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GRAVITAS MAGAZINE GravitasMag.com | 41 Continued on page 42 S Written and designed by Jules Lewis Gibson, Founder of GRAVITAS Magazine Sandwiched between the money motivated Baby Boomer "More" generation and the fame obsessed "Me" Millennials, Generation X has always been ignored like a middle child no one notices. Befittingly, the name itself is a case of mistaken identity. e true character of this misunderstood generation is vastly different than the "slacker" stereotype now that the Brat Pack is all grown up. Douglas Coupland's 1991 novel Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, concerning young adults and their lifestyles in the late 1980s, popularized the name. However, he erroneously attributed it to Billy Idol who was quoted in a 1989 magazine article. In fact, Idol had been a member of the punk band Generation X from 1976 to 1981, which was named after Deverson and Hamblett's 1965 sociology book on British youth, Generation X —a copy also owned by Idol's mother. e name was originally intended to personify the Mod subculture in Britain in the late 1950s. Nevertheless, the moniker stuck due mostly to the fact that no one bothered to find out what this new generation of youth was all about. Stick a label on it and move on; we've got stock markets to crash and bubbles to fill was the attitude of some. Now twenty five years later, the Boomers are heading into retirement, whether they like it or not, at a rate of 10,000 a day for the next 16 years or so. Not surprising, the media attention on this generational change tends to focus on the Boomers retirement act or the socially tolerant, liberal-leaning Millennials. Once again, Generation X is an afterthought. Many companies have a looming problem on their hands due to the fact that the recent recession and decades of corporate shake- ups leaned out their middle management ranks. Companies downsized and laid off thousands, and now they lack a strong tier of management with the maturity and experience to lead. ankfully, the generation quietly waiting in the wings is exactly who they need to lead them into the future. Never before has a generation been more prepared for the unknown. e skills Generation X had to acquire throughout their life of uncertainly and change are precisely the skills we need in our leaders of tomorrow. e world is in uncharted territory and the stakes are high. We need leaders who are adapt at thinking on their feet and creative in finding solutions. e generation that long ago shook off its disengaged-slacker stereotype became entrepreneurs, DIYers, bureaucracy skeptics and independent thinkers who embrace collaboration. Its members have entered full maturity and are ready to put their stamp on their community and the world. Step aside Boomers and simmer down. Attention-seeking Millennials, it's finally our turn. "It is never too late to become what you might have been." -George Eliot Known by her pen name, George Eliot, she was one of the leading writers of the Victorian-era who understood, very well, the power of perception. Mary Ann Evans used a male pen name, she said, to ensure her works would be taken seriously.