talkin' 'bout my generation(s)
examples of the generational gap, unpacked
Floor Time
/flôr tīm/
noun
the 15-60 minute time period spent laying on the floor in the middle of the work day, typically as a relief from the soul-sucking reality of corporate America.
“If anyone ever asks me how old I am I’ll say 19.” - Peyton Dix / Hunter Harris in Lemme Say This.
I think in my heart of hearts 19 is my soul age. Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled to be 30 (genuinely!). Everything they said was going to be awesome at 30 in “13 going on 30,” IS actually awesome.
So as a 30-19 year old, I think a lot about the generational gap, largely because I often don’t believe it exists. But this past week, I have faced media and real-world examples that have brought that gap to light. I want to unpack them and see if this is a universal experience, or merely a Clarice-specific existential crisis. This’ll be fun!
My 19-ness is revealed through my favorite movie genre: the coming of age film. Anyone knows me knows that I LOVE a COA1. And maybe it’s nostalgia, but I think it’s more about my core belief that we are constantly coming of age—like, in life. If you’re doing it right, you never stop learning, growing, making mistakes (although hopefully less in your older age), and just existing as much as you can.
It’s been a minute since I’ve seen a great COA, but that all changed with My Old Ass. This film is so perfect. Set in the backdrop of Muskoka Lakes (which I’m told by my resident Canadian is the “Hamptons of Ontario”), My Old Ass is a film about paying tribute to your younger self. The older and younger version of Elliott, our protagonist, meet when either of them gets too high2 (in a magical realism kinda way), and share in-depth wisdoms about family, life, work, and school. It’s a reminder that the hopeful optimism and naïveté that are ever-present in adolescence are actually essential in adulthood as well. Embracing them is the only way to leave your comfort zone and experience anything worthwhile.
A quick note that this is Maisy Stella’s first gig (and, because it has come to my attention that a lot of people were not chronically online like I was/am, here is your essential education of 2010s YouTube). I know her singing is amazing, but I was surprised to learn her acting is SEASONED, y’all. She seems like someone who’s been doing this for decades. Mark my words, we’ll be seeing her a Joey-King-amount very soon. She will be a star.
The film really highlights what we potentially lose as we age—or rather, how we change and forget to embrace the qualities that make us exist the most. It’s something I’ve been thinking about as I enter a new season of my life. How am I different from 19-year-old Clarice? In what ways are current-Clarice’s differences more preferable vs. not? What should I still be learning from the younger gens? Is hopeless optimism something I can embrace even when I know more—when I’m grown?
Another great case study for the generational divide is the discourse around Chappell Roan’s PR crisis. ICYMI, Chappell Roan gave a quote to The Guardian saying she doesn’t feel pressured to “endorse” either presidential candidate because “there’s problems on both sides.” To no one’s surprise, the internet blew up, taking that as her way of saying she’s not going to vote. Her video response to this screamed, girl, get a publicist—STAT. She came off whiny, immature, and uninformed. This would never fly on Tree Paine’s watch.
The drama was followed by her pulling out of the All Things Go festival in New York this past week, where she was slated to headline. Instead, she was seen wandering the stacks of Book Club Bar in the East Village on the night of her scheduled performance. The internet had mixed reviews of this decision—many fans were mad that they had gone through so much to see her (an artist that is very expensive to access these days!), SNL did a skit that referenced this notes app PSA and everything else Chappell Roan has gone through these past couple months (though Bowen Yang posted a story defending his support for Chappell Roan and was clearly frustrated that people were blowing the joke out of proportion), and Vulture published this piece that I generally agree with, claiming she “got famous before her brain did.”
While I am all about prioritizing mental health, I couldn’t help but feel that the Gen Z response was overwhelmingly: protect your peace, prioritize you vibes. Meanwhile, I and many millennials friends reached the general consensus of, okay, we understand this is very stressful and you’re under a lot of scrutiny—but that’s kinda in the job description and respectfully…go to work. At least in my small focus group (who are my friends so we probably exist in an echo chamber, yadda, yadda…), it seems like we’re aligned that she needs to hire a PR person, go to work, and deal with the noise in a more elegant way. Meanwhile, I see Gen Z’s on TikTok, and have heard through friends of friends, that many are saying it’s great that she’s prioritizing mental health. It makes me wonder about us millennials. We work hard, we seek meaningful work, and—hello, remember—we pioneered mental health days. Yet the older generations always called us out for not wanting to work as much. Are we now calling out the younger generation for the very thing we were criticized for? ARE WE BECOMING OUR PARENTS?!
Clearly, I don’t have the answers. Perhaps the ultimate takeaway is that even within generations, people contain multitudes and there’s no way to lump a generation into this or that. I will say that across generations—as a society, perhaps—we are getting better at talking about what we think and how we feel. I felt love for both versions of Elliott in My Old Ass as they shared their POVs. Neither of them was right or wrong, and I felt grace and understanding for both versions of her—similar to what I try to give myself these days. Chappell Roan may be a controversial character, but her presence has created this open dialogue across generational lines that I believe will be to our collective benefit.
Lastly, I want to shout out Nobody Wants This that had me cheesin’ like an idiot and kicking my feet the whole time (this carousel by Rachel Levin for The Skimm describes my thoughts about it perfectly), and Heartstopper (a show you could only dislike if you literally had no heart). Media is a great gut check for where we are as a culture. Romcoms especially, are wonderfully suited to call out miscommunication and misunderstanding. And these two shows both depict healthy relationships in light of those inevitable plot points! Healthy relationships?! In this economy! Both shows demonstrate what could be if people are willing to be vulnerable, talk openly, and listen intently. Perhaps the takeaway of this long Floor Time—that I could’ve edited better and def turned into a paper in my college days—is that media is a mirror of our reality. Pop culture matters and it’s a great tool to understand groups we’re not apart of (namely, generations). Somewhere, danah boyd is giving me a thumbs-up3.
Something I Thought of in the Shower
It took me way too long to learn that it’s “libero” and not “le barrow” 🇫🇷🥖
Something To Laugh About
Here are this week’s gems:
Speaking of Chappell Roan. How would you explain this to someone who isn’t on the internet?
Only Gen Z could go this hard for a museum’s social media post.
For the millennials, of course, even the audio couldn’t have prepared me for this.
Did this just cure years of corporate trauma?
This would’ve done numbers on Vine. V millennial. 10/10.
This reminder that Miley Stewart was/is THAT girl. Me and who? ME! AND! WHO?!
They can criticize me all they want, Harry Potter content will never not be comforting. See this.
Just a delightful video of a dog eating corn because it’s the end of another work week in corporate America and we all deserve this.
Something for Clarice
Hey! This newsletter is free and I intend to keep it that way. That said, if you love it and want to show your appreciation, buy me a coffee :)
Something Important
If you got all the way to this point, first, I thank you, and also, I want to share something with you! A long time ago, I was upset with the lackluster “I Voted” stickers offered in my voting district. I decided to take it upon myself to design my own original stickers and they were a huge hit. Well, during my big fall clean up last weekend, I dug up a supply I didn’t know I still had—and I’m offering these and two cause-driven pins I created over the years for a quick little 30 day flash sale! The packages are:
STICKER PACK: $5 for an original “I Voted” sticker—mailed to you in time for Election Day!*
SWAG PACK: $10 for an original “I Voted” sticker + 2 original enamel pins
Fill out an order form by October 31 to get yours! A portion of the proceeds will go to Vote Save America’s Anxiety Relief Program that funds key down ballot races and grassroots organizations. Don't forget to check your voter registration and vote vote vote!
*price includes shipping
By the way…I’m reading this.
Guys, I just realized how millennial core I am this week (can I be “core” something that I already am??”). For the first time (*cue the biggest gasp you just gumped*) I am reading Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. I’m doing this because I want to watch the movie—and I never watch the movie before I read the book. But also, I never read this book as a kid! The cover freaked me out and it always had the longest hold line at the library that I wasn’t patient enough to wait for. I was more of a Harriet the Spy, Sammy Keyes, Mysterious Benedict Society, and The Clique kinda tween.
And I’m watching this.
Heartstopper season 3, obviously. I sobbed in 4/4 of the first episodes 🫠
‘Til next time, Gen MillennialZers. Your favorite Millennial’s favorite Millennial,
Clarice
so much so I’m literally inventing acronyms
lol
or I’m just delulu, who’s to say