I am not a Xennial.

Once again the term “Xennial” is being tossed around. It’s supposed to be a term for those born between 1977 and 1985 (I was born in ’86. Close enough). Basically if you didn’t get the internet until high school or college, then you’re “Xennial.” I’m seeing my peers share articles like the one above all over social media. And the message is basically the same: See we’re not like those “other Millennials.”

I understand not wanting to be stereotyped as a group of people with a 20 year age difference. A lot happens in 20 years. In a 20 year time frame we went from begging for our own landline to waiting in line for iPhones. In a 20 year time frame, parents can be in the same generation as their kids, which is super weird. But for the most part, these generational terms are just marketing demographics. And we’re arguing about which one we fit into. We’re acting like we’re better than others because of the year we were born. We’re fighting among ourselves about who really belongs in what category. Does it really freaking matter with all that’s going on in the world? (As an aside my fellow older Millennials, you realize the generation was named for us right? That the first of us would be graduating in 2000.)

Not only are we having this argument, we’re having it with the yardstick of when technology came into your life and what role it played in shaping it. Which is ignoring the digital divide, which is still a very real issue for those in rural communities and those living below the poverty line.

I’m a Millennial with all the negative connotations that come with that. Or I’m whatever other marketing gimmick you come up with, and the negative connotations associated with that one. I really don’t give a damn what label you use. But I am really tired of hearing about it as you pick.

Can we move on to a real issue now?