Customer Reviews

Slackonomics: Generation X in the Age of Creative Destruction

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4 star:		(2)
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Author Lisa Chamberlain holds little back in pointing out how Generation X has deviated from the norms of previous generations. Rather than demonizing Generation X as a force of societal degradation, Chamberlain explains how Gen X has floundered to create a sense of stability in a time of transition. Slackonomics ventures through the formative decades of Gen X eventually arriving at the present where they must now assume leadership roles in a world that had previously written them off.

Rife with snippets of pop culture Chamberlain ties in music lyrics, television shows, and the emotions of the era in order to illustrate the mindset of Gen X. Slackonomics joins a number of books, articles, and TV programs about the unique attitudes of Gen X. Chamberlains style of writing and use of cultural context manage to set the book apart.

The most interesting (and entertaining) aspect of the book centers around Chamberlain's examination of the shifts in social norms, family structures, opportunities, and expectations that have occurred with Gen X. Slackonomics shows that although the style of Generation X is comparatively deviant with respect to past generations, these shifts are not entirely negative. Chamberlain provides an interesting retrospective for a phenomenon that is continuing to unfold.

Slackonomics presents Gen X in context. Rather than evaluating the generation in comparison to those that have come before it, Chamberlain shows a more objective and comprehensive picture (almost a view of Gen X cast by Gen X itself). Aside from being an informative read, Slackonomics has useful insight for anyone in a field that is trying to better understand those within the generation now coming into power. The narratives Chamberlain provides allows the reader to easily identify with the book and evaluate their own experience with that presented by Slackonomics.

Combining a knowing pop culture savvy with smart cultural analysis and a unique (and accessible) take on the economic trends that have shaped a generation, this book is a must-read for fans of Freakonomics, Malcom Gladwell, Douglas Coupland, Chuck Closterman and the like.

My story is featured in the chapter on comedy, and while I had a sense of the book's themes when I was interviewed, I was surprised at the revelations it offered when I read it through: I always thought my unstable, ad-hoc, creativity-driven, dot-com-influenced career and my irreverent take on employment and the randomness of "adult" life were totally original. Turns out I'm just a product of my generation, a fact that is comforting and disconcerting at the same time.

Lisa Chamberlain manages to pack a lot into this small format, 188 page book about the role of Generation X (born 1961-1981) in modern society. The style is an easy read and most chapter contain interviews with iconic Gen X'ers. [...]Rather than focusing on pop-culture references, Chamberlain looks at the social and economic environment that Generation X now inhabits and what they are doing about it.

Chamberlain is an excellent writer, with the sort of dry wit that most Gen X'ers appreciate. The chapters weave a subtle narrative of how our generation is coping with the challenging times we face today and why our pragmatic attitude is so important. I highly recommend the book for anyone trying to understand Generation X (and that includes many X'ers too!).

Dave Sohigian
[...]

Lisa Chamberlain had to duck and dodge her way through a publishing industry that believed a book on Generation X was not going to sell. In her final product she slipped the punches beautifully. By hitting the X from an economic perspective, Lisa identified many of the coming changes by focusing on the grounded way that Gen-Xers see the world. It is this hardened take on life and money that will be needed as we face the current wall street disaster. The Baby Boomers had sixteen years and two presidencies to fix the problems of corporate greed and extreme capitalism but not suprisingly, they have failed. Now, as the author acknowledges, it's time for a new Generation to take the reigns. I was thrilled to see this book on the shelf of my library. As a Gen-Xer and an author, it clicked with me on a very personal level. It made me feel more apart of a group and less alone than anything I had previously read. I only wish I had written it myself.

Although it first appeared a couple of years ago, not much is significantly different today, and so this book is still highly pertinent. It's the best book about Generation X in general and how they relate to the economy and politics: many books I've read about Gen X are terribly out-of-date, many more are totally wrong or written by some Baby Boomer who really just wants to continue celebrating the "Summer of Love" and talking about Vietnam.

Not only is this a very insightful, intelligent book but it's a pretty easy read. It's not heavy on the lingo and minutae, but does a great job of spelling out how the next leaders of the country will probably do things... as soon as we get all the obnoxious, decrepit Baby Boomers out of there.

Lisa Chamberlain will make you laugh with her deadpan humor as she takes you back on a nostalgia tour. But, this book is not just about the beauty of the trifecta (Generation X, Slackers, and Nevermind all in 1991) for the slacker generation. It will affirm and validate the life choices you have made from when `you came of age' through `adulthood' given the economic and social forces at play influencing those choices. It wasn't just about separating ourselves from `the crowd' with our flannel shirts. I experienced many `ah ha' moments as I began to string together various experiences within the context Lisa lays out, from career decisions to quality of life considerations, where and how I want to live, the importance of friendships, relationships, etc... It just made a whole lot of sense. And the end has a message ...our responsibility and (more importantly) our ability given our sensibilities to address and tackle many of the challenges thrust upon us by the previous generation.

Length:: 9:55 Mins

Marshal McGovern's review was made as part of a critical review assignment for the Fall 2008 Honors Colloquium on Creative Destruction at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, taught by Art Diamond. (The course syllabus stated that part of the critical review assignment consisted of the making of a video recording of the review, and the posting of the review to Amazon.)

The theme of this book really struck a chord with me (and it made me feel like less of an "outlier" for not yet owning a home). I found it very engaging and accessible with strongly resonating cultural references.

useful anecdotes/first-person thoughts on people interviewed for book, well-written, sometimes funny and a rather thorough survey on various aspects of living in this chaotic economy as a GenXer. that demographic (my own) will enjoy this book the most. light, relaxing reading with enough economic data and numbers but not excessive...

Being an on-the-cusp'er -- born around the time some people define as being the end of Gen X and the beginning of Gen Y or the MTV Generation or the Millenials or whichever label you prefer -- I read this book with a feeling of being part of the story and yet not part of it. But you don't have to actually be "part" of the generation in the subtitle to come away from it with a much more realistic-optimistic view about the kind of people leading us into the 21st century, as the Baby Boomers wane in importance (if that ever really happens in their lifetimes). It's a breezy and entertaining read with enough intellectual bite to be convincing -- kind of like attending a party where everyone's got a somewhat out-of-the-ordinary path to fulfillment and also can reference all the appropriate pop culture memes that jive with their experiences. It's the kind of party you won't want to leave early.