Analysis Of The Generation X By Douglas Coupland

In this novel, the Generation X, written by Douglas Coupland, greatly illustrates the idea of consumerism through societal and cultural individuals who are known to be in their twenties. Moreover, these certain individuals are the ones who seem to have more guidance than they tend to utilize ever in their lifetime, are jobless, tend to consume a lot of entertainment through television on a daily basis, and work in insufficient career openings. The author, Coupland is in no interest to provide a reasonable solution to help save the disappointed people from the Generation X but clearly sets the idea to publish the lifestyle of these people and the variety of options their lifestyles have carried with them. For instance, carrying the basement
suite subculture to cutting all ties with the society. Consumerism is known to be the protection or promotion of certain interests of consumers, which is a key aspect of the novel by Douglas Coupland, Generation X. Dag and his friends, who are the characters of this novel, truly bring out the theme through their great habit of story-telling. This habit was introduced when they had tried to escape the devastating realities of life and in an attempt to find the true meaning of their lost lives. Moreover, Coupland describes that before the 80's a new generation had been brought up in America to the forefront, which had outgrown their parents. Therefore, the common feeling of satisfaction between the 20's generation had quickly disappeared, causing the individuals to forcefully feel disillusioned and lost in their lives. Though, the 1920's frustration derived from the World War, the 90's generation was affected by the consumerism and TV reality and shallowness. Thus, Dag and his friend's had proved that consumerism had gained the fundamental victory and had overthrown the idea of traditional culture via the use its values. In addition, this seems to be quite accurate within the 21st century too, because this trend still seems to prevail. Also, people nowadays seem to be more interested in gaining things rather than looking at the ultimate meaning of life and their own personal identities. Furthermore, Dag had come to the point to realize that families no longer acted as a societal unit that you can turn to for support or care.
He thought that they do not help in easing you from different situations you are confronted with that life tends to throw at you. Moreover, Dag and his friends recognized that marriages started to fail and things, such as financial or emotional, weren't right within ones marriage. "Worry not mother for if marriage fails divorce can always suffice." (Coupland 178) Also, it is known that the products, which are technological and technical, should tend to serve a way to facilitate life, foster alienation and the greatest constructive actions now besides watching T.V is going out to shop for material objects. In addition, in this novel, Dag is believed to be a person with an opinion about the television being a highly accessible media that can shape people's lives and is influential in generation x in primary ways. The television gives an opportunity to connect with people outside the world and receive information on the outside world. It also helps people compare with others. Thus, Dag and his friends agreed that "tele-parablizing" serves as a fundamental idea to the Generation X. They had debated that it is known to be necessary that members part of the Generation X should use aspects of TV series to demonstrate their
experiences. Further, when the emotional crisis was in effect in the mid-twenties, Dag had complained about the fact that he wasn't able to attain the proper known "animal happiness" that was greatly shown in TV shows and consequently decided to quit watching television. With this in mind, Dag's friend, Andy, while trying to compare California's atmosphere indicated that Palm Springs had no climate just like what was shown on television. Thus, in the end, Dag and his friends agreed that television is a source where it offers a solution when there is no alternative activity in sight for the viewer. In conclusion, Dag and his group of friends argue that it truly seems complicated for an individual to ever bring back a present that once was given on a trip because similar types of products sold a great distance away can be easily purchased at any convenient store nearby. Dag and his peers debate about the fact that for the people of the Generation X who search for their peculiar identity of which most of them were born in the 20th century will find it quite hard to find an untouched place within the village that greatly lacks television. Thus, Generation X has disclosed to the readers the lifestyles of the Generation Xers and the numerous options their life has carried with them and the idea of societal and cultural consumerism within certain individuals.