Gen X and The Internet

The radio in my Jeep has 12 readily accessible presets.  Think about the radio station selection in the Louisville area (for those of you, my readers, that are in the Louisville area anyway).  Coming up with 12 radio stations to program into a radio is actually pretty tough, so when I tell you I have 100.5 "Gen X Radio" programmed as one, please judge lightly.

There are any of a number of reasons to dislike 100.5, but my tastes in what I listen to can best be defined as "hedonistic".  I listen to "fun" music... not to be confused with music by "Fun"... though music by the group tends to also be music that fits the category.  As a result, being a Gen Xer - and let's face it, Clear Channel targets demographics well - 100.5 gets a spot on my radio.  Hey, where else are you going to hear the Run-DMC version of "Walk This Way"?

There is one thing on 100.5 has really irked me of late, though...beyond the 10 minute blocks of commercials they play...beyond blanking out the word "down" in the lyric, "Will she go down on you in a theater"...beyond their willingness to play anything by Journey.  They have a promo that says something to the effect of "Gen X invented The Internet, show some respect Gen Y."

Again, I'm speaking as a Gen Xer.  No.  No we didn't invent The Internet.  In no way do we have any claim to having invented The Internet.  Popularized it?  Perhaps.  Monetized it?  That's probably a reasonable claim.  Let's get this straight, though, The Internet was not invented by Gen X.  It may surprise you to find out that even Baby Boomers don't really have a claim to inventing The Internet.  From conception, up to and including the development of the TCP/IP protocol suite (which defines connectivity to, and inclusion in, The Internet), the invention and development of The Internet was dominated by The Silent Generation...those born from roughly 1925 through 1945.

So, "show some respect?"  Sure, Clear Channel, if you get your facts straight, I'll show some respect, but you didn't just claim something that the previous generation did, you jumped a generation and are trying to usurp the accomplishments of the one before.  When you are that completely wrong, I'm sad to say, you lose the right to demand respect.