By: Jeannie E. Javelosa
First there was Gen-X. Then Gen Y. Now, dare I propose Gen G? After a quick scan through the internet and wikepidea, I found a ton of materials about Gen-X and Y in studies made by marketing groups, psychologists, economists and trend watchers and readers. The popular names of Gen-X and Gen-Y stemmed from studying generations born in specific periods defined by specific tastes, lifestyles and core beliefs. In a nutshell, Gen-Xers were identified as linked to the US presidencies of Reagan and Bush, Sr. Gen X (also often referred to as the MTV generation) witnessed the end of the cold war and saw the fall of the Berlin wall. This generation saw the inception of the home computer and later the internet, as a tool for economic purposes. This was the group who rode through the Dot.coms, MTV and hip-hop. With the proliferation of technology, they use the internet, beepers and cell phones as social lifelines. They are technology savvy, independent, resourceful and strive for uniqueness. Gen Y on the other hand, push the use of technology even more as voracious consumers of electronic media. They use rapid fire communication via the Internet and other peer-to-peer media to build a newly inclusive "one" from their wildly diverse origins. Gen Y-ers are also called the Millenials or the e-generation, individuals born between 1976 and 2003. Studies project that they will spend one third of their life online. When asked what their top life goals are, the answer is clear and resounding: To be rich and famous.While X-ers are ultra-individualist, Millennials are group-oriented. They are less interested in an "army of one" and more interested in the "watch me become we" alternative. And this is distinguished by the things or “stuff” they own. They pursue this identity only one way: by climb up the ladder of financial status to define who they are. So how’s that for the ultimate materialist embrace of a generation?
And while the predominant generation group seems to be all running the rat race to indulge themselves in the lifestyle of the financially wealthy, I see another trend arising. And so, my proposition of the Gen G-ers.
It actually started when my partners at ECHOstore and myself were trying to identify who our market was for the sustainable lifestyle. Actually, it wasn’t really about marketing that had us talking, but more of trying to build a community of people who share the same principles of wanting to nurture and sustain the self, community and planet. We define this sustainable community as people who are environmentally conscious, love Mother Earth, want to stay “clean” inside and outside, and chose to live more consciously due to the many problems that the materialistic lifestyle was bringing. They want to live GREEN (recycle, re-use, plant and eat organic, try to cut down their carbon footprints, look to renewable energy resources) and live GOOD (they want to help the poor, uplift marginalized groups either through livelihood, microfinancing, organization and other developmental directions and believe in social responsibility actions). They are GRATEFUL…they are aware that they are part of a web of life and are thankful for the connection that links all to do more good. They are GIVING and GENEROUS…where many of them so willingly share time, resources and talent to reach out to help those with less. We have had people donate things, offer services for free. They are GROOVY, assuming the look and feel of the new hippies reborn from the 60s, but now more GROUNDED. They are GROUPIES in knowing that they cannot effect bigger changes alone, but must volt-in with like-minded people to make the force greater. They believe in GOD…some form of Supreme Being or energy of life that brings all things into wonderful synchronicities. Oh, we can go on and on naming all the G words we can think of…
So, in defining Gen G-ers, its not about a real generation in the sense of the a group of people born in a specific chronological period of time after the Gen Y or Z. Instead, Gen G people can be any age group, any social or intellectual level. It’s rather about the consciousness that permeates this group. It is the mindset of wanting to consciously effect good changes, it is the heart that is more open and compassionate to share, it is the desire to work together to strive to make the world a much cleaner place to live in, and create a more humane society to relate to. This, I believe is what Gen G is arising as. So I see a Gen G in a young child planting a tree, a CEO deciding to start a CSR in his company, an employee’s effort at volunteering, a house wife’s desire to start a feeding program, a person’s becoming responsible for her own healing, a farmer’s decision to not add pesticides to his crops, a consumer who buys a fair trade product, a professional working to find ways and means at renewable energy, a grandma preparing food the old fashion way with no preservatives, a poor widow bringing other jobless women together to start a cooperative and a livelihood. How GREAT can this all be? Generation G are all who embrace a lifestyle that sustains everything positively. GENERATION G is what we call the ECHOstore’s community.
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