Gen X Has Its First Midlife Crisis: Billy Corgan, Jessica Simpson, and You!
Posted on February 10, 2010 | By Robert LaFrance | 2 Comments
Prototypical Generation X'er, Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkin fame
At the risk of getting all gossipy here, blogger Lisa M posts this article about Billy Corgan and Jessica Simpson. An interesting read on its own but it also provokes some very grave thoughts.
Considering Corgan fronted one of Generation X’s seminal bands (and probably my all-time favorite), The Smashing Pumpkins, it’s with great amusement that we are now linking our icons with midlife crises. Are we really middle age already? Is that possible?
Let’s see… according to the all-knowing wikipedia, the average life expectancy in the US in 78.2 years. Uh oh. My quick, back-of-the-napkin math reveals that half of that figure is roughly 39. And I am 39 now. Suddenly, this has taken an ugly turn from amusement to bewilderment. I always thought the stereotypical ”mid-life” male was fat, balding, and incorrigibly boring. Wait, I think I match a couple of those descriptions (I’ll let you decide which ones).
So, while it’s possible that I may now qualify as middle-age, in typical Generation X fashion, I will rebel against any social norm! Which, in this case, means going to the gym, hairclub for men, then partying all night in NYC! Are you with me?
