A resurfaced theory from the late 1990s suggests that the Baby Boomer generation, traditionally defined as those born between 1946 and 1964, might be better understood as two distinct groups.
Cultural critic Jonathan Pontell, who proposed this idea in 1999, argued that the younger subset of Boomers, born between 1954 and 1965, is different enough from their older counterparts to warrant its own generational label: Generation Jones.
Pontell, who himself is a part of this microgeneration, coined the term "Generation Jones" to reflect both the idea of "keeping up with the Joneses" and the slang term "jonesing," which means craving more—an apt descriptor for a generation caught between the idealism of Boomers and the pragmatism of Generation X.
Generation Jones is often distinguished by its members’ unique experiences, particularly their too-young age to be drafted into wars like their older peers. This contrasts sharply with the broader 18-year span of the Baby Boomer label, which encompasses vastly different life events. While Boomers were teenagers during the Summer of Love, Jonesers came of age during the Watergate scandal and are more likely to relate to the music and culture of the 1980s than the 1970s.
Generational trends expert Daniel Levine notes that the divide comes down to identity. "Most Jonesers simply don’t feel like Boomers," Levine told Newsweek, emphasizing that people in this microgeneration often resonate with the concept once they become aware of it. The differences between early and late Boomers are not just cultural but also practical, with Generation Jones embodying a blend of Baby Boomer idealism and Gen X pragmatism.
Pontell has argued that Generation Jones is uniquely positioned to lead in modern times, possessing a "practical idealism" shaped by the excesses of 1960s idealism. "We weren’t engaged in that era’s ideological battles; we were children playing with toys while Boomers argued over issues," Pontell wrote in a 2009 Politico article. This non-ideological pragmatism, he suggested, allows Jonesers to bridge the gap between Boomers and Gen X.
Interestingly, the desire to carve out distinct generational identities is not limited to Generation Jones. A YouGov poll revealed that about 27% of people don’t identify with their assigned generation, and 15% are unsure which generation they belong to. This trend is particularly pronounced among Gen Z, where 45% feel misrepresented by the label, leading to the rise of terms like "Zillennials" for those born between 1992 and 1998.
Despite the many nuances within the Baby Boomer generation, 86% of those surveyed still identify with the traditional definition. However, as the concept of microgenerations like Generation Jones gains traction, it’s clear that generational identity is more complex and fluid than ever before.
