The biggest difference between Gen-X and Gen-Y seems to be that most of Gen-Y actually thinks being clean and looking clean is a good idea. The rest of society thanks them. This transition is not universal, however, as many Gen-Y kids seem to be simply aping their elder Xer brothers and sisters, transitioning along with them into the retro 70s/80s blue eye shadow, denim, bell bottoms, spikey hair, mohawks (!?), and new wave/punk look/sounds.

Gen-Xers seem not terribly interested nor concerned about when Gen-X begins and ends because they are too busy corfoming to community standards of Gen-X cool (making looking cool a full-time job) to care about much of anything, whereas Gen-Y kids were very clear for a while there that they do not wish to be lumped in with Gen-X. Based on the email to this website there is a clear line of demarcation between X and Y, with those born in 1979 or later insisting that they are not X. But as of late 2003 it seems Gen-Y is blending into Gen-X.

Another compelling feature of Gen-Y is their early penchant for squeaky-clean pop stars and syrupy music. They seem to favor count-the-steps aerobics-style dance-numbers by such acts as Britney Spears, N'Sync, etc... After the dirt and filth and degredation of Gen-X, despite its seeming vacuousness, Gen-Y's tastes seemed downright refreshing thus far - if somewhat lacking in substance .... Britney Spears's glaring lack of actual talent makes it seem as if she's long overstayed her welcome, lucky for her she has a body made for porn ... but already a transition seems underfoot, and skank is gearing up again ...

Early signs: Teen smoking down 30% from Gen-X levels, but ecstasy use up dramatically ... teen pregnancy rates down dramatically for Gen-Y, lowest since records kept

EARLY SUCCESS: Good-looking actors and performers. The grunge and skank of Gen-X was more or less being left behind by Gen-Y - from say 98-2001. However, they are shamelessly reviving punk and new wave (as they seem not to have any original ideas either) so the cleaner looking, better looking actors and performers Gen-Y has produced thus far may not last for long (and there is the blandness problem) ... as their own versions of skank emerge on the scene and they mindlessly ape the skank of Harmony Korine and Spike Jonze in such films as Spun and 13.

EARLY FAILURE: SUVs. Gen-Y has gone whole-hog for SUVs, not exhibiting any enlightenment on the issue of driving such atmosphere-destroying, resource overconsuming idiot tranport boxes. Gen-Y is caught up in looking cool, and an early indication of their political ignorance and indifference is their failure to break with Gen-X and forge an opposite opinion about these symbols of the Ugly American. The U.S. has only 5% of the world's population, but consumes 25% of its energy and produces 25% - 30% of the greenhouse gases causing global warming ... further the U.S. imports 60% of its oil, 28% from the Middle East, with 15% from Saudi Arabia alone ... 15 of the 19 highjackers on 9/11 were Saudis. So driving SUVs means you support terrorism, don't mind polluting the atmosphere much more than you need to, etc etc. Gen-Y - thus far - seems as if they will be as politically vacuous and uninformed as Gen-X. What a pity.