Popular Culture Review Vol. 8, No. 2, August 1997 | Page 115

Perspectives on Generation X 111 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