I’m a Gen Xer, and like a Seattle Mariners fan, I’ve come to accept that, even though we’re here slugging away, we’re usually just not a part of the conversation. We just don’t get the same amount of attention as the larger cohorts boomers and millennials—but we also just don’t really care, which is pretty much our whole sour grapes vibe. Whatever. If you’re between the ages of 45 and 60, you might like me wear that Gen X badge with secret pride (or indifference…up to you)—because Gen Xers have plenty of appealing traits.
Of course, no two Gen Xers are exactly alike, but chances are that if you can name every member of the brat pack, can remember when the Berlin wall fell and feel nostalgic for the good old days of MTV and VH1 (i.e., if you came into adulthood in the ‘90s), then you’ll identify with at least a couple of these common Gen X characteristics. So put on a mixtape, lace up those combat boots and read on to discover more about this self-reliant and laid-back cohort.
What Is Generation X?
If you were born between the years of 1965 and 1980, congrats: You are the meat in the boomer-millennial sandwich. You also belong to an exclusive group, with only about 65 million Gen Xers around, according to data from the Census Bureau. (This is compared to 75 million boomers and 83 million millennials). Often described as the ‘Forgotten Generation’ and ‘America’s middle child,’ Gen Xers came of age at a time when both divorce and two-income households were increasingly common facts of family life, two factors that undoubtedly impacted our identity.
What Is Gen X known for?
As previously mentioned, the typical family started to look a little different when Generation X came around—namely, more working mothers and higher divorce rates. This in turn led to more latchkey kids (i.e., children hanging out at home without grown-up supervision after school until a parent came back from work). For these reasons, self-reliance, plus a corresponding ability to appreciate our own company, are among Generation X’s most defining traits…but more on that below.
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11 Common Characteristics of Gen X
1. We Are Expert DIY-ers
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Generation X is also called the “Latchkey Generation,” a moniker that gives a nod to our decidedly hands-off upbringing. The end result? An undeniably hands-on approach to problem solving around the house. (Witness Joanna Gaines, born 1978.) Yes, if you belong to Generation X then it probably feels like it was just yesterday that you were learning how to plunge a toilet by trial and error while your mom was at work. (I remember doing this after reading a home-repair book—there was no YouTube to hold my Gen X hand while clutching a plunger!) That sepia-toned memory actually dates back to the 80s, though, and your can-do attitude has been serving you well ever since. That’s right, friends, the famous self-reliance of Gen Xers translates to some serious skills in the DIY department, or at least a whole lot of confidence. (And that’s half the battle, right?) Bottom line: If something breaks down, you can count on the Gen Xer in your life to bust out the tools and start fixing it faster than you can say, “Let’s just buy a new one.”
2. Our Sartorial Style Is Decidedly Dressed-Down
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First wave Gen Xers rebelled against the excessive and flashy 80s by opting for “anti-fashion” staples such as flannel shirts, Doc Martins and oversized sweaters. (Kathryn Hahn, born in 1973, exemplifies this with her comic streetstyle looks in Apple TV+’s The Studio.) Even beauty trends were comparatively pared down, with more natural looks replacing the bright blue eyeshadow of yesteryear. And since we came of age before smartphones hit the scene and social media took the world by storm, the concept of an “influencer” telling me what to wear makes about as much sense as the Friends gang affording their massive New York City apartments. (FYI: Despite its cross-generational popularity, Friends is very much a Gen X TV show.) This uniqueness is one of my favorite Gen X characteristics: We don’t indiscriminately chass the next, hot trend in fashion—we pick and choose which trends to embrace. (That’s my excuse for having a Labubu, anyway.) When deciding what to wear, comfort and individual style tend to be the biggest priorities for this group (think: sensible shoes and ribbed knits). Also, we were rocking combat boots and slip dresses before it was cool—and we’re still too cool to brag about it.
3. We’re Going for a Perfect Work-Life Balance
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There’s a reason why Gen Xers have been dubbed the “work hard, play hard” generation. Gen X childhood coincides with the emergence of the personal computer—a major development that helped individuals from this generation adapt to future technological advancements. That said, the role of technology during the Gen Xers’ formative years was pretty minimal compared to what it was (and continues to be) for millennials. Most importantly, Generation X entered the workforce at a time when technology had not yet made possible the notion of being ‘on call’ 24/7 (sorry, millennials). This reality combined with the experience of growing up with workaholic parents (boomers actually invented the term) who valued company loyalty over all else shaped the priorities of Gen Xers with regard to work-life balance and gave them a leg up on healthy boundary setting. In other words, if you’re off the clock and your boss just sent you an urgent request, you’d be wise to ask yourself what a Gen Xer would do. (Hint: Just say ‘no’ or even go on your own spiritual quest, like 1967-born Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love.)
4. We’re Tech-Savvy, but Not Tech-Dependent
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Just like Gen Xers in the workforce have a different relationship to technology than millennials, the same is true when it comes to their personal lives. Because this group know life before and after the tech boom, they have an excellent understanding of both digital and analog worlds… and are equally comfortable with both. Case in point: While many millennials don’t hesitate to write the next great American novel in a text message, we Gen Xers will pick up the phone and give you a ring. Don’t be fooled, though—the highly adaptable Gen Xer doesn’t have any problem keeping up with current technology, like Gen X actor Joaquin Phoenix did in Her; they’re just not slaves to it and understand the value of ‘unplugging’ from time to time. As such, a Gen Xer is more likely to object to excessive phone use in social settings. In other words, when socializing with a Gen Xer, you may want to consider leaving your iPhone at home before you head out for that restaurant reservation.
5. We’re Fiercely Independent
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We’re touched on this already, but if there’s one defining characteristic of this generation it would be our self-reliance. Helicopter parenting, lawnmower parenting, snowplow parenting…none of these over-involved forms of child-rearing apply to the Gen X generation, many of whom were left to microwave their own dinners and glued to Saved by the Bell for hours after school. As such, there’s no task too great for the critical thinking skills of us highly independent individuals—thinking of you, John Oliver, since your 1977 birth date means you are a Gen Xer. This means you typically won’t find us asking for help until we’ve tried our very best to tackle any given challenge solo. So yeah, Gen X is pretty great at getting stuff done. But let’s not make a big deal out of it, OK?
6. We Like to Learn New Skills
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Due to our independent upbringing and signature self-reliance, Gen Xers tend to be hungry for knowledge and eager to learn new skills. (For example, 50-year-old Drew Barrymore’s career pivot to talk show personality? Priceless.) In fact, a Gen Xer is more likely than most to be a Jack of all trades, from diving into a new digital skill set to taking on a whole new career path. Willing to acquire new tech skills, people skills and management chops, we’re an excellent asset in the workplace.
7. We Prefer a Casual Workplace
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It should come as no surprise that the self-reliant latchkey generation loathes the idea of a stifling workplace and a micromanaging boss. (Think Adam Neumann, shown here at the opening party for a London WeWork. Even though Neumann, born in 1979, has caught flack for some business dealings, he pioneered the concept of the fun co-working space.) Even so, we Gen Xers do have a practical attitude toward work and enjoy task-based projects that make us feel independently productive. In other words, give us a job to do and then back off. (Don’t worry, they will get it done.)
8. We Have a Cynical Streak
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We grew up in the wake of the great untrusting—after government conspiracies such as the Watergate break-in and the Pentagon Papers had tainted the Boomers’ ideas about political realities. Add to that economic recessions of the 70s, 80s and 90s and the relatively hands-off upbringing these latchkey kids experienced as a result might have contributed to the lack of trust in society and independent political leanings that’s been observed among the Gen X population. (Yikes: Fortune reports that a quarter of Boomers and Gen Xers who have been laid off in the last decade are still unemployed—and 11 percent have taken pay cuts to work.)
9. We’re Entrepreneurial
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An important Gen X characteristic to remember is that, professionally speaking, we have always done it our own way. When we were coming up, we got the name “slackers” for the way we thumbed our noses at the boomers’ savings plans and office jobs. That meant we had to be creative in the way we structured our lives, with work serving us and our schedules rather than the other way around. “Work smarter, not harder” is the Gen X goal. (Repeat after me: “So Sharks, I’m offering a 20 percent stake on a capitalization…”)
10. We Have ‘Sandwich Generation’ Challenges
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As a member of the first cohort where it was totally normal for both men and women to have jobs and also have children later in life, and then have parents living decades longer than previous generations, well, we’ve found ourselves stuck in the middle. We’re raising young kids and caring for aging parents at the same time. Oh, and is that my boss texting me while I’m at the appointment to interview a home health aide? Cool, cool. Let’s just say, according to the American Institute of Stress, we’re at a level of anxiety hat’s gone beyond “Calgon, take me away.” (A cultural reference you need to be a Gen Xer to even understand.) We’ve been nicknamed “The Sandwich Generation,” caught as we are between caring for our kids at the same time as our aging parents. (Writer Ada Calhoun says the overwhelming pressure makes this more like “the panini generation.”) In How to Lose Your Mother, 46-year-old author Molly Jong-Fast—shown here as a young adult with her mom—compelling describes how she survived a year in which her famous mother was diagnosed with dementia and her husband was diagnosed with cancer—and a spot on bestseller lists and coast-to-coast crowds of Gen X women at readings show she’s struck a nerve.
11. We’re Nutritionally Sophisticated
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Marketers are targeting Gen X as a fruitful target group for vitamins and supplements, according to SupplySide Supplement Journal. That’s because we are the generation that’s seen our parents age in a sometimes not-so-great way, and want to do it better. We use nutrition as a key plank in our mind-body wellness platform, too. Think of it this way: In the ’50s, food was a way to signal worldliness, sophistication and that you had a wife who could spend a whole day prepping a dinner party. Then, as the young adult Gen Xers began working hard and playing hard and wanting to look good, feel good and stay vital forever, a discourse of food and health began. Today, it seems commonplace that chefs, cookbook writers and cultural influencers discuss healthfulness as a goal of their menus—but it wasn’t always this way. Gen Xers led the charge to using food as a means to feeling better and having more energy without spending a lot of time doing so—just ask 53-year-old cookbook author and media maven Gwyneth Paltrow.
How Is Gen X Different from Millennials?
Gen X had less involved parents, hence the latchkey generation nickname, and are thus thought to be more self-reliant than millennials. That’s not the only difference, though. Gen Xers also have a different attitude towards technology than millennials—namely in that they view it to be an acquired skill as opposed to something essential. Don’t be fooled, Gen Xers are still perfectly tech savvy and are not intimidated by having to learn new technological skills. Also, as previously discussed, we Gen Xers place a higher premium on work-life balance and prefer task-based projects, whereas millennials are more likely to seek work that they find aligns with their belief systems. (Of course, these are all sweeping generalizations and there’s plenty of overlap between the two cohorts as well, so take the differences with a grain of salt.)
How Is Gen X Different from Baby Boomers
Gen X are different from baby boomers in so many ways, depending on how you even compare them, according to author Jean M. Twenge. In her book Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents–And What They Mean for America’s Future, the author crunches government, business and political data to come up with the idea that while boomers grew up with tech like television and home appliances and had time for family, Gen X had by contrast personal computers, latchkey kids and the rise of alternative family structures. Boomers are understandably more tradition-bound—their reality was arguably an upswing of standard of living from previous generations. However, as a Gen Xer, I’m not so secure—the ever-rising tides of changing tech alongside insecure housing and worries about social security (I’m talking the government program and the overall concept) have made me double down on that same attitudes that skeptical grunge kid I was formed in the 90s. Plus ca change!
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