Rational Exuberance : The Influence of Generation X on the New American Economy Book

In Rational Exuberance, renowned Gen X'er and economist Meredith Bagby examines the ways in which her generation, against the odds, is steering the economy in a new direction. Overeducated, underpaid, and carrying the burden from three previous generations of overspending, Generation X has inherited a hard reality. A few examples... * Generation X is the first in American history projected to earn less than its parents' generation. * For every dollar spent on children in 1997, five dollars were spent on the elderly. * Today's Social Security system is predicted to go bankrupt by 2030--just when Gen X reaches retirement age. Often ignored, however, are Gen X's creative influences on America's economy which range from bottom-line politics to flourishing entrepreneurism. Shunning the stereotypical "slacker " or "deadbeat " persona are key players in the media, financial world, and youth politics who speak in candid interviews about what makes this generation unique. This is the most comprehensive analysis of the next generation of American go-getters and the unique world they are shaping.