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Millennial Makeover: MySpace, YouTube, and the Future of American Politics
A 2008 New York Times Notable Book of the Year
It happens in America every four decades and it is about to happen again. America’s demand for change in the 2008 election will cause another of our country’s periodic political makeovers. This realignment, like all others before it, will result from the coming of age of a new generation of young Americans—the Millennial Generation—and the full emergence of the Internet-based communications technology that this generation uses so well. Beginning in 2008, almost everything about American politics and government will transform—voting patterns, the fortunes of the two political parties, the issues that engage the nation, and our government and its public policy.
Building on the seminal work of previous generational theorists,Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais demonstrate and describe, for the first time, the two types of realignments—“idealist” and “civic”—that have alternated with one another throughout the nation’s history. Based on these patterns, Winograd and Hais predict that the next realignment will be very different from the last one that occurred in 1968. “Idealist” realignments, like the one put into motion forty years ago by the Baby Boomer Generation, produce, among other things, a political emphasis on divisive social issues and governmental gridlock. “Civic” realignments, like the one that is coming, and the one produced by the famous GI or “Greatest” Generation in the 1930s, by contrast, tend to produce societal unity, increased attention to and successful resolution of basic economic and foreign policy issues, and institution-building.
The authors detail the contours and causes of the country’s five previous political makeovers, before delving deeply into the generational and technological trends that will shape the next. The book’s final section forecasts the impact of the Millennial Makeover on the elections, issues, and public policies that will characterize America’s politics in the decades ahead.
For additional information go
It happens in America every four decades and it is about to happen again. America’s demand for change in the 2008 election will cause another of our country’s periodic political makeovers. This realignment, like all others before it, will result from the coming of age of a new generation of young Americans—the Millennial Generation—and the full emergence of the Internet-based communications technology that this generation uses so well. Beginning in 2008, almost everything about American politics and government will transform—voting patterns, the fortunes of the two political parties, the issues that engage the nation, and our government and its public policy.
Building on the seminal work of previous generational theorists,Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais demonstrate and describe, for the first time, the two types of realignments—“idealist” and “civic”—that have alternated with one another throughout the nation’s history. Based on these patterns, Winograd and Hais predict that the next realignment will be very different from the last one that occurred in 1968. “Idealist” realignments, like the one put into motion forty years ago by the Baby Boomer Generation, produce, among other things, a political emphasis on divisive social issues and governmental gridlock. “Civic” realignments, like the one that is coming, and the one produced by the famous GI or “Greatest” Generation in the 1930s, by contrast, tend to produce societal unity, increased attention to and successful resolution of basic economic and foreign policy issues, and institution-building.
The authors detail the contours and causes of the country’s five previous political makeovers, before delving deeply into the generational and technological trends that will shape the next. The book’s final section forecasts the impact of the Millennial Makeover on the elections, issues, and public policies that will characterize America’s politics in the decades ahead.
For additional information go
- GenresPoliticsNonfiction
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
5 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 19, 2008
This is a primer on aggregate trends for the Millennial generation, geared towards those who're NOT Millennials. This is obvious, as to those within the cohort this'll be banal.
There are generalizations, although since this is talking about us on an aggregate level, they're more appropriate than, say, trying to guess any given Millennial's personality based off these stereotypes.
To read this book is to see someone's opinion of us; I found it amusing to compare what I thought to what they saw, sort of like holding a hand of cards and having the other people guess which cards you're holding.
There are generalizations, although since this is talking about us on an aggregate level, they're more appropriate than, say, trying to guess any given Millennial's personality based off these stereotypes.
To read this book is to see someone's opinion of us; I found it amusing to compare what I thought to what they saw, sort of like holding a hand of cards and having the other people guess which cards you're holding.
July 27, 2008
Two old white schmucks try to talk about how awesomely revolutionary the "millennials" are. This book is terribly written, the arguments are poorly constructed and I am convinced now more than ever that the split between "Gen X" and the "Millennials" CANNOT be charted on a timeline at 1982. I was born in 1984 and do not identify with a single element of the millennial description but instead feel totally in line with the Gen X'ers.
If anything, the book made me sick thinking about the future of this country. People are far too willing to give up personal liberty for safety and nannying, and it appears this trend will do nothing but continue.
If anything, the book made me sick thinking about the future of this country. People are far too willing to give up personal liberty for safety and nannying, and it appears this trend will do nothing but continue.
August 2, 2009
Provides some very interesting insights into generational shifts, as well as an eerily close prediction of the outcome of the 2008 election, along with what that outcome means for American politics. The read is a bit slow, however, and some of the assertions are difficult to buy/see as accurate. It would be interesting to see what the authors think post-2008, and where this book fits in the grand scheme of things now that Barack Obama has been elected (with the help internet canvassing, communication, and tools).
While it is a very interesting book, it lost a star in my book for being too easy to put down.
While it is a very interesting book, it lost a star in my book for being too easy to put down.
November 13, 2008
Pop political science/sociology is always a bit long on anecdote and light on rigor but I found this pretty interesting. Maybe I am just projecting, but they seem to have anticipated the outcome of the national elections remarkably well given that they wrote their book in '07, which lends credence to their analysis.
August 8, 2008
Another one of those books that probably could have been boiled down to a much shorter edition. Makes good points though, but in this post child reading environment, I don't mind skipping ahead in this one.
August 26, 2008
A substantive look at the generation of young adults we are hiring and working alongside, trying to influence, trying to influence us. New ways to understand the politics we're seeing. New ways to think about the future of media. Hope for civility in our culture!
June 21, 2010
Despite its truly overwhelming and dehydrating amount of data and a bit of confusion over exactly who their audience is, Millennial Makeover makes a fascinating and thoroughly sound point concerning the cyclical and generational nature of American politics.
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April 16, 2008For upcoming OLC presentation...
December 23, 2008
Fascinating great book about civic realignment and the next generation of American voters.
March 9, 2012
Fascinating analysis of election patterns. Are we on the brink of a new era? The Boomers blew it, now it's up to the Millennial Generation!
July 19, 2010
I would really like to read a subsequent edition of this book, published after the 2010 midterms and 2012 presidential election.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews