Ok, but see now we're talking about something different. What people consider "GenNow"... is COMPLETELY different from the people in their teens that are "readers". The stereotypical person that these people tried to describe that parties and posts on twitter and facebook from their cell phones... it might not be the same person that would pick up a book. I didn't copy the rest of your quote, but I read it and my suggestion is to find books that have sold well in the genre you write... and just take notes on what they do. Because chances are if it's a best selling book in that genre, they probably got the thumbs up from the "GenNow" crowd.
I am of the generation in question, though take what I say with a grain of salt, as I am very much an outsider. Thus, what you get from me is as seen through my perspective. Deriding more often than not. What does GenNow read? lol reading??? Scarcely anything. Reading is difficult. Reading is not instant gratification. Reading is a waste of time. Manga seems to be growing in popularity, to the point that the local library I used to volunteer at dedicated perhaps 25% of their young adult shelving space to it. The rest seem to be cheap potboiler type works; if someone can manage to convince youth that their book is in some way "cool", it will be read. Harry Potter is a good example; kids in their late teens to early twenties grew up on the series, and to those who read them they're seen as some kind of defining portion of their childhood. Most I've spoken with didn't get beyond that, but stopped with Harry Potter, simply because nothing else was really mainstream or cool enough. Kids these days are consumers. Consumers with massive entitlement issues, who were -- in the frightening majority of cases -- raised upon instant food, credit cards and pampered childhoods. A massive balloon of people who should have been highschool dropouts somehow making it into college, and somehow sputtering along on a C- average just to score that all important degree. Take note of what the professors above me have said. It's all true. What does GenNow watch? Garbage, mostly. It doesn't really matter what they watch, simply for the fact that almost all of visual media has been watered down to the barest elements, and essentially made for nothing more than to feed the senses. You will rarely, if ever, notice something on television that asks the viewers to actually think; kids are taught to see, hear, agree with and move on. The lack of critical thinking is appalling, and television is such a personal pet peeve of mine that I'll stop commenting further. Simply because I could go on for pages. Or might start dredging up essays I've written in the past, noting the correlations between decline in creativity scores all across America, in tandem with a massive increase in consumption of media. What does GenNow listen to? Probably all the stuff you don't listen to. Again, they are consumers. Most are not capable of actually digesting the music they hear and determining whether it is worthwhile or not. Rather, they listen to what is popular, and the musician who happens to be the most outspoken, with the best looks, advertising and the proper amount of mystique/controversy surrounding them wins. Where does GenNow go on the web? Facebook. Youtube. Twitter. Pr0n. Whilst some of us (such as myself) see the web as an amazing access point for the largest information database in existence... most just use it to feed their insatiable hunger. What does GenNow study? Study? Seriously? With the general dumbing down of education -- both secondary and post-secondary -- the only real studying done anymore is how best to schlep by without failing utterly. And believe me, it is not hard. As a fairly driven and intelligent student myself, I must admit that I supply the minimum of effort and still manage straight A's. Imagine how easy it is, then, for someone of average intelligence to screw off for the majority of school, only buckling down just long enough to reach that all important 70%, or whatever it happens to be. What does GenNow do in its free time? Sucks up whatever entertainment they can find. They are not very hard workers, and rather, seem to have the belief that everything should simply be handed to them on a silver platter; thus, their free time is generally devoted to partying, socialising and ingratiating their sensual side. What interests GenNow? Not to sound trite here... but the ultimate formula for success is pretty straightforward. The concept must be basic -- able to be grasped in a few minutes time. Any effort or real thought involved and they'll swiftly become bored. It must be popular. Whether that means it's well advertised, or gains a significant "real" following before suddenly being unleashed into the mainstream. Not much else really interests them. What moves GenNow? The epitome of apathy, not much. Being so focused upon entitlement, they also have the ugly habit of always placing the blame on someone else; thus, it's difficult to move them, as -- at absolute best -- you'll get to hear them whine and moan about how difficult or frustrating someone else is being. But actually apply the effort to fix the issue themselves? Heaven forbid! What turns GenNow on or off? (intellectually and emotionally speaking...) Enjoyment. Instant gratification. Pleasing to the senses. Things that turn them off would be anything which take a significant amount of investment, as most are -- quite simply -- all but incapable of considering the future, or the consequences that their actions in the here and now might have several years down the road. How does GenNow define itself? By however the mainstream tells them to define themselves. How does GenNow live? Fast. Very fast. So fast that, in a sense, it can be difficult to blame them for becoming the way that they are. Growing up constantly being shuttled about -- from home to school, from school to soccer practice, from soccer practice to band practice, from band practice to swim practice, from swim practice to home... What would anyone expect? In general, it is a generation with a perpetual case of ADHD. What does GenNow believe or not believe in? They believe in anything that makes them feel good, where as everything else is either to be ignored, stupid, or just not worth the effort. What issues & themes interest GenNow? Celebrities, sex, gossip, the latest fads and general hedonism. If you could choose 10 adjectives that describe GenNow, what would they be? Consumers. Entitled. Lazy. Hedonists. Sheep. Foolish. Dependent. Narrowminded. Needless to say, I do not associate much with my peers.
There are people exist that fit the description you answered in your question. But I can tell you right now it's not anywhere close to the majority of people in that age group. It's mostly the people that draw the most attention and therefore people view that as the stereotype.
Eh... I think you could ask all the concrete questions you want to and still not really know "Generation Now." You're asking about favorites and preferences and expectations that one would normally ask an individual. GenNow ranges from hipsters to 'scene' kids (for lack of better words) to meatheads to geeks, etc. You can look up what's popular and what teens are reading and watching, but that may be based on a small section of GenNow. As far as your writing goes, I hope you're putting an interesting twist on GenNow. Chances are they aren't going to read it if it's too similar to their day-to-day lives.
Some interesting points in your post, Clumsywordsmith. Your view of GenNow appears to be that most are apathetic to real issues (like social inequality, poverty, environment and so on) and basically a "I only do what entertains me or is cool" kind of generation. (Nothing wrong with that when you are in your teens, but if tweeners think/behave that way we have a problem on our hands... Is the GenNow you see on a daily basis really that lazy/pampered/consumerist/apathetic/conformist/narrowminded? One thing I am trying to grasp, in particular, is what kind of moral/social/political/philosophical issues are of interest to GenNowers. When I was young, we dreamed of becoming XYZ-important person as well. But we worked and studied hard, and we didn't have distractions like 24/7 internet back then. All interesting stuff that's been posted so far. Keep it coming. -DryRiver
It is becoming clear to me that the chunk of "GenNow" you are focusing on with all these posts, is the chunk that do not read books. Unless forced through school. I hope you soon become aware of this before you end up doing what you are afraid of: "It would be infinitely worse to write a 350 page novel over 12 gruelling months, then get it rejected from 10 different agents/publishers because they all feel that the way the book is written totally ignores what contemporary audiences expect to get out of a book..."
After reading through this I have to give my perspective. I turned 20 the other day and I know some people who are older and some who are younger. I find that people clump together in groups of people who have similar interests that make them feel comfortable. I'm a loner, I don't feel comfortable interacting with other people and I feel exhausted have hanging out with a group. I'm fairly quiet and I listen a lot more than I talk so I'll give you my opinion based on the groups I have observed. What does GenNow read? I know people who don't read at all. I know people who do. I know a seventeen year old girl who doesn't have an interest in reading much but does love Edgar Alan Poe's work. I know a 19 year old girl who likes reading fantasy involving soft vampires and fairies. Yes, she was and still is a Twilight Fan. Other people I know have read Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I myself read fantasy such as: A Song of Ice and Fire Series, The Dresden Files and The Sword of Truth Series. What does GenNow watch? People enjoy comedy the most, like the Hangover. Horror movies are usually terrible though some people are fans of movies like Paranormal Activity. Watch programs on the CW and FOX and watch sports. What does GenNow listen to? A lot of people like to watch YouTube Shows such as Philip Defranco: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgtHX0BfU_8&feature=feedu There are different Genres that many people like. Here a few examples of stuff people I know enjoy: Avenged Sevenfold: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNpy2K27PKU Kesha: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXvmSaE0JXA Katy Perry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EGSlwGiXTs Eminem/Rihanna: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uelHwf8o7_U&ob=av2e TOOL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3R4zkblHZk Bloodbath: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBfoMgllphs There are more examples but I don't feel like looking for them all. Where does GenNow go on the web? Facebook, YouTube, Tumbler, Shopping sites, Email, Search Engines. What does GenNow study? Depends on the person. I know people who like to keep up on politics and economics, people who like history. I also know people who play video games 16 hours a day and/or stay stoned all day. What does GenNow do in its free time? 90% of people get high. This may be off a bit by probably not much. What interests GenNow? There is a fair amount of stuff What turns GenNow on or off? (intellectually and emotionally speaking...) How does GenNow live? Fast. What does GenNow believe or not believe in? People will often have irrational opinions and beliefs. I know a girl who has had sex with way to many guys but is against homosexuality because it is a 'sin'. Not bashing Christian beliefs or anything just noting the inconsistency.
Thank you for the detailed post, Chris. I was already familiar with most of the videos you posted - I go on Youtube once a day and monitor what is 'trending' (which is a horrible internet term IMO). It lets me keep up somewhat with what other people like online, even though many Youtube videos are quite simple and uninspired. I'm somewhat surprised by your estimate that 90% of people in GenNow get stoned/high all the time. That figure was much lower when I was growing up (or maybe among the people I grew up with). Videogames is a no-brainer. We played tons too, back in the 8-bit/16-bit days. Let me finish this post by asking a completely different question... Where can one go online to find out what books, films, music albums, magazines, newspapers, computer games, TV channels are popular with GenNow'ers? Kind of like looking at Amazon/NYT Bestseller charts or Apple Movie Trailers' "Most Popular/Top Box Office" section, but limited to things specifically bought by teen & tween GenNow'ers...??? I know that professional marketers/advertisers have this specific info right at their fingertips. Ask them what people between 15 and 20 are reading, and they have the data. Question is, where can ordinary mortals like us/myself go to take a peek at this kind of info? Are there any websites that do sales/popularity charts for products, segmented by age group or other demographics?
I suspect it depends on where you are. I'm pretty sure the figure would be much lower where I am, but a short drive would take you to areas where that is realistic. Part of the issue might be whether "generation now" covers everybody in that age group or just a (particularly trippy) specific subgroup.
90% are high all the time? Again, I think a lot of people are only considering the people that they see in public all the time at bars, local hangouts, on the street... and 90% of those people probably DO get high all the time. However, you have a lot of people that keep a low social profile and don't come off as assholes in public to strangers so they tend to be pretty forgettable... and I'm willing to bet close to 10% of those people are high all the time.
Ok old people, listen up... I may be 29 but I'm down with the kids. If you want to know what kids listen to, listen to BBC Radio 1 daytime, they work very hard to keep up with trends of the yoof. Also, kids are much more into sites like Digg and Stumbleupon - thats right they don't even use google anymore to find stuff, they just let it come to them! mobile phones are more and more the future of 'GenNoW', in 2014 it is predicted that people will be browsing online on phones, more than they do on computers.
As a 27 year old, I can see both sides I hope.. What does GenNow read? Manga, Metro What does GenNow watch? 'Reality' TV, DVD's or 'illegally' downloaded content and cinema What does GenNow listen to? Whatevers fashionable. Where does GenNow go on the web? Where don't they..Porn, music, social networks, youtube, outrageous videos What does GenNow study? As little as possible at least enough to pass usually. In terms of course business seems to be the thing. What does GenNow do in its free time? Consume with friends. What interests GenNow? Extreme media. Anything with a rapid pace - Call of Duty, drinking and acting 8 years older than they really are and in many cases being allowed to. What moves GenNow? Social trends, alcohol, drugs, sex. The usual then. What turns GenNow on or off? (intellectually and emotionally speaking...) Intelligence turns people off. Emotionally probably feeling superior to others, mocking others. How does GenNow define itself? Carefree How does GenNow live? Without the worries of helping parents, so very much self-centred What does GenNow believe or not believe in? Believes in better. Does not believe in doing anything to get it. What issues & themes interest GenNow? Anything trendy, celebrity based. Music, film.
I said "90% of people get high". I didn't say they did that all the time. Just that they do it fairly often. I have one friend who hangs out with people who smoke but she doesn't smoke. And for the most part, I can only speak for what I have observed and experience and in that case, 90% of people smoke weed and drink. If they have the cash or are growing weed then they will do it. There are other things they do in their free time. I have a friend who cuts designs in shirts. The fact remains, for me, most people I know have one thing on common. Weed and alcohol. Which is specifically why I said that.
I don't think anybody doubts that you're calling it as you see it, and I can think of places where I see the same. The only question is whether that's true for all of Generation Now or just local to where you are. I suspect the only thing common to all of Generation Now is their age, so it will be the latter
This was the point I'm trying to make about why people are GROSSLY mis-representing "GenNow" as a group of people. Your opinions on what their personality is like is almost solely based on what you see in public. In bars/clubs/restaurants, at college hangouts, at sporting events, wherever. And for encounters at like a grocery store, or in the movie theater... usually it's the a-holes that stand out. And you are missing at least a large portion of the generation when you do this. There's a lot of people that are a part of the generation you describe (any generation you can say this about) that keep a low profile. I'm one of those people... if you aren't a close friend of mine you aren't going to see me in public that often. And if you do... I don't engage with other people too often and I don't stand out so you would never really gain an impression of who I was unless you just picked me out of the crowd and made a conscious effort to follow me around and see what I do. I don't really want to address the 90% number again other than to say I disagree. But I want to reinforce my opinion (again, coming from a 24 year old... so I'm probably right at the top of the age bracket). I think the only things you can definitively say about "GenNow" is the effect technology has had on them that gives them a much different frame of reference than previous generations. Maybe to a slightly lesser degree you talk about game technology and movie technology and not just computers/iphones. But when you start getting into specific personality generalizations, I have to throw a flag because you are touching on maybe a 3rd of the whole group.
Wow, I'm seeing some highly negative posts for my generation! Sadly, many of these stereotypes do apply but there are so many of us who aren't entitled brats with the attention spans of gnats. I know people my age (twenty) who love to get high, and I also know an equal amount who are very intelligent individuals. It's a bit discouraging to see so many negative comments about my generation-- we're not nearly as bad as we're portrayed!
Sadly, the bad seeds make the most noise, so they are the only ones who get noticed. It is a shame because the rest of "GenNow" far exceeds this stereotype as far as numbers go. But the OP has been ignoring me from the start. So good luck with trying to convince him to think anything other than what he wants to hear. It is unfortunate, because the people he wants to write for, most likely do not read at all. He is writing for the wrong "GenNow." Nobody seems to understand that this current generation is more diversified than any before it.
I will make a more detailed post when it isn't 2 AM. The people attacking my generation are annoying me. We smoke marijuana, yes (I don't, generally, but yes, we as a whole do). This is not particularly unique. I understand that you might find this shocking if you believe the whitewashed versions of pre-1960s American history, but basically every generation for a very long time has smoked marijuana. And had sex. Compared to my parents' generation (Boomers), we are boringly sober and undersexed. Entitled? Yes, depending on who you're talking about.* Not really any more than the Boomers. Yes, reality television is shit. Reality television predates us (in the sense that we're a targeted demographic) by about a decade. Of course, we aren't the ones who are truly rotting our minds - we're not the ones who watch cable news. We have trouble focusing. This is true, and due mainly to the Internet. We also know more shit than previous generations, and have a better idea of how to learn more shit. Apathetic? To an extent, yes. We are the generation that was supposed to live in pax americana - we were supposed to have the whole fucking world. Then, a funny thing happened in 2001. We have grown up in the shadow of two smoking towers and we have seen the slow decline of our nation into shit. And the victorious neo-liberals got us when we were young so we don't even have the language to properly articulate our disaffection with this fact. We have had insipid spineless leader after spineless leader and you expect the great masses of us to be engaged in some great national civic conscious? Yet, we are. If you haven't noticed, there are people in the street for the first time in decades and those people are overwhelmingly youth. * (particularly interesting things I've learned from this thread: most of CWF's membership is composed of middle-upper middle class white people from the northeast of the United States, the UK, or Australia).
Yeah, and if the thread topic was asked what the stereotype of the generation is... bringing up these sorts of things would be true. However, the OP asked what "GenNow" is like because he wanted to know what the reading audience would be like. And people posted about how GenNow as a whole were apathetic, entitled, drug users and it's just wrong. That describes a subset of the group but not the entire group. Talking about technology having an effect on our generation is accurate, and I would go as far as to say the "attention span" thing is correct as well if only because technology has launched GenNow to a point where everything can be done lightning speed.
I don't think marijuana should even be mentioned anymore to describe "GenNow". Right now here in California everyone from all ages and walks of life smokes marijuana (I don't, solely on the fact that I haven't liked the way it feels since high school). It isn't criminalized anymore and there is a "medical shop" on every corner. As well as a place to get a "medical card," for almost any reason. I personally have multiple friends who work at these places and even more friends who have "medical cards." And if you are curious we are all twenty-five to thirty-two. So if anything, my generation is the one who smokes a lot of marijuana. Marijuana shouldn't be used to classify "GenNow," at least in California. Which further proves my point in saying this current generation is far too diversified to generalize. P.S. If it wasn't obvious, this wasn't a rebuttal against you. I was agreeing with you.
That is why I think the OP should be worrying more about getting his work published on e-readers and writing a story that will appeal to all. Instead of trying to write a story for the chunk of "GenNow" that doesn't even read. But if for some reason they do end up reading, it will most definitely be on an e-reader. And since he wrote a story for all (if he follows my advice) they will most likely read it as well as everyone else.
It's like we have our own habitat and the "older outsiders" are the scientists showing up to give us t-shirts and bibles. I'm 29 so I feel I fall in both age ranges. To be honest I find those related to me that are younger dress, act and consume the same entertainment as I did 5 to 10 years ago and continue to now. To the point of me digging out old CD's to give to them because they listen to the same music that I did in college. My point, you should be ashamed of yourselves for stereotyping and profiling another human being. I hope people don't see my children in this light when they get to this point in their lives. Also, the above quote is just plain creepy.
