GEN X

What Does GEN X Mean?

The Quick Answer

Generation X (usually referred to as "Gen X") is the generation born between 1965 and 1980. It was preceded by the Baby Boomers and followed by the Millennial Generation. GEN Xers are typically parents of children born during the latter part of Millennial era and of Gen Zers.

The Middle Child of Generations

Gen X is one of America's smallest generation, with about 55 million members compared to 76 million Baby Boomers and 62 million Millennials. Dubbed by some as the "baby bust" generation, for now Gen Xers are generally considered onlookers in the intergenerational war going on between the larger, more vocal generations surrounding them. However, in reality, it's challenging for the media to acknowledge that many Gen Xers are the younger siblings of Boomers or are closer in age to Millennials and therefore share many of the values and attitudes of the people they actually grew up with, rather than those of the generational cohort they have been labelled with. To do so would complicate the simplistic narrative of an intergenerational war. Generational labels are arbitrary, and calling Gen X "onlookers" ignores the fact that their attitudes are more nuanced and not so easy to define. The portrayal of Gen X in this way is more about maintaining a clear-cut narrative than reflecting the true complexity of their experiences and relationships.

Too Old To Be Young

That said, the middle-child status of Gen Xers is said to contribute to their paranoid sense of being overlooked and misunderstood. They are often portrayed comedically as "too old to be young and too young to be old." Also referred to as the "MTV Generation," because they grew up during the rise of music videos, Gen Xers are often the offspring of two working parents. As "latch-key kids," they are said to value independence and adaptability. However, they are also perceived as being resistant to workplace change and technological advancement, are labeled as slackers, and considered cynical and disaffected.

Not iKids

As the youngest generation to experience the transition from analog to digital, Gen X witnessed the advent of cell phones, the internet, and social media. Unlike Millennials and subsequent generations (the iKids), who grew up with these technologies, they had to adapt to unprecedented rapid changes during their adolescence and early adulthood. While many are tech-savvy, some Gen Xers show resistance to embracing new digital tools, preferring stability and continuity (just like the Boomers!).

Key Takeaways

Birth Years: 1965-1980.
Defining Positive Traits: Independence, technologically adaptable, skeptical, pragmatic, entrepreneurial.
Defining Negative Traits: Resistant to change, not as naturally adoptive of technological innovations as younger generations, disaffected or uninterested, slackers, cynics.