From Rocking the Ages by J. Walker Smith and Ann Clurman (1998, HarperCollins Publishers; ISBN 0887309003;Amazon | B&N.com)
The following table is based on the thesis that each generation’s values were determined by the events, influences and attitudes of that generation’s formative years – teen-age years to early adulthood.
| MATURES | BOOMERS | X’ERS | |
| Defining Idea | Duty | Individuality | Diversity |
| Celebrating | Victory | Youth | Savvy |
| Success because | Fought hard and won | Were born, therefore should be a winner | Have two jobs |
| Style | Team player | Self-absorbed | Entrepreneur |
| Surprises in life | Some good, some bad | All good | Avoid it – all bad |
| Reward because | You’ve earned it | You deserve it | You need it |
| Work is… | An inevitable obligation | An exciting adventure | A difficult challenge |
| Education is… | A dream | A birthright | A way to get there |
| Managing money | Save | Spend | Hedge |
| Future | Rainy day to work for | “Now” is more important | Uncertain but manageable |
| “Program” means… | Social programs | Cult deprogramers | Software |
| Brands | Converse | Adidas | Nike |
| Wayfarer | Vuarnet | Oakley | |
| Memories | Marx Brothers | Smothers Brothers | Menendez Brothers |
| Hobo | Hitchhiker | Homeless | |
| Mom, Dad Grandma, Grandpa | Mom and Dad | Mom or Dad | |
| Flattops | HAIR | Skinheads | |
| The Golden Rule | Do bees and don’t bees | Just say no | |
| Bathtub gin | Acid | Crack | |
| “Are you now or have you ever been…” | “What’s your sign?” | “Boxers or briefs?” | |
| Frank Sinatra | The Beatles | R.E.M. | |
| Orange Juice | The Juice runs | The Juice walks | |
| Pam Am Clipper Fleet | Pan Am Shuttle | Lockerbie | |
| Go watch | The Best Years of Our Lives | The Big Chill | Reality Bites |
| The “In” Crowd | Rat Pack | “Leader of the Pack” | The Brat Pack |
| Nightclubs | Rock clubs | Rave clubs | |
| Hep | Groovy | Edgy | |
| Kansas City | San Francisco | Seattle | |
| Jazz | Rock ‘n’ Roll | Alternate (Rap) | |
| Home Stuff | Timex | Casio | Swatch |
| Milk and cookies | Milk and Oreos | Milk and SnackWells | |
| Chevrolet | Toyota | Saturn | |
| Life | USA Today | Wired | |
| Sex on your honeymoon | Sex in the backseat | Sex on the Internet | |
| Media | Peyton Place | Dallas | Melrose Place |
| This Is Your Life | Candid Camera | America’s Funniest Home Videos | |
| War of the Worlds | Close Encounters | Independence Day | |
| Technology | Slide rules | Calculators | Spreadsheets |
| Rotary phones | Touch-Tone phones | Cell phones | |
| Mimeographing | Photocopying | Desktop Publishing | |
| Outer Space | Inner Space | Cyberspace | |
| IBM | Apple | Netscape | |
| Party Lines | Conference calls | Chat rooms | |
| Media icons | Walter Winchell | Casey Kasem | Howard Stern |
| Edward R. Murrow | Walter Cronkite | CNN | |
| Joe DiMaggio | Joe Namath | Michael Jordan | |
| Hitchcock | De Palma | Tarantino | |
| The Velvet Fog | Elvis | Madonna | |
| Steve Allen | Johnny Carson | Leno (vs. Letterman) | |
| John Huston | Robert Altman | Oliver Stone | |
| MGM Lion | NBC peacock | Fox | |
| Varga Girls | Charlie’s Angels | Baywatch | |
| King Kong | Jaws | Jurassic Park |