in half and make it the "party" floor. Quiet, we're-finished-with-the-20-something-parties type we can invite friends over for card games and movies and stuff. Half will be a small home cinema room and half will be a bar and pool table and some other things if we can fit them in like air hockey and maybe an updated video arcade game tower or something.
Beware, the realtors will tell you not to build anything like it, because it "will have no resale value". Well, I don't know what your opinion of realtors is these days, but we went with quality of OUR life. And we're loving it. - o76923, on 05/17/2009, -0/+11So, the article tells us that because gen Xers were lazy and have nothing, they didn't lose anything in the market crash? I bet your average starving African didn't loose too much in the market either, dumbass.
- rjey, on 05/17/2009, -1/+11Bzz, try again.
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