We have had the NOW generation…get ready for the
RIGHT NOW generation, entering college this
fall. This fall’s entering college students, the
class of 2020, were born in 1998 and cannot
remember a time when they had to wait for
anything. They also can’t recall a time when the
United States was not at war, or when someone
named Bush or Clinton was not running for
office.
Each August since 1998, Beloit College has
released the Beloit College Mindset List,
providing a look at the cultural touchstones
that shape the lives of students about to enter
college.
In their lifetimes they have always had eBay and
iMacs, and India and Pakistan have always had
the bomb. The Sopranos and SpongeBob SquarePants
have always been part of popular culture,
Gretzky and Elway have always been retired, and
Vladimir Putin has always been in charge in the
Kremlin.
And although they think of themselves as a
powerful generation—Sanders voters,
consumers—they are faced with the prospect of
student loan debt and of robots and foreigners
taking their jobs making them feel anxious and
weak. “They know that they’re going to have to
wait for that first breakthrough job and getting
their school loans paid off.” said Tom McBride,
one of the List’s authors. “They’re an impatient
generation learning how to be patient.”
The Beloit College Mindset List is created by
Ron Nief, Director Emeritus of Beloit College
Public Affairs; Tom McBride, Professor Emeritus
of English; and Charles Westerberg,
Brannon-Ballard Professor of Sociology.
The
Mindset List for the Class of 2020
- There has always been a digital swap
meet called eBay.
- Grandpa has always been able to reach
for the Celebrex.
- They never heard Harry Caray try to sing
during the seventh inning at Wrigley Field.
- There have always been Cadillac
Escalades, but they just don't seem to be
all that into cars.
- West Nile has always been a virus found
in the U.S.
- Vladimir Putin has always been calling
the shots at the Kremlin.
- The Sandy Hook tragedy is their
Columbine.
- Cloning has always been a mundane
laboratory procedure.
- Elian Gonzalez, who would like to visit
the U.S. again someday, has always been back
in Cuba.
- The United States has always been at
war.
- Euros have always been the coin of the
realm...well, at least part of the realm.
- Serena Williams has always been winning
Grand Slam singles titles.
- SpongeBob SquarePants has always lived
at Bikini Bottom.
- The Ali/Frazier boxing match for their
generation was between the daughters of
Muhammad and Joe.
- They have never had to watch or listen
to programs at a scheduled time.
- James P. Hoffa has always been president
of the International Brotherhood of
Teamsters.
- Surprise: There has always been sex in
the city.
- John Hinckley has always been able to
get out of the hospital to go for a walk.
- Each year they've been alive the U.S.
population has grown by more than one
million Latinos.
- TV ads for casinos have always been
permitted to mention that there is actually
gambling going on in there.
- Vaccines have always been erroneously
linked to autism.
- Laws against on-the-job harassment have
always applied to parties of the same sex.
- Even as the national mood gets glummer,
there has always been an annual prize for
the most humorous American.
- Catholics and Lutherans have always been
in agreement on how to get to heaven.
- To greet them with some cheery news,
when they were born, India and Pakistan
became nuclear powers.
- If you want to reach them, you’d better
send a text—emails are oft ignored.
- They disagree with their parents as to
which was the “first” Star Wars episode.
- “Nanny cams” have always been available
to check up on the babysitter.
- NFL coaches have always had the
opportunity to throw a red flag and question
the ref.
- Bada Bing – Tony and Carmela Soprano and
the gang have always been part of American
culture.
- They have no memory of Bob Dole
promoting Viagra.
- Books have always been read to you on
audible.com.
- Citizens have always been able to
register to vote when they get their
driver’s license.
- Bluetooth has always been keeping us
wireless and synchronized.
- X-rays have always been digital allowing
them to be read immediately.
- Exxon and Mobil have been one
company—and it doesn’t own any gas stations.
- They have always eaten irradiated food.
- A Bush and a Clinton have always been
campaigning for something big.
- Physicians have always had unions.
- Some have always questioned the sexual
orientation of certain Teletubbies.
- Snowboarding has always been an Olympic
sport.
- Students have always questioned where
and by whom their sweatshirts are made.
- While chads were hanging in Florida,
they were potty training in all 50 states.
- Presidents have always been denied line
item veto power.
- Nigeria has always been a constitutional
republic with a civilian government.
- The once-feared Thalidomide has always
been recognized as a cancer fighting drug.
- DreamWorks has always been making
animated creatures heroic and loveable.
- Deceased men have always been able to
procreate.
- John Elway and Wayne Gretzky have always
been retired.
- They have never seen billboard ads for
cigarettes.
- The New York Stock Exchange has never
reported its ups and downs in fractions.
- Airline tickets have always been
purchased online.
- There have always been iMacs on desks.
- Instant, tray-less ice cubes have never
been a novelty.
- Robots have always been surgical
partners in the O.R.
- Peregrine falcons have never been on the
endangered species list.
- Outstanding women basketball players
have always had their own Hall of Fame in
Knoxville, Tenn.
- Newt who?
- War films have always shown horrific
battle scenes inspired by Saving Private
Ryan.
- Michael J. Fox has always spoken
publicly about having Parkinson's disease.
Copyright© 2017 Beloit College
Mindset List is a registered trademark
This website was originally
developed by
Charles Camp for
CIVL
1101.
This site is
Maintained by the
Department of Civil Engineering
at the University of Memphis.
Your comments and questions are welcomed.
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