50 ‘Memes From Generation X’ To Entertain You While Prepping For Midlife Crisis (New Pics)
No matter when we are born, many of us feel very nostalgic for our childhood and young adulthood. This sense of nostalgia offers a rare glimpse into how other generations used to live: what trends, products, shows, and cultural icons dominated their day-to-day.
The ‘Righteous Memes from Generation X’ Facebook group is a fantastic social media project that captures the essence of Gen X—people born roughly between 1965 to 1980 in the United States. And all in meme form! We’ve collected some of the freshest ones to share with you. For Gen Xers, it’s a blast from the past. For everyone else, it’s an interesting history and pop culture class. Don’t forget to upvote your fave pics as you scroll down.
We wanted to learn about what makes Gen X so unique in the US and why each generation seems to be critical of others, so we reached out to Glenn Geher, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the State University of New York at New Paltz and a published author. You'll find Bored Panda's interview with him as you scroll down.
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"There are various reasons that members of each new generation seem to think they see things more clearly relative to members of previous generations. Partly, this fact results from people surrounding themselves with like-minded others. If all of my friends and I tend to see the prior generation as having ridiculously outdated views, then our attitudes are bolstered and feel like a sort of reality," Dr. Geher, from the State University of New York at New Paltz, told Bored Panda via email.
"Further, in a time marked by rapid technological and cultural advancement, members of each new generation often do, in many ways, have a genuinely advanced understanding of the world relative to prior generations," the psychology expert noted that there's a kernel of truth in the idea that all generations tend to criticize others.
We wanted to find out what it is that makes Gen X unique in the United States, compared to other generations. Dr. Geher was kind enough to shed some light on this.
"We Generation Xers saw—and largely created—profound technological advances in our lifetimes. We saw the realization of the full human genome, the shift from paper mail to email, and shared global issues such as climate change. Our world is truly and permanently changed relative to the world of prior generations," he said.
I miss the excitement of going to rent a video for our betamax. If we were really lucky we could pick some sweets from the local shop to go with it,not once did we have a snack from the video store
The psychology professor added that Gen X "absolutely" enjoys different memes and internet content than other generations. "Memes tend to often be generation-specific," he said.
"Gen Xers may find memes about having difficulty resetting passwords hysterical while the younger generation seems to have better figured out things like account passwords and they seem to be onto other things when it comes to what they find funny and how they see the world in general."
Members of Generation X are the parents of Millennials and Generation Z (aka Zoomers). Meanwhile, Gen X themselves are the kids of the Silent Generation and early Baby Boomers. According to the US Census data, there were over 65 million Gen Xers as of 2019. Compare that to roughly 72 million Baby Boomers, as well as another 72 million Millennials in the United States.
There is some confusion as to how exactly to define Gen X in terms of when they were born. Investopedia notes that some researchers like William Straus and Neil Howe describe them as being born from 1961 to 1981. However, Gallup states differently, that the range runs from 1965 to 1979. But broadly and culturally speaking, Gen Xers are individuals born between the mid-1960s till the very early-1980s. This time span and cultural values will differ in other countries.
Gen Xers, who are known as an ‘in-between’ generation, are approaching the middle of their careers and (hopefully) peak-earning years right now. However, they may be the first generation in the United States that is worse off than their parents when it comes to retirement prep. Only the future will tell.
That would have been a sweet set up back then. And the speakers would have been almost the cabinet size too
A few key events may have done a lot of harm to Gen Xers’ potential savings and earning power, including the dot-com bubble, as well as the financial crisis of 2008. And this is clear from the numbers. Investopedia points out that as of 2021, Generation X households have estimated median retirement savings of $87k, compared to $162k for Baby Boomers and $50k for Millennials. What’s more, a third of Gen Xers have taken loans or early withdrawals from their retirement accounts, compared to 24% of Baby Boomers and 46% of Millennials.
As dorky as that sounds…. It’s true. I’m never got to have my pastel baby blush pink bedroom and now at 51….I’m getting my wish !!! Lol
The ‘Righteous Memes from Generation X’ Facebook group currently has 92.3k members, and the community is focused on having fun, posting good memes, and being excellent to each other. The moderator and administrator team running the whole show asks anyone posting and commenting to “leave their politics at the door” because it will serve to divide the community.
Moreover, the mods and admins want the community members to stay on-point and post memes that are relevant to the theme of the entire group: namely, things related to Generation X, not random stuff they find elsewhere. They also note that current events are rarely relevant.
Meanwhile, members should avoid posting videos, reels, and TikToks. And there’s no place for any sort of generation-bashing. That means that nobody should be attacking older generations for messing up things or young generations for having a weak work ethic. Anyone who writes‘ ok Boomer’ in a comment will get a 24-hour-long mute. And though personal stories from the ‘Good Old Days’ might be fun, the point of the group is to post memes.
If you don't remember Madness, and you don't remember them doing this song in "The Young Ones", then I'm afraid we have nothing in common, sorry.
These Gen X memes are incredibly funny and relatable if you know the cultural context of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. And though nostalgia has plenty of upsides, like energizing us and helping us power through tough times, too much of a good thing can have a very negative impact. Someone who’s constantly stuck thinking about the past may ignore genuinely good opportunities in the present. And it isn’t healthy to be overly cynical of how much the world has changed ‘for the worse,’ yearning to go back.
Yeah they did that on purpose. They knew. They knew we were trying to build the perfect mix tapes for free.
Whenever I talk about how much I hate the snow cause it turns to ice, and how me and ice don’t get along (for obvious reasons) I reference these commercials and refer to myself as the Life Alert lady who’s fallen and can’t get back up xD It’s embarrassing when it happens to me but that’s how tf it feels 😅
Psychologist Valentina Stoycheva, Ph.D., writes on Psychology Today that there is a difference between helpful and harmful nostalgia. It’s rooted in “the difference between incorporating the positive emotions of reminiscing into the present versus renouncing the present for the sake of reinstating and perpetually reliving some moment in the past.”
According to the psychologist, some individuals go completely overboard glorifying the past, and get stuck. They might start hoarding items, getting excessive plastic surgery done to create the illusion of youth, or they might stalk their former partners on social media. Stoycheva urges anyone yearning for a period of time that is long gone to ask themselves what emotions and former self-states they’re after.
Which of these Gen X memes did you enjoy the most? How many Gen X Pandas do you think we have? What are you the most nostalgic for, whatever generation you might be? Swing by the comments, tell us what you think. In the meantime, for some more awesome memes from ‘Righteous Memes from Generation X,’ check out Bored Panda’s previous feature over here.
I used to fantasize about getting such an amazing job like she does on accident in this movie. If you think this movie is unrealistic, rewatch Home Alone and contemplate how a single salary afforded that house! Like, WHAT?
Lol, this is so true. There's so much from the 80s that is just absolutely bizarre, and much of it geared toward young people.
I had a shell suit. Atleast that's what we called them in the UK. I wanted one soooo bad. Felt really great when I first wore it
We had to be over 11 years old and have a note from our parents to be allowed to smoke at school.
Dafuq! Note from a parent? Did you guys also treat every ailment with arsenic?
Load More Replies...I had a six month job contract when that all changed over. Day one you could smoke at your desk, a month later a designated desk only, a month after that in the smoking room only, and just before I left it was no smoking in the building at all. Crazy times man, crazy times.
I seem to remember my 6th grade teacher smoking at her desk. Or this one crazy substitute teacher we had a lot.
Load More Replies...I wish my local one does - the smokers congregate at the main entrance instead. Very awesome as a disabled asthmatic - I'm too slow to be able to run the gamut without breathing.
Load More Replies...It did, though! And the teachers joined us! AND WE WERE ALLOWED TO LEAVE IF WE WANTED IN SENIOR YEAR. Three of my kids have graduated by now. Highschools are fücking prisons now! They're literally not allowed to even go to their cars! I've had overbearing parents ask me why I don't also GPS track my kids. What a dystopian nightmare.
When I was in Elementary school, our janitor could smoke his vanilla and cherry scented pipe tobacco through the halls of the school while he was cleaning. When i was in 3rd grade, they told him that he couldn't smoke in there anymore and all of us kids were bummed because we liked the smell.
Pipe tobacco is the best smelling tobacco. Loved when my grandpa would smoke his pipe. Cigar smoke on the other hand... that burned my eyes
Load More Replies...I went to Catholic school. The highest grade had their own lounge that no one else was allowed to go in. Yes. Catholic school. They were allowed to smoke in there. It was a very liberal Order of nuns. One afternoon it became so smoky in there it set off the smoke alarm, which set off the fire alarm and it was not a drill, and sent the signal to the fire department who when they arrive find out they’re there because there was too much smoke from the girls smoking too much in their lounge. The fire department was not impressed and no more smoking allowed. If you’ve watched the movie The Trouble With Angels (a movie about Catholic girls school) , something similar happened in the movie.
Do any of you remember running to the store to get your parents a pack of smokes? They give you money and the name of the smokes on a piece of paper and the shopkeeper had no problem giving them to us? Then we could maybe have the change for candy, if dad was in a good mood?
My dad used to send me downstairs the get him cigs from the cigarette machine in the lobby.
Load More Replies...Originally, our desks had built-in ashtrays! 🤣 No, they weren't inkwells.
My high-school had a smoking section all the way until 2011! It was an "alternative" school for trouble makers that had a city cop on grounds the whole school day. He would hang out with us sometime while we had our lunch smoke and just B.S with us. He was a pretty cool cop to say the least
While it wasn't allowed on school grounds for me, there was a small park behind the school where we all went, even the teachers.
1973 entered hospital to have my child and was asked if i wanted smoking or non smoking room also got a menu every morning for the next days meals and you had 3 different choices for every meal. It was like a vacation for a week.
It was the girl's washroom. We also had impromptu concerts in there too, I'd often bring my guitar and sing (great acoustics) while skipping class.
Aaah, skipping class! We could drive to New Orleans for the day and make it back. My poor kids are 5 minutes late and the robcall is telling me so.
Load More Replies...On math lesson i got sudden cought attack (some days after flu) and i asked teache if i can left the classroom for a while. He said: "No! Stop smoking during breaks so you won't have a cough." He got right :D
Mine did too. But only for Seniors and Faculty…if you were a sophomore or junior, you were s**t out of luck.
Mine did too. And a daycare for a short while. It was a few years before my time but my mother in law told me all about it
Couldn't a toddler go up to the counter of a gas station and ask for some cigarettes.
You had to bring in a permission slip where you forged your paren...UH...I mean got your parent to sign.
My collage had a Non-Smoking part of the caffeteria, for the Sathma and Bronchitis kids. Yes it involved a wall and proper ventilation (It was flipping cold in the winter there, no heating).
By the tree in the parking lot, for the cool kids or by the back stairs for everyone else
Went to school until 2003. If you were 16 or older, you were allowed to smoke, and so were you on schools' ground. Otherwise, we just left school when we weren't yet, and smoked anyway. One teacher used to ask to sniff our fingers, some students would counter that by braking off a stick, bend over the cig, and hold it with it. I refused to let her on my first day, and voila, nobody let her again, but everybody called her a creep afterwards. Only one got in trouble for saying so ... guess, starts with a D...
Weirdly, our smoking section was right outside a classroom, so anyone sitting by the window REEKED of tobacco!
Mine did too. There was the 'smoking pit' in one of the courtyards where both students and teachers would gather for some 'fresh air'. Lol
We did too but it was unofficial and just outside the back driveway gate.
Half the school hung out there and teachers knew where we all were. Right outside the office window! 🤣
Had a teacher bum a cigarette from me once. And then b***h because it was menthol.
Lolol. My highschool had one for students and a separate one for staff, on opposite ends of campus.
Announcements every morning included being late to class because you got locked out in the smoking area or not disposing of your butts properly would be detention.
Graduated in '75 and yeah, we had a smoking section. You could still smoke in hospitals when my son was born too.
Yep, mine did. It was called the Senior lounge and it also had a T.V. and couches and the table for smokers. This was in 88' and I think it was one of the last years they had this.
UK high school about 1982-the smokers all congregated behind 'The Stevensons" (temporary school room building that had been there 20 years). Usually the teacher on playground patrol was there too, cadging cigarettes. If you had to speak to a specific teacher at break or lunch time, you had to hang around outside the staff room door and wait. Every time the door opened, there was a dense cloud of cigarette smoke that flew out of the room-it was gross.
Ha! I recently found a copy if our school newspaper with an article about the closing of it.
Boomer here. My high school had a smoking courtyard. You needed to be 18 to buy cigarettes... nobody was
A lot of schools still have those. They never renovated or cleaned it out. So now there's just an area in school that is just perpetually smelling of stale cigarettes and asbestos.
Xennial here: first day of high school my assigned sophomore buddy showed me which doors we could slip out to smoke between classes. So, 1997/1998 😂
You could wait 10 minutes before eating it,foolishly thinking it would of cooled down,right until you bit into it and burnt your bottom lip and chin!
in a strained voice: It was the 70-s, man... S**t was wild...! /takes a deep drag.
I have not seen a pic of axl in a long while, wow he morphed into Benny
Note: this post originally had 131 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
This made me so nostalgic. Were we really that happy and carefree or have I just forgotten the bad things?
We didn't have internet. Our worlds were smaller. Less to no responsibilities. I think we were happier and more carefree.
Load More Replies...It is different depending on where you are from. This here is very US based.
Load More Replies...Early 1970's (20yo at the time). Unique mainstream fashions for men were longer sideburns and more lambchops, more moustaches, unbutton to second or third button with no T-shirt, and my personal favorite *** leisure suits ***. They did exist and went mainstream for a short time. Fashion gurus tried to push the men's short shorts but it never took hold.
Several of these are too old to be Gen X things. The Love Bug came out in 1968.
I'm the oldest a GenX can be, and I was 3 years old in 1968 so...
Load More Replies...Great fun, thank you. Though some of these seemed a bit younger for the post. Still a good laugh
Finally! Someone recognizing there is a generation between Boomers and Millennials!
I may be a millennial, but I'm close enough to the cut off that these resonated so beautifully. If not for me, especially for my oldest brother! Well done on this one, Pandas!
Fantastic post, laughed so much the dog got mad and got off the bed.
I remember going to high school when buffy and smallville were airing on tv and working to buy clothes so I could look like my favorite tv actors. Oh my gosh that was the life watching your favorite tv shows on regular tv no streaming are paying crazy s**t amounts of money to watch good tv. Working going to school, hanging with friends, no iPhones we just knew were to meet up, laughing, after school hangs, weekend work and then go shopping to look cute for new school week. Darn I miss those times.😥🤍 so simple, so pure and So So real.
Omg I was going to high school when buffy and smallville were airing on tv, I just remember working in the summer and trying to buy clothes to look like my favorite tv actors, I didn't care about nothing else no cell phones, no crazy streaming apps, no Facebook are instagram nothing no social media, just great television and working on the weekends and after school, so I could hang with friends and go eat out and buy cute clothes to impress cute high school guys.
The guys who tried to look like this in the 70s were nerds. Guys I knew wore cut off jeans or jeans in the summer. We all wore desert boots, year round, and tee shirts and flannel shorts.
This made me so nostalgic. Were we really that happy and carefree or have I just forgotten the bad things?
We didn't have internet. Our worlds were smaller. Less to no responsibilities. I think we were happier and more carefree.
Load More Replies...It is different depending on where you are from. This here is very US based.
Load More Replies...Early 1970's (20yo at the time). Unique mainstream fashions for men were longer sideburns and more lambchops, more moustaches, unbutton to second or third button with no T-shirt, and my personal favorite *** leisure suits ***. They did exist and went mainstream for a short time. Fashion gurus tried to push the men's short shorts but it never took hold.
Several of these are too old to be Gen X things. The Love Bug came out in 1968.
I'm the oldest a GenX can be, and I was 3 years old in 1968 so...
Load More Replies...Great fun, thank you. Though some of these seemed a bit younger for the post. Still a good laugh
Finally! Someone recognizing there is a generation between Boomers and Millennials!
I may be a millennial, but I'm close enough to the cut off that these resonated so beautifully. If not for me, especially for my oldest brother! Well done on this one, Pandas!
Fantastic post, laughed so much the dog got mad and got off the bed.
I remember going to high school when buffy and smallville were airing on tv and working to buy clothes so I could look like my favorite tv actors. Oh my gosh that was the life watching your favorite tv shows on regular tv no streaming are paying crazy s**t amounts of money to watch good tv. Working going to school, hanging with friends, no iPhones we just knew were to meet up, laughing, after school hangs, weekend work and then go shopping to look cute for new school week. Darn I miss those times.😥🤍 so simple, so pure and So So real.
Omg I was going to high school when buffy and smallville were airing on tv, I just remember working in the summer and trying to buy clothes to look like my favorite tv actors, I didn't care about nothing else no cell phones, no crazy streaming apps, no Facebook are instagram nothing no social media, just great television and working on the weekends and after school, so I could hang with friends and go eat out and buy cute clothes to impress cute high school guys.
The guys who tried to look like this in the 70s were nerds. Guys I knew wore cut off jeans or jeans in the summer. We all wore desert boots, year round, and tee shirts and flannel shorts.