Bücher der Reihe Generation X: Studies in Culture, Demographics, and Media Representation

Generation X and the Rise of the Entertainment Subject defines Gen X as the first generationto be dominated by entertainment subjectivity. A social and psychological feedback loop is created as entertainment caters to adolescent consumers while the consumer, in turn, is shaped by the entertainment they internalize. While the paradigmatic latchkey young adults are immersed in media consumption, they see the world through the lens of popular culture products that seek to capitalize on the free time and disposable income of the unoccupied viewer. This book argues that Gen X entertainment subjectivity lays the foundations for contemporary society where handheld devices and other technologies detach their users from the world around them.

This book examines the portrayal of Generation X in contemporary television, movies, music, and internet sources. Drawing on generational theory, cultural studies theory, race theory, and feminist theory, the essays analyze the role of Generation X in American popular culture in relation to both Baby Boomers and Millennials.