A recurring idea throughout the novel is the concept of Generation X, and how that generation is affected by and affects mainstream culture. Klosterman believes those in his generation are "angst-ridden", "disenfranchised", and "lost". He notes that his generation rejected the working class lifestyle because they understood that this lifestyle was not pleasing, nor did it satisfy. They were, he notes, smart enough to realize this way of life was outdated and no longer served a purpose in the modern, fast paced, technological world.