At the risk of undermining my cultural credentials, I hereby admit that I was just introduced to NBC's The Office by my 15-year old son. It's witty, well-written and I love the fact that it, mercifully, has no laugh track to inform you of what's funny. Above all, I am impressed by how accurately it captures the unique perspectives of all three generations: Millennials, Gen X and Boomers.
Gen X: Pam Beasley and Jim Halpert are Gen X'ers -- and the only sane people in the office. Jim and Pam alone are able to see the humor of each situation. Both are hard working but not that ambitious. They willing to sacrifice career advantage for personal happiness (continue to work in the same office). They reject the idea that Dunder Mifflin is their 'career'.
Boomer: Michael Scott, Manager of the Scranton office of Dunder Mifflin, is thoroughly Boomer. His personal identity is deeply connected to his co-workers and his career. He is so earnest about cultural issues in the work place that he inevitably behaves inappropriately whenever there is a racial, gender or privacy issue. He embarasses his younger staff members, and they don't respect his abilities, but love him all the same for being a 'nice guy'.
Millennial: Ryan Howard embodies the Millennial point of view. He is disdainful and incredulous of Michael's seeming ineptitude. He starts as a temp, but his MBA and careful cultivation of upper management, catapaults him to the position of Regional Manager at corporate in New York. This move makes Ryan Michael Scott's boss (a Millennial fantasy if ever there was one!). Once in the job, Ryan unleashes a series of well-intended, but disruptive, technology initiatives (web site, PowerPoint training, Blackberry's. He fails to grasp the impact of his heavy-handed ways which causes opinion about Ryan to shift from tolerated to actively disliked.
The Office portrays real generational tensions. Michael thinks Jim is 'lazy'.
Michael: "I can spend all day on a project and he can do the same project in 30 minutes, so that should tell you something!"
Jim does not aspire to be like his boss, Michael.
Jim: "I think of this as my job. If rose any higher this would be my career, and then I'd have to throw myself in front of train."
Ryan's introduction of Michael to his MBA class makes it clear he thinks Michael is a loser.
In telling it like it is, The Office reveals a truth about intergenerational work relationships: the generations don't have to respect each other's abilities or understand each others' values to care for one another as human beings and pull together for the common good. We could all learn a lot from The Office.
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Great observations Carol, as usual!
ReplyDeleteVery insightful, Carol. There is an early episoden (season 1) where Jim tries to befriend Ryan by getting him involved in a prank. But Ryan smugly blows Jim off implying that Jim's idea of a joke is juvenile and beneath him. It was a very telling, but I thinhk often overlooked, difference between two seemingly similar young guys of two different gens. It was a brilliant stroke, I thought.
ReplyDeleteI like this post - A LOT. I have my two cents to add, too.
ReplyDeleteGen Xer Dwight is the perfect example of the Xer other Xers hate. As is Angela.
Meredith and Stanley are the Boomers that amuse Xers, because they clearly don't buy into the whole team building concept.
And Kelly is the Millennial that the Xers remember being - innocent, emotional, crazy.
I think the whole show is actually business through the Xer lense. And I think if I were a Boomer manager, I'd pay attention, because Michael makes all the mistakes, but his team still likes him. That's because Xers value people who are genuine. And Michael may be a geek, but he's a real geek.