Gen Xers are sandwiched between the Baby Boomers and Millennials, who were born between 1965 and 1980.

As an X’er, I’m partial to this generation and our fierce independence. Not only do you find that Generation X’ers are entrepreneurial because we grew up as latchkey kids and had to make something out of nothing, but we appreciate flexibility. We adapt easily in the workplace or different environments and we are able to accept new technologies, after all the first home computer was developed during our generation. We may not have been raised with the internet but grabbed ahold of it as our careers were introduced.

The lack of internet in the early upbringing for Generation X’ers has enabled them to have more meaningful relationships. They weren’t so consumed with the thirty seconds then swipe up to find someone that may hold their interest longer than a minute. Instead bonds were formed and connections that stand the test of time. Without the ability to look up everything in seconds, Gen X’ers learned the importance of developing interpersonal skills to seek out answers. We knew life before the internet and after, and this generation had to adapt to make it through the change from paper to digital.

We didn’t require safe places or awards for participation. Gen Xers were built on the backs of the Boomers, who saw WWII and knew what sacrifice was. We are more direct and don’t require platitudes to feel good or need positive feedback to feel stroked. Negative feedback doesn’t necessarily keep us awake at night because our feelings were hurt; instead, we try to figure out how to improve and make it better.

Generation X have a “get it done” mindset. No one was going to do it for you. As latch-key kids who came home to an empty house, they figured it out on their own and got it done. They knew that to be successful, you have to do something. Success wasn’t going to come by sitting on the couch and waiting. As adults, Gen Xers have no qualms about hiring a mentor or coach to better themselves or to seek advisers outside of the workforce. Successful Gen Xers know in order to stay relevant they will put in the time, money and effort.

X’ers know how to collaborate and work together to get things done. I recall when my son was in his third year of college and had a project with four other classmates. This project was issued at the beginning of the semester and had to be completed at the end of the semester. It was fifty percent of his grade. Each week they were to meet and go over the weekly assignments and progress through the project in a timely manner so there was no undo stress at the end of the semester. You would think that would be the smart thing to do. My son soon found out no one wanted to participate in the project and by end of the semester he was super frustrated and ended up doing the entire project without the help of this cohorts telling the professor that there was no participation from any of the other students. He quickly learned his generation lacked the desire to collaborate. The ability to work face-to-face and have conversations is because Gen Xers grew up and developed that skill with in-person conflict resolution. There was no hiding to avoid people. Either you spent time together or sat in your room and read through the Dynamite Magazine with Michael J Fox on the cover. 

Generation X is defined by many things and one is the culture and music that we grew up with.

School mattered, and each morning started with the principal handing the mic over to the student of the day, who recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Music played on the radio, from Madonna to Michael Jackson, Ozzy Osborn to Poison.

We gave way to portable music, Cabbage Patch dolls, and My Little Pony. We spent time riding bikes with flip-flops as our toes got nicked by the street, all the while chewing on a pack of Bubblicious wild strawberry bubba gum, and seeing who could make the biggest bubble.

Vanity Fair called Generation X’ers the generation “best suited to preserve American tradition.” Why is that? Is it because we didn’t grow up with a phone in our hands and every two minutes needed to look and see who posted what or who commented and liked a post to give me validation. We were outside riding bikes and playing with our friends after dark till our mom or dad called from the front door telling us to come inside for dinner. Once MTV made its debut in 81’ with “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles, Gen X’ers became obsessed with music videos and the rise of dancing in the living room took flight watching the top 100 from David Bowie to Simple Minds to watch the “Rate the 80’s Special.”

The 80’s brought with it a time of pop culture, fashion and the high puffy hair with bangs sprayed stiff as a board adding an extra 4 inches in height. We learned patience from sitting by the radio waiting for the next best song to play so we could record and make our next mix tape.

The first Atari game made its debut and made way to iconic games like Dodgeball, Pac-man , Galactica and Donkey-Kong.  Toys were introduced in the 80’s that sparked the imagination and introduced endless hours of entertainment from Rock Em sock Em Robots to the Rubik’s cube.

Regardless of what the younger generation thinks about Gen Xers they all agree on one thing, the 80’s is a reminder of the impact it played and inspiration it provides as it continues to the have an allure that captivates and inspires all generations.

This was written by our contributing writer, Shannon Hrimnak.