Each generation has unique characteristics, and a generation's size and relationship to a previous generation can shape lifelong social and economic opportunities. The often-overlooked generation of the "Lucky Few", those born from 1929 through 1945 after the Greatest Generation but before the first baby boomers, exemplifies these connections. Elwood Carlson, Florida State University professor in sociology of population, has researched the Lucky Few, and has documented his findings in his book The Lucky Few: Between the Greatest Generation and the Baby Boom. On Sept. 10, he spoke at PRB's monthly policy seminar.

Carlson's research was largely inspired by Richard Easterlin's Birth and Fortune: the Impact of Numbers on Personal Welfare. The role of generation has direct and indirect effects on each individual. The size of one's generation has a direct impact on employment and social opportunities. But the experience of previous generations affects the social and economic context in which each individual is raised. This lingering indirect effect of previous generations has just as much impact. For the Lucky Few, a confluence of historical forces has created a fortuitous path.

This Lucky Generation

The Lucky Few include Martin Luther King Jr., Elvis Presley, Sandra Day O'Connor, and John McCain. So why has this generation largely been overlooked? "One of the reasons is because they're the first generation in American history that is smaller than the generation before them," said Carlson. "If you're thinking about advertising markets, audience for your programs, customers in your stores, and so on, there are many more baby boomers." Indeed, there are 78 million baby boomers but only 41 million in the Lucky Few.

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