You have it a little backwards. Gen Xers were the first generation that had to live through corporations that felt workers were throw away. The elimination of retirement plans, the ROI for shareholder meaning more then the workforce. Boomers put their own wants above the needs of the next. It also was the first generation that required a university education just to get an interview for a clerk job.
"The first generation that required a university education just to get an interview for a clerk job." Yes, that's exactly what I discovered after graduating college in 1988. However, the job listings also included this little gem: "Women and minorities are encouraged to apply." This meant that I not only had to have a bachelor's degree (which I did), I also had to be a woman or "person of color" to get the job. I couldn't meet these requirements, and therefore I never even got the interview. Thus you have the origins of the cynical Gen Xer.
@@mcgoodle You know dude, this country sucks, but it's not the fault of women or minorities. Unregulated capitalism is the problem, and a person saying spiteful, bigoted shit only contributes to the problem. The rich love to hear that shit. They know it keeps us divided.
@@mcgoodle Well, as a woman working as the only woman on many teams, I assure you that you guys had no problems getting a job. Go cry somewhere else, you millenial wannabe.
The reason why many Gen-Xr's are not loyal to any employer is not because we are cynical, bitter, or grew up in a time of economic hardship and social instability in the U.S. It is because we are smart enough and realistic enough to know that no employer is worthy of our loyalty. But in the defense of the employer, most of us know and even understand that employers have to put the best interest of the company/shareholders ahead of any employee loyalty.
When we were born the tax system was designed to give breaks to corporations for what they paid workers, American workers only. The 80s started a major change that has screwed workers for stock buy backs. We have been given no loyalty in the workforce so we give none. Show me the money or I will move on. I'm a tech guy and I have worked for 3 companies for 5 year runs but worked for another 12 or so part time or as a short term contractor.
Why should we be loyal when companies obviously care more about cut backs, merging and making the stock holders more money than having loyal employees who feel appreciated?
"Don't remain loyal to organizations?" ?!?! Find us organizations that are worth being loyal to. Loyalty is something that has to be earned- not an inherent right just for being "The Employer." If companies want Gen X to give more of themselves, then they need to be worth giving to. Especially when it comes to our loyalty. Otherwise, expect us to come in, do the job, collect the check, and walk out the door right on time.
You nailed it! If anyone want to be blindly loyal to a company, let them and may they get (or more often the case, not get) what they deserve. If I have to give my loyalty, it would be given to the work my employer gave me; not to the employer that gave the work.
Genx is loyal as f@ck until they hear some kind of Boomer abuse red flag. Then you will be left wondering: "where the fuck did they go?" We've done our sentence with the Boomers, time served.
Generation x right here.Live through records,cassette tapes and VCRs and early PCs.Grew up with only four channels and cable and the big c-band satellite dishes.Lived through the Ford,Carter,Reagan,Bush senior,Clinton,Bush junior,and Obama administration.I was born in 1976.
that's the last year of us X'ers as the Millennials were the teens of the 90's onward. If your teen years weren't started by Dec 31, 1989, you're a Millennial who graduated college post Y2K, and the technological era.
1966 here....OG GenXer. I lived through Presidents LBJ through...(obviously) Our current clown Biden. My first vote was Reagan in '84 Make America GenX again!
Xers are the transitional generation that grew up without technology in their faces all the time, were the last gen to be active and outside still, were more free in society as a whole as not everyone was offended, were the first gen to heavily see families break apart and dissolve, networking face to face was how you got things done, to all of a sudden land into adulthood where technology boomed, there were cameras everywhere, a group offended on every corner. So they had to adjust to all of this in what's already a huge adjustment period into the world. They were NOT prepped in adolescence for this culture at all. But they're bright and constantly look at things from two different perspectives as they watched the world change with a young mind. Definitely the chameleons that bridge millennials to the boomers.
Gen X here. My parents were divorced in the early 80s and no cussin in rap songs. Big hair, fanny packs was in style, dad showed me how to record from the radio on dual cassettes tapes. First beeper, first PS1 in 1996, and my first job under the beginning of Clinton era. No cops trippin on litter or open beer cans. No security guards in fast food places. More skating rings and drive inn movie theatres and the British invasion in the early 80s of pop music. Save By The Bell and Fresh Prince was the most watch shows for me. Looney Tunes was Saturday morning thing right along with Thundercats, Transfomers and He Man. We had no worries and turned out to be great entrepreneurs in the business world.
Xers are the first generation to have to spend a lot of time alone because of both parents having to work, or from being from a divorced home(like half of Xers). At least Millennials never felt lonely, because they had social media. This is why we prefer working alone and tend to be introverts. This also may explain why we are ignored by the media - we're gonna rule the world if the Boomers ever retire, so let's speak up!
astateplayer1 I agree they're definitely more individualistic and excel independently. They're either amazing at bridging the generational gap with boomers and millennials, or tend to land more on the boomer scale culturally. They're also more grounded and seek less attention than millennials. I wish the boomers would have cranked out more kids because I honestly see Xers as being the balance in today's society and keeping eccentricity, pretentiousness and materialism checked and at bay. The boomers were eccentric, and the millennials are equally lunatics. Having either in power doesn't play out well.
I beg to differ. Millenials (my generation) are antisocial as hell compared to gen Xers. We go to clubs, bars, and social gatherings, statistically much LESS than any other generation (except maybe Gen Z), this is because of our "I'd rather pop a Xanax for my crippling anxiety and Netflix & Chill instead of attempt to have a social life" mentality. We travel less and we would rather spend our money on technology than experiences. This is all because we are addicted to streaming and the internet and it makes so many of us awkward and antisocial. However, I will say that we are still friendly to customers and coworkers in the workforce. Xers tend to be absent-minded in the workforce (from my experience) , and boomers are just flat out fucking cunts to coworkers yet overly friendly (fake) with customers.
astateplayer1 this is also why most of us Gen X ers (I'm 43) are Libertarians/ Anarcho Capitalists.. Regardless, perhaps the world & our country will Awake from its deep slumber, before it's demise...
redcanasta boomers gambling away there pensions, while preaching socialist ideologies & promoting a welfare state..yeah that's part of the problem..even worse the boomers that are Republicans & promote "Cronnie Capitalism" (btw which has nothing to do with free markets, or free trade) & are utter war mongers gambling there pensions on Halberton & Other Defense Contractors...George Carlin said it best "Its all Bullshit & it's Bad for Ya"
I don’t think Gen X has a lot of introverts. We are the generation that had to entertain ourselves, find other kids to play with, and still got to go outside to play unattended. I remember moving a lot because my mom was a single parent and renter. I went to five different elementary schools, two junior highs, and two high schools. I managed to make friends everywhere we moved. I remember my mom making me go outside one Saturday right after a move, and I complained that I didn’t have any friends to play with. She told me to go knock on doors and find friends, which I did. I was in 1st grade. I guess that was good training for Life. I was born in 1968, so am an older gen x.
We're cynical because most of us had siblings who were BB and we watched that spoiled bratty,whiney generation complain and never be satisfied.But,I know this is about work and so I won't be real mean.But I disagree with you about not sticking to things.We are the most mature and stand alone and NOT have to be told and controlled by others unlike the BB who have to control EVERYTHING!
+spicey1 You know, they seriously need to start defining generations by a ten-year mark. You have 60's-born gen xers, and 70's-early 80's borngen xers, and even though we are similar, there was also a lot that was radically different. You could literally have an 18 year span between the oldest and the youngest gen xers, and they think we all (with regard to culture and mindset) belong in the same generation??
The many things I had or used throughout the years, 8-track tapes/players, records/players, Walkman cassettes/players, CDs/players, Mp3 players, Intellevision video game systems, Atari 2600 game systems, Nintendo, Sega Genesis, PlayStation, X-box, Typewriting class in junior high, which were replaced with the early computers that had black screens with green letters and used the big floppy discs, Seen the birth of MTV (when it was still a music channel), the show Radio 1990, the forerunner before MTV, 1970s and 80s, the best cartoons were made in those years, classic heavy metal still my favorite to this day, you spoke what was on your mind and didn't care what anyone else thought, used to watch movies on Beta-max the forerunner to the VHS, then DVDs, Blu-ray, rise of the internet, birth of the digital age and information age, rise of social media, big bulky heavy TVs to the light weight flat screen TVs, the emergence of cell phones and the technological changes and advances to them over the years,virtual reality, so much has changed over the past 45 years that it boggles the mind.
Wait a minute how the HELL did we come of age when Water Gate and Vietnam happened? Some of us were babies, kids and some not even born yet. I was born in 67 how the HELL did I come of age when that shit happened?
Every time I see a GenX article, they mention these things. But given that the average GenXer was born in 1973, these historic events were way too early. And they may remember the Berlin Wall falling clearly, that doesn't necessarily mean it impacted them in a way that it would have impacted an adult at the time.
@@istvanpraha yeah, I was a teen watching it fall, and knew what it represented, but it's not like I had witnessed 30 years of Communism ending, I only saw about half that ending.
there is something special about us. not saying that because i am one. but i have lived through enough to be able to speak with authority on what that special is. if you are anything like me, the thing that really grinds our gears is conformity. boomers need to have a master to exist. they need an authority directing them. we have to watch these old men (who will not retire) hold top positions who show not an ounce of backbone. they almost get off on being whipping-boys for an owner of a company. it is sickening and maddening to us. i have a great deal of compassion for boomers outwardly but on the inside - i am boiling and spitting sideways in disrespect at their wimpy, wormy ways. the gens under us havent lived long enough to find themselves so a full breakdown isnt quite ready. however, keep in mind, the gens under us will be the first ones to not have much interaction with boomers, which is a great thing. i have nothing but contempt for the 65 and over crowd. i think they are the most self-centered, wimpy spoiled rotten generation that ever existed.
Gen Xer here. I'm not bull shitting when I say that MTV had ZERO impact on my life or "culture". AND I'm a musician! The "Walkman" and the "Compact Disc" (and later MiniDisc) were WAY more valuable to my music experience. YMMV. 🤷♂️
Why remain loyal to an employer when they are't the slightest committed to their employees? So when you describe loyalty you fail to broaden the comment that many employers really don't invest in their employees on a whole. They're more consumed with just profitability...they fail to understand that their profitability is driven by their employees. As a Gen X'er myself and have went through close to if not over a dozen jobs is because we want to be loyal to an employer but many times we have the ability and foresight through observation to tend not to waste our time wasting 5 years in a company that's not loyal to their employees? We look how senior employees are treated and their development and tenure and use projection to come to a faster conclusion than others. Too many people play the loyalty game and honestly waste years in a dead end job because they're complacent and comfortable. Employer appreciation and the development of their subordinates defines the level of our loyalty and length of our tenure.
X-er here too...the damned traditionalist is worse than the boomer or millennial... I love our generation as we are not communally dependent or codependent ( the better word).
I'm a Millenial that works with a lot of Gen X and I agree with this video. I'm a leader at my facility that is pretty much a middleman for production employees and upper management. The thing about Gen X being cynical, pessimistic, and not wanting to be micro-managed is dead on. I also found that they show a lot of these negative traits the most in group settings (production meetings, etc). One thing I found about Gen X leadership is a lot of the time they challenge something, they are not trying to find the best solution, they are just trying to win an argument and feel in control. Most of them are an absolute nightmare to try and facilitate in a meeting. However, there is a lot of positives with Gen X. When push comes to shove, they are the ones who get things done, and they almost always meet expectations. The smart-mouth comments and lack of respect are usually done in a meeting, but out on the floor where it matters most, they take the lead and rise above expectations. Also, how Baby boomers are mechanical minded and Millenials understand technology, Gen X is both. They can learn how to operate a machine that has mechanical as well as technological functions. A lot of peer pressure and pride, but for the most part, good to work with. Just my two cents.
Well played. GenX may be a little surly at times but understand that we took the brunt of the Boomer abusive household. We did what we could to guard the next generations from Boomer abuse and it just took a massive toll on us. We're exhausted from dealing with these vampires and it took a lot of effort to work through the psychological abuse we grew up with, this was far more damaging than the physical abuse. We may even be short with others at times it's true, again many of us grew up in on roller coaster of demeaning and horrific behavior. We had "parents" who did not give a fuck about having children other than to own something that can make them look good in other's eyes. Fucked up way to grow up, knowing that and living it. That said, I think if you have a beer with GenX you will find them to be pretty open, accepting and adaptable. There are some who bought right into their parents boomer nightmare and are simply repeating that insanity, but normally we refuse to be the cunts our parents were. At least we're trying and conscious about getting old with grace and respect for others while boomers have no use for normal social behavior, they tend to insult and scream by default, ha ha! We're far closer in mindset to your generation- we actually have a sense of humor -and aren't full blown control Nazis. We really just want to rock out without all the drama bullshit. We don't need medals or constant adulation we just want to get work done and have our time away from drama filled work environments and such. There is nothing that Led Zeppelin, a phatty and a cold beer can't fix, we are fucking living proof of that! We have your back in terms of deflecting boomer madness, we know these monsters best. Be careful playing with demons, they are dangerous and clever, eh? Cheers, Dude.
+cappygolucky Did you know they found Christa McAuliffe's shampoo on the Florida beach? Head and shoulders. 1975 GenX'er response.I pledge allegiance to the flagThat Michael Jackson is a f*g (don't want to trigger any gen Y's reading this)Pepsi cola burned him upSo now he's drinking 7'up
lol... Parents divorced in 1977, was a latchkey kid and raised myself more than my parents ever did. I've had a several changes in the direction I taken over the years. Retired from the military. Didn't have kids until my mid 30's and I've owned/own a few business. I own a few houses and plan to leave a legacy for my daughter and our future generations.
We saw a lot of technological advancements, but really as adults, the 70's and 80's were still heavily analog, and used a lot of floppies and DOS. The computer was still heavily pricey, so many places had to share a single one, and if you were new in the office, you'd be stuck being the one to do it by hand as the seniors got to use the new computer. Don't act like we saw the digital boom of the 2000's growing up, we grew up in the 70's and 80's before the mainstream of the WWW, computers, cell phones, etc, etc.
Gen Xer born in 1970. Xers are independant , we are strong and have a better work ethic than generations after us. We don't cry or bitch about what we think we are owed but make our money by hard work and being smarter .
Gen X here. My parents were divorced in the early 80s and no cussin in rap songs. Big hair, fanny packs was in style, dad showed me how to record from the radio on dual cassettes tapes. First beeper, first PS1 in 1996, and my first job under the beginning of Clinton era. No cops trippin on litter or open beer cans. No security guards in fast food places. More skating rings and drive inn movie theatres and the British invasion in the early 80s of pop music. Save By The Bell and Fresh Prince was the most watch shows for me. Looney Tunes was Saturday morning thing right along with Thundercats, Transfomers and He Man
As a Gen X participant with ties to the U.S. Armed Forces, I experienced a different set of events than those in civilian communities. Our senses of patriotism, loyalty and optimism often led to rejection (but we tended to end up as leaders in the business world).
+Arachnoscribe Yep, again...we know better than to adhere to codependent structure and do it so blindly...we know how to 'man' our own ships...other generations hate us b/c they can't pour their social kool aid down our throats( we are the divergent generation) Praise our hero Gordon Gecko).
As a member of this generation, I can agree with most of the traits that get applied to us. Now we are in the middle, between baby boomers and millennials, at times trying to bridge the gap between the two.
I would agree with the technology aspect except for myself I had gotten away from the bulk of it the last 15 yrs due to becoming a truck driver. As much as I thought I knew I have found out I'm way behind.
The birth of Hip Hop and urban culture. Which included Micheal Jackson, Mike Tyson, and Micheal Jordan. The explosion of dance music and the music video. Which gave you MTV , Madonna. Icon TV Shows like Dallas, Cheers, Fresh, Prince , and the Cosby Show.
Gen Xer's got the shaft . We were brought up to work hard and as we did trying to find the place to retire from, between the government and the corporations using taxes and loopholes, we had to deal with the changing of the way we did things. We went from paper invoices to cashless electronic invoicing and going from a live paycheck to direct deposit !? Totally screwed up our finances. On top of that, companies that paid commissions were able to hide the money we made from us and our income got cut not just by that but by the cost of healthcare and the "tax on the rich" which was gladly pawned onto the workers in a lot of different ways. I've seen incomes "look" like you were making more but at the end of the day, the money you had wasn't nowhere close to what you were supposed to be making. The greed is unbelievable and it ruined many hard working professionals !
Loyal, that’s funny, we didn’t stop being loyal. The companies we work for sold us out. No longer can you stay at one company for 30 years and the retire from that company because most companies now go with the cheaper option of a 401k. This made all employees mercenaries because you can take your 401k with you. Get your facts straight.
Actually its the Baby Boomers that are putting Gen-X down. We were the first generation to see them for what they are: greedy, narcissistic, leeches wanting suck the life out of the younger generations. The Millennials are the second generation to see this but only recently became aware of this.
Jude Law it's not. it's usually twenty years which is why I technically count as a gen xer because I was born in 83. most things have it as 20 year spans
I think 63 to 83 is a better model. It doesn't really change the numbers, still a small generation sandwiched between two behemoth generations. I think the 63-83 still puts it at around 53 million, but I'm not positive on those numbers. I was born in 79, and no offense to millennials, but I'm just NOT one.
It should be 1961 to 1976. The "teens of the 80's" as they call them. If you started your teens by Dec 31, 1989, you're Gen X. Otherwise, you're Gen Y (Millennial). Short, yes, but it's also 15 years, and that's enough for a generation (barely, but still)
Uh... Vietnam and Watergate happened? Technically perhaps, my uncle came home from Vietnam when I was 3 (I was born in 1970). I don't think I or any of my friends (fellow X ers of course) identify with those events. Desert Storm, yes. Vietnam... Not really a Gen X event. Thank you for confirming how truly useless the opinions of Millennials are. The premise that Millennials will have to "leap frog " over us into leadership roles is laughable and yet so millennial. The trouble with Millennials is your self esteem is way up here and your actual ability to make shit happen (the physical process of moving something from idea to reality) is way down there. You think way too much of yourselves.
Were the generation that saw thru the fashad.when the poor didnt have we invented.when we couldnt afford equipment we invented beat boxing.corporations jumped on it to capitalize but they couldnt copyright so they made it opsolete.so we created hip hop fashion the coroorations copied and called it urban fashon. Break dancing became urban modern thru the power of advertising pumped on tv 24/7 the originators fell to the curb and corporate crooks wait on the next best thing we can invent to capitalize on.since we peaked in 94 the corporations just tweeked what they had over and over again same hat diffrent logo.the 90s was not what i can invent but what fashon i can buy.Now you got the generation of the super consumer jordan was a shoe in the 80s it was a brand in the 90s in 2000 all Nike sports clothes uniforms swim trunks is jump man jordan logo.it can be the new rudy gay shoes with the jump man logo thou.we stop inventing and just kept re-printing.the 90s kids just re market what they had nothing new so when their world peaked they have to do what they dont know how...invent.no radio shack for a part its broke buy another.out dated buy the latest one of the same thing sleek advertising creates the illusion of new and corporations bury the originals with name labels retro or old school.okay then without help lets see what you got.
It takes 5 to 7 of you to replace me, I've been cleaning up boomer mistakes my entire career. And no, I will not train you to be my boss! Before you die angry, learn how to use common hand tools, common sense, and do try to use simile properly.
Gen X here. My parents were divorced in the early 80s and no cussin in rap songs. Big hair, fanny packs was in style, dad showed me how to record from the radio on dual cassettes tapes. First beeper, first PS1 in 1996, and my first job under the beginning of Clinton era. No cops trippin on litter or open beer cans. No security guards in fast food places. More skating rings and drive inn movie theatres and the British invasion in the early 80s of pop music. Save By The Bell and Fresh Prince was the most watch shows for me. Looney Tunes was Saturday morning thing right along with Thundercats, Transfomers and He Man. We had no worries and turned out to be great entrepreneurs in the business world.
You have it a little backwards. Gen Xers were the first generation that had to live through corporations that felt workers were throw away. The elimination of retirement plans, the ROI for shareholder meaning more then the workforce. Boomers put their own wants above the needs of the next. It also was the first generation that required a university education just to get an interview for a clerk job.
"The first generation that required a university education just to get an interview for a clerk job." Yes, that's exactly what I discovered after graduating college in 1988. However, the job listings also included this little gem: "Women and minorities are encouraged to apply." This meant that I not only had to have a bachelor's degree (which I did), I also had to be a woman or "person of color" to get the job. I couldn't meet these requirements, and therefore I never even got the interview. Thus you have the origins of the cynical Gen Xer.
I'm with this guy. Companies grew and dried up around us. It's a cycle that gets a little tiresome even for a thick head like me.
I agree with both of you. I left college and started my own business. I have been self employed since '85.
@@mcgoodle You know dude, this country sucks, but it's not the fault of women or minorities. Unregulated capitalism is the problem, and a person saying spiteful, bigoted shit only contributes to the problem. The rich love to hear that shit. They know it keeps us divided.
@@mcgoodle Well, as a woman working as the only woman on many teams, I assure you that you guys had no problems getting a job. Go cry somewhere else, you millenial wannabe.
The reason why many Gen-Xr's are not loyal to any employer is not because we are cynical, bitter, or grew up in a time of economic hardship and social instability in the U.S. It is because we are smart enough and realistic enough to know that no employer is worthy of our loyalty. But in the defense of the employer, most of us know and even understand that employers have to put the best interest of the company/shareholders ahead of any employee loyalty.
See we know it's all a load of bullshit.
When we were born the tax system was designed to give breaks to corporations for what they paid workers, American workers only. The 80s started a major change that has screwed workers for stock buy backs. We have been given no loyalty in the workforce so we give none. Show me the money or I will move on. I'm a tech guy and I have worked for 3 companies for 5 year runs but worked for another 12 or so part time or as a short term contractor.
Why should we be loyal when companies obviously care more about cut backs, merging and making the stock holders more money than having loyal employees who feel appreciated?
alleycatalog awareness speaking 👌
Damn right.
As a Gen X'er why do companies have to coddle you? If you want to feel appreciated then buy a dog. Work is work. Either show up on time, or don't.
Mike Crawford i don't think that "appreciated" and "coddled" mean the same thing. let's check a thesaurus, eh?
Soo true
"Don't remain loyal to organizations?" ?!?! Find us organizations that are worth being loyal to. Loyalty is something that has to be earned- not an inherent right just for being "The Employer." If companies want Gen X to give more of themselves, then they need to be worth giving to. Especially when it comes to our loyalty. Otherwise, expect us to come in, do the job, collect the check, and walk out the door right on time.
Damn right, preach it loud.
Companies have to earn my loyalty or they can just as easily kiss my ass.
You nailed it! If anyone want to be blindly loyal to a company, let them and may they get (or more often the case, not get) what they deserve. If I have to give my loyalty, it would be given to the work my employer gave me; not to the employer that gave the work.
Damn right.
That’s exactly what I was thinking.
Damn Right!!!
I’m a gen x and I’ve always been loyal to my employers. Sometimes the employers aren’t very loyal to their employees.
dreamweaver1603 bottom line always comes first I stopped expecting lifetime employment. That is for boomers.
Genx is loyal as f@ck until they hear some kind of Boomer abuse red flag. Then you will be left wondering: "where the fuck did they go?" We've done our sentence with the Boomers, time served.
Generation x right here.Live through records,cassette tapes and VCRs and early PCs.Grew up with only four channels and cable and the big c-band satellite dishes.Lived through the Ford,Carter,Reagan,Bush senior,Clinton,Bush junior,and Obama administration.I was born in 1976.
+Malisa Hayes "You'll know it's time to turn the page, when you hear this sound....Biiiiiing"...
Same here, PISCES/DRAGON of🔥(March 17th 1976). I remember the BIG BOY was before the BIG MAC.
Yeah I'm 79 technically the last year of Gen X.
that's the last year of us X'ers as the Millennials were the teens of the 90's onward. If your teen years weren't started by Dec 31, 1989, you're a Millennial who graduated college post Y2K, and the technological era.
1966 here....OG GenXer. I lived through Presidents LBJ through...(obviously) Our current clown Biden. My first vote was Reagan in '84
Make America GenX again!
Xers are the transitional generation that grew up without technology in their faces all the time, were the last gen to be active and outside still, were more free in society as a whole as not everyone was offended, were the first gen to heavily see families break apart and dissolve, networking face to face was how you got things done, to all of a sudden land into adulthood where technology boomed, there were cameras everywhere, a group offended on every corner. So they had to adjust to all of this in what's already a huge adjustment period into the world. They were NOT prepped in adolescence for this culture at all. But they're bright and constantly look at things from two different perspectives as they watched the world change with a young mind. Definitely the chameleons that bridge millennials to the boomers.
Gen X here. My parents were divorced in the early 80s and no cussin in rap songs. Big hair, fanny packs was in style, dad showed me how to record from the radio on dual cassettes tapes. First beeper, first PS1 in 1996, and my first job under the beginning of Clinton era. No cops trippin on litter or open beer cans. No security guards in fast food places. More skating rings and drive inn movie theatres and the British invasion in the early 80s of pop music. Save By The Bell and Fresh Prince was the most watch shows for me. Looney Tunes was Saturday morning thing right along with Thundercats, Transfomers and He Man. We had no worries and turned out to be great entrepreneurs in the business world.
Xers are the first generation to have to spend a lot of time alone because of both parents having to work, or from being from a divorced home(like half of Xers). At least Millennials never felt lonely, because they had social media. This is why we prefer working alone and tend to be introverts. This also may explain why we are ignored by the media - we're gonna rule the world if the Boomers ever retire, so let's speak up!
astateplayer1 I agree they're definitely more individualistic and excel independently. They're either amazing at bridging the generational gap with boomers and millennials, or tend to land more on the boomer scale culturally. They're also more grounded and seek less attention than millennials. I wish the boomers would have cranked out more kids because I honestly see Xers as being the balance in today's society and keeping eccentricity, pretentiousness and materialism checked and at bay. The boomers were eccentric, and the millennials are equally lunatics. Having either in power doesn't play out well.
I beg to differ. Millenials (my generation) are antisocial as hell compared to gen Xers. We go to clubs, bars, and social gatherings, statistically much LESS than any other generation (except maybe Gen Z), this is because of our "I'd rather pop a Xanax for my crippling anxiety and Netflix & Chill instead of attempt to have a social life" mentality. We travel less and we would rather spend our money on technology than experiences. This is all because we are addicted to streaming and the internet and it makes so many of us awkward and antisocial.
However, I will say that we are still friendly to customers and coworkers in the workforce. Xers tend to be absent-minded in the workforce (from my experience) , and boomers are just flat out fucking cunts to coworkers yet overly friendly (fake) with customers.
astateplayer1 this is also why most of us Gen X ers (I'm 43) are Libertarians/ Anarcho Capitalists.. Regardless, perhaps the world & our country will Awake from its deep slumber, before it's demise...
redcanasta boomers gambling away there pensions, while preaching socialist ideologies & promoting a welfare state..yeah that's part of the problem..even worse the boomers that are Republicans & promote "Cronnie Capitalism" (btw which has nothing to do with free markets, or free trade) & are utter war mongers gambling there pensions on Halberton & Other Defense Contractors...George Carlin said it best "Its all Bullshit & it's Bad for Ya"
I don’t think Gen X has a lot of introverts. We are the generation that had to entertain ourselves, find other kids to play with, and still got to go outside to play unattended. I remember moving a lot because my mom was a single parent and renter. I went to five different elementary schools, two junior highs, and two high schools. I managed to make friends everywhere we moved. I remember my mom making me go outside one Saturday right after a move, and I complained that I didn’t have any friends to play with. She told me to go knock on doors and find friends, which I did. I was in 1st grade. I guess that was good training for Life.
I was born in 1968, so am an older gen x.
We're cynical because most of us had siblings who were BB and we watched that spoiled bratty,whiney generation complain and never be satisfied.But,I know this is about work and so I won't be real mean.But I disagree with you about not sticking to things.We are the most mature and stand alone and NOT have to be told and controlled by others unlike the BB who have to control EVERYTHING!
+spicey1 You know, they seriously need to start defining generations by a ten-year mark. You have 60's-born gen xers, and 70's-early 80's borngen xers, and even though we are similar, there was also a lot that was radically different. You could literally have an 18 year span between the oldest and the youngest gen xers, and they think we all (with regard to culture and mindset) belong in the same generation??
The many things I had or used throughout the years, 8-track tapes/players, records/players, Walkman cassettes/players, CDs/players, Mp3 players, Intellevision video game systems, Atari 2600 game systems, Nintendo, Sega Genesis, PlayStation, X-box, Typewriting class in junior high, which were replaced with the early computers that had black screens with green letters and used the big floppy discs, Seen the birth of MTV (when it was still a music channel), the show Radio 1990, the forerunner before MTV, 1970s and 80s, the best cartoons were made in those years, classic heavy metal still my favorite to this day, you spoke what was on your mind and didn't care what anyone else thought, used to watch movies on Beta-max the forerunner to the VHS, then DVDs, Blu-ray, rise of the internet, birth of the digital age and information age, rise of social media, big bulky heavy TVs to the light weight flat screen TVs, the emergence of cell phones and the technological changes and advances to them over the years,virtual reality, so much has changed over the past 45 years that it boggles the mind.
Randy Woodworth all the above.
Wait a minute how the HELL did we come of age when Water Gate and Vietnam happened? Some of us were babies, kids and some not even born yet. I was born in 67 how the HELL did I come of age when that shit happened?
Every time I see a GenX article, they mention these things. But given that the average GenXer was born in 1973, these historic events were way too early. And they may remember the Berlin Wall falling clearly, that doesn't necessarily mean it impacted them in a way that it would have impacted an adult at the time.
@@istvanpraha yeah, I was a teen watching it fall, and knew what it represented, but it's not like I had witnessed 30 years of Communism ending, I only saw about half that ending.
I'm a Gen X. Our loyalty and respect is not easily earned.
Very few are worthy of it.
If you haven't earned it, you won't get it.
Simple as that.
there is something special about us. not saying that because i am one. but i have lived through enough to be able to speak with authority on what that special is. if you are anything like me, the thing that really grinds our gears is conformity. boomers need to have a master to exist. they need an authority directing them. we have to watch these old men (who will not retire) hold top positions who show not an ounce of backbone. they almost get off on being whipping-boys for an owner of a company. it is sickening and maddening to us. i have a great deal of compassion for boomers outwardly but on the inside - i am boiling and spitting sideways in disrespect at their wimpy, wormy ways.
the gens under us havent lived long enough to find themselves so a full breakdown isnt quite ready. however, keep in mind, the gens under us will be the first ones to not have much interaction with boomers, which is a great thing.
i have nothing but contempt for the 65 and over crowd. i think they are the most self-centered, wimpy spoiled rotten generation that ever existed.
Gen Xer here. I'm not bull shitting when I say that MTV had ZERO impact on my life or "culture". AND I'm a musician! The "Walkman" and the "Compact Disc" (and later MiniDisc) were WAY more valuable to my music experience. YMMV. 🤷♂️
Gen Xer right here. I was born in 1971
Born in1969 so I know what you are saying!
Me to. Everything seemed very dusty and dirty😃 1971
Born in 1970 myself.
Born in 1967, consequently a Gen-X'er. The Gen-X characteristics are totally me.
Why remain loyal to an employer when they are't the slightest committed to their employees? So when you describe loyalty you fail to broaden the comment that many employers really don't invest in their employees on a whole. They're more consumed with just profitability...they fail to understand that their profitability is driven by their employees. As a Gen X'er myself and have went through close to if not over a dozen jobs is because we want to be loyal to an employer but many times we have the ability and foresight through observation to tend not to waste our time wasting 5 years in a company that's not loyal to their employees? We look how senior employees are treated and their development and tenure and use projection to come to a faster conclusion than others. Too many people play the loyalty game and honestly waste years in a dead end job because they're complacent and comfortable. Employer appreciation and the development of their subordinates defines the level of our loyalty and length of our tenure.
X-er here too...the damned traditionalist is worse than the boomer or millennial... I love our generation as we are not communally dependent or codependent ( the better word).
I'm a Millenial that works with a lot of Gen X and I agree with this video. I'm a leader at my facility that is pretty much a middleman for production employees and upper management. The thing about Gen X being cynical, pessimistic, and not wanting to be micro-managed is dead on. I also found that they show a lot of these negative traits the most in group settings (production meetings, etc). One thing I found about Gen X leadership is a lot of the time they challenge something, they are not trying to find the best solution, they are just trying to win an argument and feel in control. Most of them are an absolute nightmare to try and facilitate in a meeting. However, there is a lot of positives with Gen X. When push comes to shove, they are the ones who get things done, and they almost always meet expectations. The smart-mouth comments and lack of respect are usually done in a meeting, but out on the floor where it matters most, they take the lead and rise above expectations. Also, how Baby boomers are mechanical minded and Millenials understand technology, Gen X is both. They can learn how to operate a machine that has mechanical as well as technological functions. A lot of peer pressure and pride, but for the most part, good to work with. Just my two cents.
Well played. GenX may be a little surly at times but understand that we took the brunt of the Boomer abusive household. We did what we could to guard the next generations from Boomer abuse and it just took a massive toll on us. We're exhausted from dealing with these vampires and it took a lot of effort to work through the psychological abuse we grew up with, this was far more damaging than the physical abuse. We may even be short with others at times it's true, again many of us grew up in on roller coaster of demeaning and horrific behavior. We had "parents" who did not give a fuck about having children other than to own something that can make them look good in other's eyes. Fucked up way to grow up, knowing that and living it. That said, I think if you have a beer with GenX you will find them to be pretty open, accepting and adaptable. There are some who bought right into their parents boomer nightmare and are simply repeating that insanity, but normally we refuse to be the cunts our parents were. At least we're trying and conscious about getting old with grace and respect for others while boomers have no use for normal social behavior, they tend to insult and scream by default, ha ha! We're far closer in mindset to your generation- we actually have a sense of humor -and aren't full blown control Nazis. We really just want to rock out without all the drama bullshit. We don't need medals or constant adulation we just want to get work done and have our time away from drama filled work environments and such. There is nothing that Led Zeppelin, a phatty and a cold beer can't fix, we are fucking living proof of that! We have your back in terms of deflecting boomer madness, we know these monsters best. Be careful playing with demons, they are dangerous and clever, eh? Cheers, Dude.
That woman teacher who died in the space shuttle disaster was my hero, Christine what's her name. 1975 gen xer here.
+cappygolucky Did you know they found Christa McAuliffe's shampoo on the Florida beach? Head and shoulders. 1975 GenX'er response.I pledge allegiance to the flagThat Michael Jackson is a f*g (don't want to trigger any gen Y's reading this)Pepsi cola burned him upSo now he's drinking 7'up
+cappygolucky CHRISTA MCCULLOUGH CHALLENGER 1986.
What do you call Michael Jackson and Boy George in a sleeping bag rolling down a hill.
Fruit Roll Up.
Born in '75, also. I'll never forget that day.
lol... Parents divorced in 1977, was a latchkey kid and raised myself more than my parents ever did. I've had a several changes in the direction I taken over the years. Retired from the military. Didn't have kids until my mid 30's and I've owned/own a few business. I own a few houses and plan to leave a legacy for my daughter and our future generations.
StirCrazy Stereotypical Generation Xer. You're like "F@$@! it, it's me against the world and I'll do it all myself!"
We saw a lot of technological advancements, but really as adults, the 70's and 80's were still heavily analog, and used a lot of floppies and DOS. The computer was still heavily pricey, so many places had to share a single one, and if you were new in the office, you'd be stuck being the one to do it by hand as the seniors got to use the new computer. Don't act like we saw the digital boom of the 2000's growing up, we grew up in the 70's and 80's before the mainstream of the WWW, computers, cell phones, etc, etc.
Gen Xer born in 1970. Xers are independant , we are strong and have a better work ethic than generations after us. We don't cry or bitch about what we think we are owed but make our money by hard work and being smarter .
Also 70 so true never bitch get paid and do a good job and you Will get more Jobs and costemers Will hire you again.
Gen X here. My parents were divorced in the early 80s and no cussin in rap songs. Big hair, fanny packs was in style, dad showed me how to record from the radio on dual cassettes tapes. First beeper, first PS1 in 1996, and my first job under the beginning of Clinton era. No cops trippin on litter or open beer cans. No security guards in fast food places. More skating rings and drive inn movie theatres and the British invasion in the early 80s of pop music. Save By The Bell and Fresh Prince was the most watch shows for me. Looney Tunes was Saturday morning thing right along with Thundercats, Transfomers and He Man
As a Gen X participant with ties to the U.S. Armed Forces, I experienced a different set of events than those in civilian communities. Our senses of patriotism, loyalty and optimism often led to rejection (but we tended to end up as leaders in the business world).
+Arachnoscribe Yep, again...we know better than to adhere to codependent structure and do it so blindly...we know how to 'man' our own ships...other generations hate us b/c they can't pour their social kool aid down our throats( we are the divergent generation)
Praise our hero Gordon Gecko).
She looks like Monica Lewinsky, was that by design?
As a member of this generation, I can agree with most of the traits that get applied to us. Now we are in the middle, between baby boomers and millennials, at times trying to bridge the gap between the two.
Christina Callahan clowns to the left of us, joker's to the right of us.
I would agree with the technology aspect except for myself I had gotten away from the bulk of it the last 15 yrs due to becoming a truck driver. As much as I thought I knew I have found out I'm way behind.
The birth of Hip Hop and urban culture. Which included Micheal Jackson, Mike Tyson, and Micheal Jordan. The explosion of dance music and the music video. Which gave you MTV , Madonna.
Icon TV Shows like Dallas, Cheers, Fresh, Prince , and the Cosby Show.
Gen Xer's got the shaft . We were brought up to work hard and as we did trying to find the place to retire from, between the government and the corporations using taxes and loopholes, we had to deal with the changing of the way we did things.
We went from paper invoices to cashless electronic invoicing and going from a live paycheck to direct deposit !? Totally screwed up our finances.
On top of that, companies that paid commissions were able to hide the money we made from us and our income got cut not just by that but by the cost of healthcare and the "tax on the rich" which was gladly pawned onto the workers in a lot of different ways.
I've seen incomes "look" like you were making more but at the end of the day, the money you had wasn't nowhere close to what you were supposed to be making. The greed is unbelievable and it ruined many hard working professionals !
Loyal, that’s funny, we didn’t stop being loyal. The companies we work for sold us out. No longer can you stay at one company for 30 years and the retire from that company because most companies now go with the cheaper option of a 401k. This made all employees mercenaries because you can take your 401k with you. Get your facts straight.
Generation X is My Generation and Millenials are putting us us us down
Actually its the Baby Boomers that are putting Gen-X down. We were the first generation to see them for what they are: greedy, narcissistic, leeches wanting suck the life out of the younger generations. The Millennials are the second generation to see this but only recently became aware of this.
FreeBird0964 fuck millennials they want my respect they can damn well earn it.
its always like that but the echo boom who follow us or gen y do the know how.
Of course there are fewer when only 10 years spans the generation! How the hell is 1965 to 1975 an entire generation???
Jude Law it's not. it's usually twenty years which is why I technically count as a gen xer because I was born in 83. most things have it as 20 year spans
I think 63 to 83 is a better model. It doesn't really change the numbers, still a small generation sandwiched between two behemoth generations. I think the 63-83 still puts it at around 53 million, but I'm not positive on those numbers. I was born in 79, and no offense to millennials, but I'm just NOT one.
It should be 1961 to 1976. The "teens of the 80's" as they call them. If you started your teens by Dec 31, 1989, you're Gen X. Otherwise, you're Gen Y (Millennial). Short, yes, but it's also 15 years, and that's enough for a generation (barely, but still)
We had heroes. Kurt Cobain, Tupac, Biggie, etc.
Flint, Optimus Prime, Lion-O
It also comes as no surprise that GenX invented the FIRE movement.
My mom and dad were born in 1965, is this considered an Xer or not? My dad doesn't act like a true x
+jmoneymaker 97 Generation X began with those born in 1965.BB was from 1946-1964.
Yes 1965 is consider a Gen Xer
jhumenik97 they have more in common with baby boomers
They were on the cusp. Some went down the dark path to Boomerdom, the good ones did not.
Be nice to see someone instead of a blacked out screen 😞
Uh... Vietnam and Watergate happened? Technically perhaps, my uncle came home from Vietnam when I was 3 (I was born in 1970). I don't think I or any of my friends (fellow X ers of course) identify with those events. Desert Storm, yes. Vietnam... Not really a Gen X event. Thank you for confirming how truly useless the opinions of Millennials are. The premise that Millennials will have to "leap frog " over us into leadership roles is laughable and yet so millennial. The trouble with Millennials is your self esteem is way up here and your actual ability to make shit happen (the physical process of moving something from idea to reality) is way down there. You think way too much of yourselves.
Were the generation that saw thru the fashad.when the poor didnt have we invented.when we couldnt afford equipment we invented beat boxing.corporations jumped on it to capitalize but they couldnt copyright so they made it opsolete.so we created hip hop fashion the coroorations copied and called it urban fashon. Break dancing became urban modern thru the power of advertising pumped on tv 24/7 the originators fell to the curb and corporate crooks wait on the next best thing we can invent to capitalize on.since we peaked in 94 the corporations just tweeked what they had over and over again same hat diffrent logo.the 90s was not what i can invent but what fashon i can buy.Now you got the generation of the super consumer jordan was a shoe in the 80s it was a brand in the 90s in 2000 all Nike sports clothes uniforms swim trunks is jump man jordan logo.it can be the new rudy gay shoes with the jump man logo thou.we stop inventing and just kept re-printing.the 90s kids just re market what they had nothing new so when their world peaked they have to do what they dont know how...invent.no radio shack for a part its broke buy another.out dated buy the latest one of the same thing sleek advertising creates the illusion of new and corporations bury the originals with name labels retro or old school.okay then without help lets see what you got.
Yea, whatever…
Generation Y are Millenials.
It's odd that people actually get payed to do her job, speak about obvious things ?!
It takes 5 to 7 of you to replace me, I've been cleaning up boomer mistakes my entire career. And no, I will not train you to be my boss!
Before you die angry, learn how to use common hand tools, common sense, and do try to use simile properly.
I'm gen x and can say that this is pretty accurate
1964-1981 birth years
Don't remain loyal? Wow...way to get your stereotypes WAY WRONG! Gen Xer here and you are way off the mark with your stereotypes!
1972
This lady is wrong on all levels!
U know nothing about gen x
1967 gen x. Been with the same company for 37 years next month. 🤔.
Most inaccurate video I've seen on gen x ever.
Bad and misleading presentation.
Gen X here. My parents were divorced in the early 80s and no cussin in rap songs. Big hair, fanny packs was in style, dad showed me how to record from the radio on dual cassettes tapes. First beeper, first PS1 in 1996, and my first job under the beginning of Clinton era. No cops trippin on litter or open beer cans. No security guards in fast food places. More skating rings and drive inn movie theatres and the British invasion in the early 80s of pop music. Save By The Bell and Fresh Prince was the most watch shows for me. Looney Tunes was Saturday morning thing right along with Thundercats, Transfomers and He Man. We had no worries and turned out to be great entrepreneurs in the business world.