Thursday, January 9, 1997
BOOK:
Tracy Phillips uses humor to dispel myths about intent of
twenty-somethings By Amanda Miller
Daily Bruin Contributor
When Tracy Phillips received her UCLA diploma in 1991, she
dreaded the idea of putting on a suit and climbing the corporate
ladder. Uncertain what she wanted to do with her psychology degree,
Phillips began to seriously pursue her passion for writing. With
her initial indecision and her first publication, she has become a
self-proclaimed voice of the so-called Generation X.
"A Little Book of Big Affirmations for Twenty-Somethings" is
Phillips’ first book. She based the lighthearted humor book, as
well as the novel she is now writing, on her personal experiences
along with those of her friends.
Phillips’ writing gives a different perspective on this
generation of young adults. She feels her writing style and sense
of humor will resonate with the twenty-something experience in
society today.
"Although some people characterize Generation X as dour and
gloomy, and suggest that we take ourselves too seriously, we really
aren’t like that. We see what’s going on and are realistic Â
but we can also laugh at ourselves," Phillips says. Emphasizing the
importance of laughter, she aims to use humor to communicate with
her generation as they face the realities of today’s society.
But of the baby boomers who often comment on the younger
generation, Phillips believes, "They just don’t get us. They think
they have us all figured out."
She feels these stereotypes are evident in marketing ploys
intended to tap into the twenty-somethings’ potential consumerism
through ads such as those for cK One and Budweiser, and movies like
"Reality Bites."
"Older generations attempt to fit our generation into a mold
that isn’t necessarily true," Phillips comments.
Phillips doesn’t see our generation as entirely different from
older generations. Instead she sees a common trend among the
choices confronting twenty-somethings of any generation. "We can
watch the 1960s movie, ‘The Graduate,’ for example, and see the
same post-college reluctance to become established and enter the
professional world. They had the same angst, anxiety and questions
that we have," Phillips asserts.
Because we follow the baby boomers, who, she believes, placed
extreme value on money and materialism, "We got a bad rap." She
feels that Generation X has ventured from the situations of the
baby boomers  partly because the economic state of the nation
differs greatly today. Many economists even say Generation X-ers
are the first destined to face worse economic conditions than their
parents.
But, through all of this, Phillips has clearly resisted the baby
boomer prototype for corporate success  she seems much more
relaxed being a Generation X stereotype. While waiting for her
dreams as an author to come true, she works as a hostess at a
restaurant near her Venice home.
Although she jokes about a college diploma’s functions as a
coaster for drinks, paper for origami or a decorative wall hanging,
Phillips admits that she applies her degree to life in a subjective
way all the time.
Her degree from UCLA ranks among the most highly valued things
in her life. It is something that she would never change. But with
time and experience, Phillips has grown to look at her college
degree in a different way.
"When our parent’s generation graduated from college, a degree
was a passport to a job  now it needs to be more of something
you do for yourself," she says. "When out in the world and faced by
all the crap life throws at you, a college degree gives you
something to hold onto.
"My time in college taught me so many important things aside
from what I learned from books  how to deal with people, live
with others and cope with problems."
Spectacle Lane Press
"A Little Book of Big Affirmations" is a humor look at life for
twenty-somethings
written by UCLA alumna Tracy Phillips.