Produced by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Generation
X is the name given by the media to young adults in their twenties who unlike
the previous generation face a difficult and uncertain economic future. They
are young, poor, stressed out and juggling part -time jobs. As Washington historian
and economist Neil Howe says, it is a generation marked by family dysfunction,
a high suicide rate and a chaotic and nomadic lifestyle.
This film profiles several members of this group, including twenty-five- year-old Jennifer Adcock. She has an honors B.A. and is currently working on her master's degree, but has been unable to find employment in her field of study. She lives in a one-room basement apartment and works double shifts as a waitress. Most college graduates of her parents' generation expected to have a house, a car and career opportunities, but she and her peers do not.
This is a sobering look at a generation that will soon be taking over the reigns of power and despite their grim economic predicament, are trying to build a future they can feel good about. This is an important film to show students to prepare them for the challenges ahead.
22 min. Video or DVD. Sale $250. Video rental $55
"Prompts interesting theoretical discussions on how societal-level phenomena have an impact on a generation of people, and on the social constructure of cultural generalizations." Teaching Sociology
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