Generation Jones

Generation Jones is a term coined by Jonathan Pontell to describe the generation of people born between 1954 and 1965. The term is used primarily in English-speaking countries.^[1][2]

Pontell defined Generation Jones as a distinct concept, referring to the second half of the post-World War II baby boom (1954-1965) ^[3] Its members are still usually identified with either Baby Boomers or Generation X'ers. Many have children that are in the latter end of Generation Y and earlier part of Generation Z.

The name “Generation Jones” has several connotations, including a large anonymous generation, a “keeping up with the Joneses” competitiveness and the slang word "jones" or “jonesing”, meaning a yearning or craving.^[4][5][6][7] It is said that Jonesers were given huge expectations as children in the 1960s, and then confronted with a different reality as they came of age in the 1970s and 1980s, leaving them with a certain unrequited, jonesing quality.

Cultural, economic and political dimensions

Generation Jones has been written about in newspapers and magazines and discussed frequently on TV and radio shows.^{[8][9][10][11]} Pontell has appeared on TV networks such as CNN, MSNBC, and the BBC, discussing the cultural, political, and economic implications of this generation’s emergence.^{[12][13][14][15][16]}

In the business world, Generation Jones has become a part of the strategic planning of many companies and industries, particularly in the context of targeting Jonesers through marketing efforts.^{[17][18][19][20][21][22]} Carat, a European media buying agency, has done extensive research into Generation Jones consumers.^[23][24]

Politically, Generation Jones has emerged as a crucial voting segment in Western elections.^[25][26] In the U.S. 2006 congressional and 2004 presidential elections, and the 2005 U.K. elections, Generation Jones’ electoral role was widely described as pivotal by the media and political pollsters.^{[2][9][27][28]} In the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, Generation Jones was again seen as a key electoral segment, and because of the high degree to which its members were swing voters during the election cycle. Influential journalists like Clarence Page^[25] and Peter Fenn^[26] singled out Generation Jones voters as crucial in the final weeks of the campaign.^[29] Numerous studies have been done by political pollsters and publications analyzing the voting behavior of GenJonesers.^[30][31][32]

The election to the presidency of Barack Obama, born in 1961, focused more attention on Generation Jones. Many journalists, publications, and experts have pointed out that Obama is a member of Generation Jones, including Jonathan Alter (Newsweek),^[33] David Brooks (The New York Times) and Karen Tumulty (Time magazine).^{[34][35][36][37]} Obama has also been labeled as Generation X, though due to a range of birth dates that demarcates this generation earlier than others, spanning 1961 through 1976.^[38]

• Key characteristics: less optimistic, distrust of government, general cynicism.^[31][39]

See also

• List of generations

References

External links

• Generation Jones news website