GenX is arguably the first one to show compassion as a generation. Previous generations were about getting theirs, conforming, or dealing with war. GenX is the first one to consciously reject parts of popular culture, the first to become aware of (i.e. the knowledge went beyond scientists) larger issues and care about them beyond how it affected us directly – we cared and fought about AIDS, pollution, whales, Mexican immigrants, gay rights, non-traditional families, etc.
We were the first ones with extreme forms of music save for a few exceptions like Black Sabbath which were earlier. But we made all the really hardcore forms of everything, punk, metal, techno, etc.
We’re the ones who took computer technology from esoteric to everyday and actually knows how it works. People talk about how younger generations are the computer literate ones, but in actuality except for the Linux nerds they are only literate in UIs for apps.
Lol, like the 60s counterculture movement (primarily boomers since Xers weren’t even born til '65) never happened. You had real communes forming in major cities and an organized rejection of work and capitalism that Gen Xers never even came close to putting together. Show me one GenX movement that truly threatened capitalism the way that Haight-Ashbury did in the 60s.
Instead, GenX allowed capitalism to subsume anticapitalism itself. Wannabe hippies bought their tie-dye from all the old spots, bought their folk and psych music from the old labels, and made the movement into an aesthetic that the old guard profited from. Don’t “greatest generation” that BS.
And obviously don’t idolize boomers either. Not like their efforts or outlook were perfect or they didn’t fuel the downfall of anticapitalism either, but you just can’t say that X did anything more significant or novel than the cultural revolution of the 60s.
the effects and reach of the hippie movement are greatly exaggerated for effect, and most of those folks rejoined society and put on their suit and tie once the acid wore off.
and genX never allowed shit, and neither did we get shit done. we are always as a group outnumbered and outgunned by the generation before us, and the generation after us.
so yeah, we’ve been unable to effect change, and that’s why we are jaded af, and are just tired of giving a shit.
I do what I can in the community I’m in, and that’s that
edit. grammer
I wasn’t talking about threatening capitalism exactly, but ya you got a point. Some past generations had their cool ones too.
The lack of impact from GenX is mostly due to it’s relative size. For us to have the impact of other generations we’d have to be 5x more radical then them.
There were ~71 million boomers.
There were ~65 million Gen X.
There are ~72 million millennials.
Interesting, fine I recant
Yeah tail end Xer here. I was into punk postpunk and goth. Industrial and every genera that diverged from them. And while they were a product of gen X. You’re right that every generation had similar in recent history. And I remembered always being outside the mainstream for liking those genera. I remember people scoffing when punkers pointed out the fact that Reagan/Thatcher were fascist or at least proto fascist. But the punks were right.
There’s a reason young prepy Reaganite fash were a huge pop culture genx trope back then. Gen x has always largely been disengaged from politics outside of the Reaganite fash. Not saying that there weren’t others outside the fash. But they were very much outliers and exceptions. Millennials and gen Z generally dwarf Gen X on political activism and engagement.
Man I wish ai looked as young as the guy in the thumbnail.
