The Boom Generation (Prophet, born 1943-64) grew up as indulged youth during an era of community-spirited progress. These kids were the proud creation of postwar optimism, Dr. Spock rationalism and Father Knows Best family order. Coming of age, however, Boomers loudly proclaimed their antipathy to the secular blueprints of their parents; they demanded inner visions over outer, self-perfection over thing-making or team-playing. The Boom "Awakening" climaxed with Vietnam War protests, the 1967 "Summer of Love," inner-city riots, the first Earth Day, and Kent State. In the aftermath, Boomers appointed themselves arbiter of the nation's values and crowded conspicuously into such "culture careers" as teaching, religion, journalism, marketing and the arts. During the '90s, they have trumpeted values, touted a "politics of meaning," and waged scorched-earth culture wars. Hillary Clinton, Bill Bennett, Steven Spielberg, Joni Mitchell, Spike Lee, Steve Jobs, Laura Schlessinger.

the x generation

The "Generation X" (Nomad, born 1965-81) survived a hurried childhood of divorce, latchkeys, open classrooms, devil-child movies and a shift from G to R ratings. They came of age curtailing the earlier rise in youth crime and fall in test scores - yet heard themselves denounced as wild and stupid. As young adults, maneuvering thru a sexual battlescape of AIDS and blighted courtship rituals, they date and marry cautiously. In jobs, they embrace risk and prefer free agency over loyal corporatism. From grunge to hip-hop, their splintery culture reveals a hardened edge. Politically, they lean toward pragmatism and nonaffiliation and would rather volunteer than vote. Widely criticized as Xers or slackers, they inhabit a Reality Bites economy of declining young-adult living standards. Tom Cruise, Cindy Crawford, Michael Dell, Mike Tyson, Michael Jordan, Winona Ryder, Jesse Jackson Jr., Kelly (the editor)

the millennial generation

The Millennial Generation (Hero?, born 1982-___) first arrived when "Baby on Board" signs appeared. As abortion and divorce rates ebbed, the popular culture began stigmatizing hands-off parental styles and recasting babies as special. Child abuse and child safety became hot topics, while books teaching virtues and values became best-sellers. Today, politicians define adult issues (from tax cuts to deficits) in terms of their effects on children. Hollywood is replacing cinematic child devils with child angels; cable TV and the Internet are cordoning off child-friendly havens. While educators speak of standards and cooperative learning, school uniforms are surging in popularity. With adults viewing children more positively, U.S. test scores are faring better in international comparisons. Jessica McClure, the Olsen twins, Megan Kanka, Tara Lipiniski, LeAnn Rimes, the Hanson Brothers.