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August 23, 2006
Talkin' bout my generation
I was a little perturbed at this so-called "Mindset List" that Beloit College publishes every year. I can't even tell what is going on in the heads of people who are in their early 20's, let alone people who are 18. And I sure as hell know a college professor probably doesn't have a better idea about this than I do.
The list for this year's set of incoming freshmen contains such gems as "Google as always been a verb," and "they have rarely mailed anything using a stamp." This was interesting to me, and so I was able to find the list for the class of 2002, or the people like me who regretably started college waaaaay back in 1998.
I have a bone to pick with a few of them:
5. There has only been one Pope. They can only remember one other president.
I, like everyone else born in 1980, was a Jimmy Carter baby. Seeing as I just turned 1 when Reagan was inaugurated, I don't remember much about Carter. But I remember Reagan, and then Bush Sr., and Billy Boy. So one president in 1998? Not so much!
6. They were 11 when the Soviet Union broke apart, and do not remember the Cold War.
7. They have never feared a nuclear war. "The Day After" is a pill to them—not a movie.
Oh yes I do. Sure I didn't have a Cuban Missile Crisis, but I knew all about nuclear war, and you bet I worried about it. And it's not much better when terrorists have easy access to former Soviet nuclear bombs.
8. They are too young to remember the Space Shuttle Challenger blowing up.
I, like most others, watched this happen live on TV. It suuuuucked!
10. They never had a polio shot, and likely, do not know what it is.
Yeah, isn't that something like smallpox?
13. The expression "you sound like a broken record" means nothing to them.
14. They have never owned a record player.
15. They have likely never played Pac Man, and have never heard of "Pong."
My first vinyl album? Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet. And I have many fond memories of Pac Man at Tiki Lanes.
25. They cannot fathom what it was like not having a remote control.
My dad once had this VCR where the remote was attached by a wire. Cool!
31. They have never seen Larry Bird play, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a football player
Well... I did see him on Sportscenter!
22. Most have never seen a TV set with only 13 channels, nor have they seen a black & white TV.
23. They have always had cable.
24. There have always been VCRs, but they have no idea what Beta is.
32. They never took a swim and thought about Jaws.
Good thing I had a VCR to watch it on tape! And if I wasn't home, I could always tape it off cable.
42. McDonald's never came in Styrofoam containers.
Oh man, I remember the styrofoam. I kinda like it.
Anyway, I guess my point about this list is... It's not very accurate. Or very useful, and it's probably just a way to remind you how terribly old we all are.
Posted by oz115 at August 23, 2006 06:14 PM
Comments
WE had one of those VCRs with the remote attached with a black cable. funny!
Posted by: Christy at August 23, 2006 07:18 PM
I think he meant High School class of 2002... He mentions kids going into college.
You and I are TOO OLD to even be considered in his list. So sad.
-G
Posted by: G at August 23, 2006 09:16 PM