Angeles is wrought with strife. Tyler's worst fear becomes realized as he finds himself working at a chicken fry shop manning the fryer. It is in Los Angeles that Tyler begins to comprehend advice that his mother gave him about loneliness. Inspiration The novel is about the generation after the X generation. The primary character, Tyler, is a "Global Teen", what was popularly labeled in the media as Generation Y. They are the children of the hippy generation, who "react by loving corporations, and they don't mind wearing ties. To them, Ronald Reagan is emperor". They exist in a globally connected world marked out by advertising and corporate power. They are optimistic when compared with their siblings in the X Generation. However, they do not have experience with leaders who show care for other people. "I still remember Jimmy Carter. I still remember Pierre Trudeau. I still remember a time when society cared about other people. But there's nothing in these kids' databases to show that there are other options, that it wasn't always dog eat dog. Older people have to somehow convince young people that better things are possible." History of the novel Being released in the shadow of Generation X, Shampoo Planet is considered another Zeitgeist catching novel. Its depiction of the Global Teen generation is similar to the depiction of Generation X in the previous novel, yet it suffers from comparison to Generation X. Coupland himself has claimed that the novel is too contrived. However, the novel has retained its individual sense, and become a historical artifact of the times that brought about its creation. Popular culture It has been referenced by the show Ergo Proxy'', whose 21st episode was named after the book, and by the band Panic! at the Disco, in their songs "London Beckoned Songs About Money Written by Machines" and "I Write Sins Not Tragedies". The Japanese rock band Learners perform a song called "Shampoo Planet," written by Gakuji Matsuda. References 1992 Canadian novels Novels by Douglas Coupland Novels set in Washington (state) Pocket Books books