The US Census considers middle age to be 55-65, and Merriam-Webster defines it as 45-64. The American Psychological Association calls ages 36-64, “middle adulthood”, and age 65 and beyond, “later adulthood.” “Later adulthood” is sometimes subdivided into “young-old” (65-74), “old-old” (75-84), and oldest old (85+).
Gen Xers…For those of us born between 1965 – 1980, we’re the meat in the Boomer-Millennial sandwich. Yum.
There are several cool things about the “Like a virgin” generation that shaped who we are. With only 65 million Gen Xers in comparison to 75 million Boomers and 83 million Millennials, we are part of what has been called the “Forgotten Generation” and “America’s Middle Child”. We are the Jan Brady of the generation wars (Marcia, Marcia, Marcia). We came to adulthood in the 90’s, and we knew how to rock combat boots, slip dresses, flannels and Doc Martins… before they were cool.
Some terms and pop culture influences for Gen Xers include…
Latch Key Kids
We Gen Xers came up when divorce and two-income households were rising in numbers. A hands-off upbringing makes our generation of women decidedly independent and able to figure things out for ourselves. Helicopter parenting…snowplow parenting…not terms that the Gen X woman understands. We could watch Saved by the Bell and microwave our own dinners, no sweat. No Life 360.
MTV Generation
MTV hit the scene in 1981, and we Gen Xers ate it up. It was cutting edge and influenced our music consumption, fashion, lifestyle, culture and even politics. It was Money for Nothing, Chicks for Free…one thing was for sure…we wanted our MTV.
Tabitha Soren
Speaking of MTV…tune in and you were bound to get some of your news from Tabitha Soren. At the age of 23, she was the face of MTV’s Choose or Lose campaign, which focused on encouraging young adults to vote. She interviewed Hillary Clinton, Anita Hill and Yasser Arafat, among others. A young woman busting through stereotypes and glass ceilings (*boom*).
Tech Boom, Schmeck Boom
We knew life before and after the tech boom and have a full understanding of both digital and analog life. And Atari. We played pong life a mother-trucker.
Pop Culture
What were Gen Xers reading? Elizabeth Wurtzel’s bestseller Prozac Nation explored her own life as a depressive and questioned why so many of her generation needed antidepressants anyway.
For better or worse, we learned about dating and marriage from The Rules.
And, of course, there was Generation X, Douglas Coupland’s 1991 novel that basically named the generation with its sarcastic and often pessimistic take on American culture.
Reality Bites…A touchstone for Gen Xers…dealt with AIDS, coming out and selling out and the struggles of young adults in the 1990’s.
Gen Xers grew up watching the Brat Pack. The films of John Hughes captured the awkward longings of suburban youth.
Molly Ringwald became a teen icon thanks to The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink.
Gen X was lucky to have also witnessed a black filmmaking renaissance. Mainstream movies finally started to reflect a variety of black lives, from the streets of Crenshaw in Boyz ‘n the Hood to the poetic romance of Love Jones.
Ah, the forgotten generation…maybe not so forgotten after all.
There’s something to be said for new ways of thinking and the energy and zeal of youth, but there’s also something to be said for experience.
Gen Xers have both.