Gen Xers are setup for failure.
Found via The FuzzyBlog!:
A few years later the core of Generation X--the 40 million Americans born between 1966 and 1975--found themselves riding the wildest economic bull ever. Salesclerks became programmers; coffee slingers morphed into experts in Java (computerese, that is)--all flush with stock options and eye-popping salaries. Now that the thrill ride is over, Gen X's plight seems particularly bruising. No generation since the Depression has been set up for failure like this. Everything the dot-com boom delivered has been taken away--and then some. Real wages are falling, wealth continues to shift from younger to older, and education costs are surging. Worse yet, for some Gen Xers, their peak earning years are behind them. Buried in college and credit card debt, a lot of them won't be able to catch up as they approach their prime spending years.
(Scott added the bold). This very much rings true for many folks I know. My wife and I (as Gen Xers) have gotten lucky since we've maintained employment, for the most part, through the last couple of years. I did have a couple months last year without a client, but I used this time to get my MCSE/MCDBA 2000, SCWCD and WebLogic certifications - so it was probably better than having a client.
How did I get started in this wacky industry? I'm glad you asked. I graduated from DU--with three degrees (Russian, International Business and Finance)--had created many web pages in college, and found that there weren't many jobs in my degree's industries. So I audited some computer classes my senior year - and whalla - got a job with MCI Systemhouse. That's where I met my wife and the rest is history. To peak your interest for my next background story - didja know I grew up in a log cabin in Montana with no electricity and no running water? For the first 16 years of my life...