| The period of history in which Generation X was going up, was a time of rapid social, economic, and political change. The result had a profound effect on the children of that generation and on their socialization. Unlike the children of previous generations, much Generation X's socialization occurred through the media, specifically that of the electronic media of radio, television, and film. This study's purpose is to argue that Generation X was anomic, that the media was functioning as a social institution, and that Star Wars , as a part of the electronic media institution, played an important role in that socialization of many in Generation X.; The social institutions of Generation X were examined though historical analysis and those in the Star Wars films were examined through a content analysis. These two sets of institutions were then compared and contrasted with one another in order to determine if they were compatible. Interviews were conducted with Generation X members who were also Star Wars fans in order to gauge the impact of the movies on their lives.; The result indicate that Generation X is an anomic generation. Murder, suicide, and homicide arrest rates for this group showed increases. This was expected because the decades they grew up in were marked with a significant amount of anomie that would have affected many members of society. It also appears that Star Wars did affect some in this generation, though not all, and not all to the same extent. |
