National Geographic Channel this week premiered a three-part series dubbed Generation X that examines the mostly unexplored exploits of some 65 million Americans within the demo. Nat Geo vice president of production and development Kevin Mohs – a Gen X’er himself -- said the series gives some love to an otherwise overlooked generation.
Here’s what Mohs said Nat Geo wants you to know about Generation X.
Gen X'ers are not slackers: "This generation has been overlooked or portrayed as slackers who haven’t done much in their lives and [as] just being disgruntled. But when you really step back and look you see that seismic shifts have happened because of this generation. You think about a lot of things that have been achieved in the last few decades and you never ask who’s responsible for it, so its our job dig deeper and look at the how and who’s behind everything."
Gen X'ers have influenced culture and technology: "Take a look at Wiki-Leaks – why would somebody think its OK to leak national secrets to the world? But then you step back and say what were the things that formed that person that did that? Then you look at Watergate and the Pentagon Papers and the culmination of all those things that created that mindset. Same thing with Google and Amazon – how did someone think so out of the box to create those services? But if you step back and look at the bigger picture at what influenced such disruptors – MTV, fast foods, Napster – all things that were breaking the mold, so that’s how you come up with these great things. How does Obama become the first African-American President? We look at all the things within that generation that set the tone for what has happened today."
Generation X the series will put Generation X on the map: "We want to know what were the pivotal moments for the generation. It’s a really fast-paced way to explore the generation through the eyes of celebrities like Kevin Smith, Courtney Love, Sarah Palin and Molly Ringwald, along with a variety of experts and people providing different perspectives on the generation. We’re saying, look what this generation has accomplished, and here’s why. Hopefully people will begin talking about it … then we can be in the discussion with the baby boomers and the millennials."
