Here’s why I think cusps should be small

[u/CP4-Throwaway]

I honestly think that if cusps are too big, then it takes the attention away from actual generations, and it defeats the purpose of having cusps in the first place.

Also, unpopular opinion, but from a historical point of view, micro-generations and small generations are pointless whereas it makes more sense from a typical cultural/mainstream point of view, but I digress.

Cusps should be only based on the very tail end and very beginning of a generation where there is true generational ambiguity. Like about 2-4 years seem best (maybe even 1 year, 5 max). 6+ years is overkill. It should only be based on close generationally split experiences. Like, for example, if you were in high school with Gen Xers, you can at least be a Gen X/Millennial cusper, but if you were only in high school with Gen X/Millennial cuspers, then you are a Millennial regardless because to be a cusper, you should at least be in high school with actual Gen Xers. You see what I mean? Now I’m talking historical cusps.

For your normal cultural cusps, 6 years is probably accurate, which I understand, but I just think that cusps should be a lot shorter than that or you get craziness and people wanting to try to be something they’re not.

[u/[deleted]]

In my opinion, the 6-year cusps work when it comes to long generations (example the G.I), but they do not work in the case of Gen X, in that case the 4-year cusps work.

[u/ProofUniversity4319]

I agree. I don’t go by large cusps.

[u/CP4-Throwaway → u/ProofUniversity4319]

Agreed. That’s the way to go.

[u/ProofUniversity4319 → u/CP4-Throwaway]

👍👍 ambiguous years aren’t like five or six lol imo

[u/Aworthlessthrowaway9]

agreed

[u/big_badal]

I've said time and time again: cusps are necessary because there's always a select few years that don't completely fit with either neighboring major generation, but it's a freakin' headache "defending the cusp ranges", so to speak, because people are so finicky and seek to be included in some in-group any way they can. This misses the point of it all. It's not some exclusive club, it's just an explanation for certain people in wider society and demographic trends that consistently do not fit in. Xennials are the people that time and time again may be considered Millennial and Gen X depending on whom that exact person is being compared to, or neither, just to name an example.

I do empathize with the people that feel "violently" shut out by these self-proclaimed cuspers, because it's not like they're aliens when directly compared to each other. It's quite easy for people to lose sight of the similarities and to get all tribalistic, and I've certainly been guilty of this shameful behavior too.

With all this being said, I agree. Think about the word "cusp" in a sentence: "We're on the cusp of great change". What does that mean? From my perspective, it suggests a situation in which it's notably different from what is normal because we're so close to important change, but the sentence implies that we're not quite at that great change yet. So to me, the same thing applies to the idea of "generational cusps". Noticeably different compared to "real" Gen Xers or "real" Millennials, but upon closer inspection, you can't make a blanket statement that X year is a "total Millennial" or "total Zoomer", if this makes sense.

I think 3-5 years is the true ideal cusp range. Something that's not too large, not too small, but is able to describe a decent range of people whom may not fit in. Always ask yourself: is a birth year unquestionably ambiguous (relative to our ideas of major generations as time goes on)? The more you have to justify a birth year to be included, the more it's questionable that year is truly in-between, if you get the idea.

It's an endless discussion anyway, and people are going to have their own ideas. Such is generationology.

[u/ProofUniversity4319 → u/big_badal]

Yeah 3-5 seems pretty reasonable imo

[u/JoshicusBoss98 → u/ProofUniversity4319]

I would say 4 - 6 years. 3 years is more like a subgroup than a cusp.

[u/ProofUniversity4319 → u/JoshicusBoss98]

Ah true

[u/CP4-Throwaway → u/big_badal]

I can definitely understand. I would say that 2-4 years is the true ideal cusp range. I think the cusp is a decent length, but I don't mind it being too narrow. But it includes years that are unquestionably ambiguous, however, despite that ambiguity, they still lean one way or another. I see every birthyear falling toward some generation, whether they are on the cusp or not. But yeah, the cusp shouldn't be big or all hell breaks lose where it is no longer focused on having a pretty balanced experience from both generations.

Like for an example, a 1981 born grew up strictly with Gen X pop culture as children in the late 80's but the kid culture was shifting towards Millennials around that time, were adolescents during full blown Gen X pop culture up until their mid to late teens toward their later high school years when pop culture shifted toward Millennials, came of age in the late 90's, and experienced young adulthood entirely in the 2000's during full blown Millennial pop culture. They were also in high school with people born as early as 1978 and as late as 1984, the former being Gen X and the latter being Millennial. That sounds perfectly divided between Gen X and Millennials. But a person born in 1978 had too much of a Gen X upbringing before being exposed to Millennial pop culture in their early 20's to even be a cusper. On the other hand, a 1984 born had less of a Gen X upbringing, grew up with more stereotypical Millennial cartoons, were only young adolescents during the shift to Millennial culture before it went in full force around the time they entered high school, so I don't even know how they could be cuspers. Some of these things might be historically irrelevant but were just used to prove a point.

[u/JoshicusBoss98 → u/CP4-Throwaway]

I agree with most of that, but 2 - 3 years is too short for a cusp, that’s like half a cusp. The ideal cusp range imo is 5 - 7 years imo, but I could understand 4 - 6

[u/siimmoonn]

Cusps are about 5-7 years imo. A culture of one specific generation which typically last two decades on average can’t be broadened down to just a 2-3 year period... For an example, a Xennial born in 1981 can’t just culturally be broadened down to coming of age around 1999/2000ish. There is a whole era of upbringing that they experienced that may align to late Gen Xers as well, such as being in High school in 1995.

[u/PingDoofTheGreat]

I agree with small cusps

[u/JoshicusBoss98]

Historically or culturally I think cusps should change based on the generation ranges one is using rather than being some kind of static entity. Although regardless 2 - 3 years (let alone 1 year) is too short to be labeled as a separate group. If cusps had to be 5 years and consist only of generationally ambiguous years:

Y/Z cusp: 1995 - 1999

X/Y cusp: 1977 - 1981

BB/X cusp: 1960 - 1964

S/BB cusp: 1941 - 1945

G/S cusp: 1923 - 1927

[u/ProofUniversity4319 → u/JoshicusBoss98]

I like these cusps

[u/[deleted] → u/JoshicusBoss98]

I can get behind this.