Popular Culture Review Vol. 8, No. 2, August 1997 | Page 115
Perspectives on Generation X
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in the area of computer games. All of us were involved in the
observation and analysis of the play of young boys in Los Angeles
during the mid to late 1980's and now reflect on its significance for the
formation of twentysomething male personalities.
Play and Its Significance
First, let us look at circumstances surrounding the play of
young boys in Los Angeles during the 1980's and explore some of the
factors determining characteristics of Generation X.
Although the senior author worked full time during this
period, she managed to arrange her schedule to pick up her sons after
school. Arriving at the playground, she invariably found other
children anxious and some crying. They were not sure if their mothers
would be able, unable, or even forget to pick them up. Each day the
same scene was reenacted, even though three different private
elementary schools were involved during this period. Children's
uncertainty began then, and lasted until the next school day.
Families were constantly changing. One child remarked that if he
called for help, he could count on no one, but might elicit responses
from some fifty men connected with his mother!
For some children, no one would pick them up. They were to
keep silent about this, walk home, lock the door, and not answer the
phone or even respond to a knock on the door. For these kids, the
world was full of certain dangers just waiting to happen. The
scenario was not unrealistic in the neighborhoods in question.
Knowing someone was always home after school, many
children began hanging out at our house, some returning home with us,
others arriving on their own. One boy aged four was locked out of his
house even when his parents were there; he would arrive at our home
for a glass of water or a band-aid. Some children would still be
waiting for their parents at our dinner time and would eat at the
house; not infrequently, a few would spend the night. The effects on
these children ranged widely. One interesting phenomenon we
observed was the lack of focus, direction, and even rhythms
manifested by some. At the very least, these children did not observe
their parents involved in activities, and therefore remained without
knowledge, discipline, perseverence, and focus. In extreme cases
where children were left at home to make their own food and monitor
their own activities, they lacked even the societal sleep and hunger