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50 Funny And Relatable Gen X Posts Other Generations Probably Won’t Understand
Isn't it fascinating how we've divided the human timeline into these quirky categories? We've got the silent heroes, the booming boomers, the effortlessly cool Gen X, the tech-savvy millennials, the Zoom-loving Gen Z, and hey there, Gen Alpha, you're next in line. But right now, let's turn the spotlight on you, you awesome Gen X'ers – the original latchkey kids, the masters of retro-cool. Born in 1965–1980, you know all too well about neon clothes, jelly bracelets, stirrup leggings, pay phones, big hair, and strawberry shortcake...
From the cosmic dust of the '60s to the neon glow of the '80s, the r/GenX subreddit captures the essence of what it was like to grow up and live in this era. We've curated our favorite posts from the group, so grab your VHS tapes, dust off your Pogs collection, and get ready for a journey through the era of neon fanny packs, grunge anthems, and a world where the only social network that mattered was the one you actually attended in person.
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I Feel Like As A Gen-Xer, This Resonates With Me
Remember when Cindy Brady said that by the time she got the attic room, it would be the year 2000? It seemed so far away.
The Gen X'ers, now comfortably middle-aged, could tell us a lot about life and how it used to be. Today's trends, including music, fashion, and TV shows, often take cues from the vibrant '70s and '80s. A lively Reddit group, r/GenX boasts 98.1k members and is a hotspot for sharing nostalgic and funny content from that era.
Trying To Think Of A Clever Caption, But I Can’t Top This
The Best Part Of Getting A New Cassette
Besides the fun things we associate with the '70s and '80s, there was much more to it. Gen X was the first generation with both parents working outside the home, but childcare options were limited at that time. Known as the "Latchkey Kids," Xers grew up preparing meals and maintaining the household after school. This often led to a feeling of being overlooked, with Baby Boomers soaking up the limelight.
Seems Just About Right For Us
This Sums Up The Genx Music-Purchasing Experience
I Feel Like Gen X Is The Only Generation To Just Embrace This Reality
A recent article in the New York Times defines Gen X this way: "A relatively small cohort sandwiched between baby boomers and millennials, this demographic consisting of Americans born between 1965 and 1980 seemed to dominate the cultural conversation for only a brief stretch of the 1990s, when Seattle seemed like the music capital of the universe and ‘Gen X' served as shorthand for all things edgy and cool."
Sit, Ubu, Sit. Good Dog. Does Anyone Remember This?
What Are Your Thoughts On This? Accurate?
I Can’t Disagree
They were the first to experience widespread cable television access as they grew up. In 1981, MTV, the 24/7 music video channel, arrived, capturing the hearts of countless Gen Xers and earning them the moniker "MTV Generation."
Just Had To Leave This Here. Had No Choice In Fact
How Everyone Else Thinks The 80s Looked Like vs. Reality
Saved by the Bell set vs Home aka What we wanted vs What we got!!!
"Nobody Puts Baby In A Corner!"
Gen Xers grew up during a time of significant events. They faced the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, leading to a focus on safe sex. They witnessed history unfold with the end of the Cold War, marked by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991. They saw both the triumph of the first successful space shuttle flight in 1981 and the tragedy of the Challenger explosion five years later. Gen Xers lived through the U.S. government's anti-drug efforts, epitomized by the "just say no" campaign, and they also navigated the energy crises of the '70s and '80s.
Who Else Grew Up Learning To Question Authority From This Character?
Has Happened More Than Once!!!!! Especially About 9/11
How Very
Gen Xers are known for being resourceful and independent due to their latchkey upbringing. They value a work-life balance, having seen their parents' work demands affect family time. Their cynicism can be attributed to the economic and societal challenges they faced during their childhood and early adulthood.
I Suspect We Can All Relate To This
Why am I in tears from laughing so hard over this? Really, I don't understand Gen Z speak.
What Would Some Of Our Disproven Facts Be?
1. Bees are NOT led by a Queen. The hive’s workers are an organization which makes collective decisions. If the Queen ain’t pulling her weight she’ll be defenestrated and replaced. 2. Bermuda Triangle: total crock. 3. Sugar is better than fat in a diet. Lies. 4. You can literally eat five ham sandwiches in a pool and never cramp. Forget the 30-minute wait to swim after meals. 5. Words sometimes DO hurt more than sticks and stones. Shall I go on… wow 🤪
My God... We Suffered... Suffered So Much
Now, aged 43 to 58, the "Coolest Generation" finds joy in simple activities like trips to Costco or Target, cozy Friday nights in, excitement over a new shower or lawnmower, and even crafting jelly from hand-picked crabapples.
Does Anyone Else Still Do This?
I used to, but I can't think of any drink that uses those in the UK now.
Stuck In The Middle With You
Ok, Stuck in the Middle did NOT mix well with the M*A*S*H* theme or Enigma
Oh, Ain't This The Truth
Yep,we were right to be cynical about everything.
To offer a point of reference and comparison with Gen X, we've gathered information about the next two generations. The revolution was influenced by millennials, also known as Generation Y. Born between 1982 and 1994, they're digital natives, seamlessly incorporating technology into their daily routines. They moved from an analog to a digital world. Unlike earlier generations, millennials face intense competition due to the economic crisis, prompting them to strive for better qualifications. Unlike their Generation X parents, they're ambitious and determined to achieve their goals.
Who Had A Car Stereo That Had A Removeable Faceplate?
This Is Only Going To Get Worse
Retirement For Generation X
Generation Z, aged 8 to 23, will be the leaders in the future. They're also called centennials, born between 1995 and 2010, and came into the world with tablets and smartphones. Who are they? They're the Internet generation, it's part of them – in their homes, education, and how they socialize. Finding jobs might be even harder for them than for Generation Y. They're tech-savvy but might prioritize screens over people. Yet, they use the Internet for social causes. They expect instant results due to their digital lives and are influenced by YouTubers. They can multitask but have shorter attention spans. As consumers, they're independent and demanding, and their future jobs might not exist yet.
Yes We Turned Out Just Fine
Klinger, Dame Edna, Rocky Horror, Bugs Bunny, Freddy Mercury (I wanna break free), Monty Python, Bosom Buddies, Some like it hot, Tootsie, Divine, Boy George, Marilyn, and a little later, To Wong Fu thanks for everything, Priscilla Queen of the desert, Mrs Doubtfire, Birdcage, - why is cross dressing such an issue now?
So... Umm... There's That
Only Genx Has This Specialized Skill
Now that's not true. I'm à boomer, with millenial kids, and I was the one who knew how!
Continue scrolling for a dose of nostalgia and fun from the Gen X era – the generation that gave us leg warmers and the modern smartphone. Upvote your favorite ones and drop a comment on the ones that resonated with you the most.
The Blockbuster Strikes Back
Little Bit Of Truth To This. My Mind Is Still 30, But My Body Says Nice Try
From the age of six, I babysat my older brother after school because I was the responsible one. He was nine.
Phil Basically Raised A Generation
There was a period of about 6 months in around 1985 when it was Phil Collins or Philip Bailey and no-one else
We Ate King Dongs And Listened To Gregorian Chants. What A Time To Be Alive
Oh dear. Enigma Sadeness will now be stuck in my head all night. Grrrrrr 😂
Not A Gen Xer, But The Ones I Know Are Exactly Like This
This Place Was A Friday Night Out
Don't forget the refillable pitcher of soda and the red glasses.
My Daughter Found My Old Walkman, So I Left Her A Note
You Can Add Driving During The Day In Any Season, Really
Who All Laid On One Of These Bad Boys As A Kid?
It’s Not Even Funny. It’s A Big Source Of My Stress
Hilarity On A Level That Never Gets Old
This Post Is To All The Genx's With Uncommon Names And The Bitter Sting Of The Gift Shop Keychains
There was never a Marco, so at times I wished I was a Mark/c
Load More Replies...I always feel sorry for all the non-white kids with ethnic names like my Indian partner and his family. You can bet he never found Rajesh anywhere
My parents gave us extremely common names and just spelled them a bit different. Like an 'f' or 'ie' instead of 'ph' or 'y' respectively. So everyone can read our names without problems but can never spell them and no key chains/license plates for us
I've only heard of one other person with my name and she spells it different
Load More Replies...There are so many comments on this thread and many are agreeing they could never find their names on things but they don't mention their first names. Unless you're username contains your first name, no wonder you couldn't find anything with BoredPanda1977 on it at the souvenir store..haha
I went to K-12 with three Miles. I’m guessing it was one or two specific yeas for some reason that folks chose Miles?
Load More Replies...My first name is Monika. If I was lucky enough to find it on something it of course was spelled with a c.
I have never found anything with my name on it, my first name is Felicia...please don't say bye 🙄
My half sister is Felice. I imagine as rare as Felicia.
Load More Replies...OTOH, my name is Jennifer. Such a common name for my generation, any of those personalized displays were almost always empty for my name. Maybe they'd have Jenny (ick) or Jenna (which I've never used), but almost never Jennifer.
Or... you have the most common name for girls, you constantly hear it being called but they never meant YoU..... and damnit all I wanted was a keychain that said Jennifer. Or Jenny. But nope, sold out every time.
Use to be like this. Now my name is everywhere. People actually couldn’t pronounce or spell it. Asked if I was called Mel. I said no. My name is Melissa for godsake!
I had the opposite problem: my first name was so common that half the girls in my year were also named Katie. Or Kate, or Katherine. By the end of Year 10 I just plain stopped answering to my name because I was so sick of hearing "no, not YOU, the OTHER Katie". So of course this resulted in people getting annoyed with me for ignoring them.
I am a baby boomer and found a ruler with my name on once. Still have it. It is green.
I'd find mine...spelled wrong. (Most would have it spelled SHERRY or SHERRI. My mom had to really screw things up and spelled my name SHERI.)
I still cannot to this day and now my granddaughter has an uncommon name she won't either
ahhh, yes. until I was about 20 and every other kid had my name...
I enjoyed this! I enjoyed (and still do) having an unusual name. I have never met anyone with my same name.
You had to arrive early to get a Jennifer! Don't have any to this day, lol
So we went and named all of our kids stupid c**p so that none of them can find anything preprinted with their name.
So unfair! But that golden moment when you found a place that PERSONALIZED stuff!
Never the correct spelling. It made it worse when people would get it for you anyway
We always knew searching was in vain. I used to make a bet with others that if they could find anything with my name on it, I would give them $10, I was 44 before I had to pay up on something.
I got excited in a shop where they would burn your name into wood. My name was never on anything. So, I gave them my name in writing because no one would ever spell it right if I didn't spell it for them. Reader, those ar$eholes spelt my name wrong!
My name was so common they all taken every time I got there. I was 42 when I finally found one of those little license plates which my name on it. And damned well put it on my bike.
Kristi. Always “Christy” or Cristy” or every way with a “C” but never with a “K”. I always looked, though!
occasionally spelled incorrectly, but that's as close as I got, and I don't have a weird spelling at all!
OMG I always wanted to find one just one especially on family vacations to orlando florida - i never found it... this post makes me slightly happy
Never not once found mine but 2 brothers and 2 sisters did!!! But you know what I love my name so it's ok 😁😁
Lol yeah. I'm a millennial but they never had a Xanthippe. And when I asked to have my name stitched on my Mickey ears, the shop girl looked at me like 😦
My wife got tired of me telling her just this every time we were somewhere and now, she buys me different ones. She even says: "well, today you're Michael." 🤣
I had a deal with my daughters (not strange names; just not common) that anytime they could find their name, I'd buy it. It only happened once for each girl.
To all parents where want their kids to be unique: quit punishing your kids.
I was literally just telling my daughter this morning how after years of not finding my name on anything, my parents ordered a 10-pack of personalized pencils for me... I was SOOO HAPPY!! Back then, getting stuff personalized wasn't as easy as now - that was stuff you had to (gasp!) mail away for!!
They had my name just spelled wrong. Not a fancy spelling just a less common it seems.
These days, names have become so ~ individual~ not a lot of people will find their names on keychains etc.
Despite having one of the most simple names, mine was rarely there. I was always like "you can't spell any J names without mine, so why is my name not here?!?!?"
How about the poor kids of all those Millennials that end everything with "leigh "!
well im pretty sure it was nothing compared what the generations after us are going through😂
Yeah, I found the shortened version of my name once and almost had a heart attack. Then I found out it was just "sharon" with the "on" missing. 😐
Imagine my son's excitement when they opened the Tron ride at Disney and suddenly there was "Flynn" stuff everywhere!!
Even my super common name was always in short supply compared to the endless rows of Matthew’s and Jennifers
I Learned Opera From A Cross Dressing Rabbit
The Domain (large public open space in the city of Sydney), 1980s. 'Opera at the Domain'. Orchestra start playing Wagner. A low, but very distinct murmuring from the crowd: 'Kill the rabbit, kill the rabbit...'.
What Was Your "Must See" Movie You Shared With Younger Generations?
Omg Fashion Plates!! Who Else Played With These?
Yes We Did. F**king Gop Idiots
Peak Genx - Riding Your Bike Down The Middle Of The Street, Standing On The Banana Seat, No Helmet
This Post Needs To Be 25 Characters But I Think The Fella Below Said Enough
Most Accurate Description Of Growing Up Gen X
Just remember, kids. If it all kicks off, there's fück all you can do about it, so don't waste your time worrying.
Who Had School In A Portable?
Some Humor Needs No Explanation
That feathered hair. That slightly leathery skin that only comes from a decade of sunbathing and cigarettes. Those were the days.
X'ers Were Scrappy Little Hooligans
I Thought This Sub Would Appreciate This Cosplay From Superman (1978)
Note: this post originally had 104 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
When I was growing up my dad and uncle used to listen to the oldies from the 50s and 60s (in the 80s). I never understood why they didn't listen to current music. Now, in 2023, I listen to Classic Rock from the 70s to the late 80's early 90's, and I get it.
Okay so what exactly is the brith year span for gen x/gen z/millennial bs anyway?
Listen there, genXers, older millennials with baby boomer parents remember all of these and then some. I am hear to say, we are standing right beside you, like MJ would sign “🎶 You are not alone 🎶 I am here with you !” I don’t understand genZ either, but they aren’t our kids man, we did not raise genZ, we be raising the Alphas… so who raised the genZ ? Ain’t it genX ?!
As a Boomer, when Gen X talks about things they did that younger generations didn't, I sometimes think Gen X was just the tail end of the Boomers. Or is it that my generation didn't think of themselves as finished? We've been here for all of this. It's part of our lives.
Yesterday on Reddit, I had someone insult me with "boomer", claiming that we all come to conclusions from incomplete facts. (To be fair, she was right about the last part.) I pointed out I was not a boomer. She says, "Gen Xers are not better than boomers." I said, "I never said they were." She says, "You're just more ironic with worse taste in music." It was the argument form of the game Twister. My back hurts now.
As I'm technically a Boomer (1961), is it weird that I relate to all of these?
As a millennial, I love how genx are now like boomers and think they're so special and unique as if MOST of millennials didn't grow up with all of these same things. I know I did and I was born in December 86. Millennials age too! We're not 20 anymore! We're 27-42!!!!!!! Grow up you old weirdos.
I'm technically a first year millennial, born late 1981, but can definitely relate to all of these posts in one way or another. Grew up with all the same trends, movies, games, technology, furniture haha. Great article, always love the ones that pull on the nostalgia strings. Good job, Panda!
As the tail end of Boomers in 1964, I see how this resonates now and with my confused children from 1992 to 2002 birth years. LOL
As a 1964 Boomer - I do recall this all in my "formative years" and having my own kids from 1992 to 2002 - I see where the confusion comes from. LOL
That time when you as an african realise you are actually american.
When I was growing up my dad and uncle used to listen to the oldies from the 50s and 60s (in the 80s). I never understood why they didn't listen to current music. Now, in 2023, I listen to Classic Rock from the 70s to the late 80's early 90's, and I get it.
Okay so what exactly is the brith year span for gen x/gen z/millennial bs anyway?
Listen there, genXers, older millennials with baby boomer parents remember all of these and then some. I am hear to say, we are standing right beside you, like MJ would sign “🎶 You are not alone 🎶 I am here with you !” I don’t understand genZ either, but they aren’t our kids man, we did not raise genZ, we be raising the Alphas… so who raised the genZ ? Ain’t it genX ?!
As a Boomer, when Gen X talks about things they did that younger generations didn't, I sometimes think Gen X was just the tail end of the Boomers. Or is it that my generation didn't think of themselves as finished? We've been here for all of this. It's part of our lives.
Yesterday on Reddit, I had someone insult me with "boomer", claiming that we all come to conclusions from incomplete facts. (To be fair, she was right about the last part.) I pointed out I was not a boomer. She says, "Gen Xers are not better than boomers." I said, "I never said they were." She says, "You're just more ironic with worse taste in music." It was the argument form of the game Twister. My back hurts now.
As I'm technically a Boomer (1961), is it weird that I relate to all of these?
As a millennial, I love how genx are now like boomers and think they're so special and unique as if MOST of millennials didn't grow up with all of these same things. I know I did and I was born in December 86. Millennials age too! We're not 20 anymore! We're 27-42!!!!!!! Grow up you old weirdos.
I'm technically a first year millennial, born late 1981, but can definitely relate to all of these posts in one way or another. Grew up with all the same trends, movies, games, technology, furniture haha. Great article, always love the ones that pull on the nostalgia strings. Good job, Panda!
As the tail end of Boomers in 1964, I see how this resonates now and with my confused children from 1992 to 2002 birth years. LOL
As a 1964 Boomer - I do recall this all in my "formative years" and having my own kids from 1992 to 2002 - I see where the confusion comes from. LOL
That time when you as an african realise you are actually american.