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As The Official Spokesperson For Gen-X, I'm Here To Say We Got A Raw Deal
Yes, I appointed myself the official spokesperson of Gen-X because somebody had to do it. That's a total Gen-X move, by the way. We see that something needs to be done and we don't ask; we just handle it.
My generation is the one that got screwed by the digital transformation. We grew up without computers.
Then, sometime in our early adulthood, everything changed all at once. Computers were everywhere. Everyone got cell phones and then smartphones. (Now they're just phones because the old kind of phones barely exist.)
Our education didn't prepare us for this. And our brains matured very differently than the brains of Gen-Y or Z. Imagine being a hunter-gatherer who was kidnapped, brought into modern civilization, and expected to teach yourself how to read and write.
That's almost what it was like. I was here for this transformation, and it was hard.
The Baby Boomers, by and large, were spared this raw deal.
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Many (though not all) of them were able to retire without having to learn significant computer skills. (And yes, retirement was possible for that generation, unlike the rest of us. They had something called pensions. Except for government employees, almost nobody has had a pension for decades.)
If you're Gen-Y or Z, you had it easy. (By the way, if you're a Gen-Y who prefers the term "Millennial," too bad. You don't get a special name. You have to go by a letter, just like X and Z. Sorry. If I had my way, we'd call Boomers Gen-W. It would work out, because they were the generation who elected W. That's George W. Bush, for you younger Zs.)
If you grew up using computers and the internet, you're lucky.We Xs had to teach ourselves. Nobody taught us anything! We bumbled our way through, figuring things out as we went along. I completed all my formal education, including college, without ever using a real computer.
As an elder X, I was one of the very last who did. I was a married mom of two and owned a house before I first owned a computer or had the internet. My children, who are both Gen-Y, can't remember what it was like not to have a computer.
Of course, everyone loves to laugh now when somebody my age or older has to ask their kid or grandkid to help them out with their computer. How funny do you think it would be if we sent you back to 1985 and asked you to drive across the country with a paper map and no GPS? Huh? You'd probably have to ask your grandma to come along. She'd have a good laugh.
Things started changing fast for Gen-X in the 1990s.Throughout history, no other generation before X experienced anything close to these changes we had to absorb. Let me say that again because I don't think people realize this:
Gen-X has experienced more technological change in its lifetime than any other generation in history.
Cultural and technological change has always been slow. From prehistory until around the mid-1990s, most people lived pretty similarly to how their parents lived. The changes experienced between one generation and the next were small.
When the masses learned to read and write, that did not happen in a single generation. The move from only privileged males knowing how to read to poor little girls being taught was a slow change over many generations.
Other modern technologies, like automobiles and airplanes, moved a little faster, but none had such a universal effect on humanity as the internet. Technological breakthroughs are much, much faster now and continue to get faster.
My generation was the very last one to grow up without computers, the internet, and cellphones — all much the same thing, really, now — and to have been forced to learn them. If there's an American my age now without knowledge of these things, they're either Amish or mentally disabled.
My children grew up with digital technology.My grandchildren were born with it. I can't even imagine what technology they'll grow up to use. Will they even carry phones or will there be something wearable or implanted? Who knows?
Will I even be alive to see that? Probably. As I said, technology changes fast now.
Digital technology is a tool that makes all other technologies move faster. Everything we did in history to get ourselves to this point is now paying off by making every other change easier.
People can collaborate with colleagues who live on the other side of the world and speak other languages. Information moves around the globe instantly. This was the change that fed every other change.
Life is extremely different now for Gen-X.
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We are all connected in a way humans never were before. All the world's information is available to everyone. And everything is changing fast. Well, almost everything. Humans don't change fast enough.
Our technology can do amazing things, but humans are the limiting factor. We aren't as smart as we think we are.
We have figured out how to set up international monetary systems, but we haven't figured out how to set up an economic system that functions without harming the environment. We can transplant organs but we can't cure addictions.
We are no further along in figuring out what to do about criminals than we were a hundred years ago. We still have children we aren't bothering to educate in any real way.
We invented social media but we can't figure out how to keep it from harming individuals and societies. We encourage children to study STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) by paying the most for those careers. We actively discourage children from studying or having careers in anything that would address the failings of humanity.
Does your kid want to study the humanities? Please. They shouldn't go to college at all if that's how they're thinking. They should become electricians or plumbers instead.
Here I sit, a Gen-X woman, the daughter of Boomers, the mother of two Gen-Ys, and the grandmother of two Gen-Alphas. (I think we should call them Gen-A, honestly, even if it does sound too much like what Forrest Gump called his girlfriend. Nobody in that generation is going to get that reference anyway.)
Maybe our technology could slow down for Gen-X just a little bit.Oh, you think we have to rush to develop new medical technologies? I would agree with you except that right now, I think I'd rather have the medical miracles we already have made available to everyone rather than just keep on figuring out new miracles nobody can afford because our insurance won't cover them.
Can we not work on humanity for a little bit? The tech stuff is doing fine. I love my iPhone. I love my MacBook. We can live a little longer without whatever is coming after that. (If it's the virtual world envisioned by Meta, you can keep it.)
It's the human stuff we need to work on, and my generation might be the very last one to be able to notice that we've gone way off track because we remember what life was like as a human living in the BC (Before Computers) era.
Life in the BC era wasn't all bad. We all talked to other humans face-to-face more. Life was human-paced, and as a human, I was more comfortable with that speed, honestly, than I am now in the AD (After Digital) era.
Anyway, I've had my say. Whoever the spokespeople are for Gen-Y, Gen-Z, and Gen-A are going to have to take it from here.
Michelle Teheux is a freelance writer, journalist, and former newspaper editor who writes about her experiences abroad.
Related Stories From YourTango:11 Things That Terrified Gen X As Kids That Turned Out To Be No Big Deal
While many people reflect fondly on their Gen X childhoods in the 70s and 80s, characterized by unsupervised play outside, neighborhood friendships, and constant shenanigans, the reality of this carefree adolescence definitely sparked some irrational fears. Without constant communication and protection from parents as they navigated their childhood, Gen Xers grew up terrified of the stories from TV or the tales from their best friends.
As social media became accessible and these adult children started families of their own, many of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal came to light. Rather than embracing the humor of their misguided childhood fears, many of these Gen X parents turned to overprotective parenting styles in their own homes to cope — committed to protecting their children, sometimes to a fault, from the unsupervised play and safety concerns they'd once navigated, despite recognizing that many were falsities.
1. Quicksand
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Despite being realistically unimaginable for adults today, one of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal was finding themselves battling quicksand.
Whether it was a children's book, a wise tale from a neighborhood friend, or a late-night action movie on TV, many Gen X kids were convinced that the biggest worry they'd face in adulthood was getting stuck in the sand.
With accessibility to the internet as adults, it's easy to find out that less than a handful of people actually find themselves in an unsafe situation with quicksand. But for these kids — especially without access to a search engine or social media — it's not surprising it was such an ordeal.
2. The Bermuda Triangle
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It's not uncommon for people, regardless of age, to fear the things they don't understand, according to a study from the Journal of Anxiety Disorders. While these irrational and sometimes rational fears evolve over time, characterizing people's coping mechanisms and self-soothing behaviors into adulthood, it's not completely surprising that things like The Bermuda Triangle or quicksand were some of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal.
As they grew up and were able to replace fear-driven narratives and stories with factual evidence and research, it's not surprising that they grew out of many of the things they were once terrified of.
Alongside the feelings of autonomy that adulthood presents — a reminder that you don't have to go to The Bermuda Triangle if you don't want to — these terrifying thoughts are now nothing more than funny fleeting memories.
3. Remembering to 'stop, drop, and roll'
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While many Gen X kids in the 70s and 80s were taught about fire safety through "stop, drop, and roll," a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) report suggests that there's actually other risks — outside of risks like your clothes being on fire — that adults should be more concerned about.
From grease fires while cooking to knowing how to operate a fire alarm at home, the true hidden dangers associated with fire safety aren't even the ones that Gen X kids were taught to fear and learn about growing up.
4. Sitting too close to the TV
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According to ophthalmologist Ethan Stern, one of the things that terrified Gen X kids that turned out to be no big deal was the myth that sitting too close to a TV or electronic screen would damage your eyes.
So, while Gen X's parents might have managed screen-time at home with fear-based tactics about going blind, the truth is that strain from these screens is only a side effect of faresightedness or already poor vision.
Of course, myths like these — especially without access to the internet like many parents have today — often continue through generations, helping parents to manage their kids' behavior without any merit behind their assumptions.
5. Unsafe Halloween candy
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Despite modern day studies that characterize Halloween as the "most unsafe holiday" for children in the United States, many of the true dangers associated with trick-or-treating don't have to do with taking candy from strangers.
Today, myths about poisoned candy from dangerous strangers is one of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal, especially as parents learn about the much more dangerous issues there are to address.
According to a 2018 study on the holiday's dangers, one of the true biggest risks for children on Halloween is walking in the streets, where they're over 10 times more likely to be overlooked by drivers.
Of course, surely many Gen Xer's parents used fear-tactics like "poisoned candy" to steal from their kids' stash or encourage them to go to bed at a decent time on Halloween, rather than gorge on sugar and sweets, terrifying their kids for the sake of their own sanity.
6. Swallowing gum
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Afraid of letting gum sit in their stomachs for decades, many Gen X kids refused to swallow gum and grew terrified over the myth of eating their candy. But today, research debunks this myth.
As one of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal, swallowing gum isn't truly that big of a danger for kids or adults, according to gastroenterologist Dr. Elizabeth Rajan, as long as it's not a constant and regular occurrence.
While large amounts of swallowed gum — intended to be chewed and spit out — can cause digestive issues in young kids, there's no reason to seek out a trash can in certain situations or crash out over having to swallow a single piece.
7. Turning on a light in the car
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Experts from Thompson Law argue that rumors and myths around the legality of interior car lights while driving were likely sparked by early misunderstandings about traffic laws, many of which became a misguided generational belief in families.
While many Gen X kids were riding without seatbelts and kicking their feet in a truck bed — living in a very different time of regulations and rules on the road — they still harbored irrational fears about things like turning on the interior lights.
While some Gen Xer's parents might have used this myth knowingly as a way to keep their kids from playing around in the backseat of the car, others unknowingly adopted the assumption that it was genuinely illegal.
Of course, today it's simply one of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal. While there's certainly some merit to reduced visibility or distraction from an interior car light, it's certainly not illegal to push the button.
8. Piranhas and barracudas
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Whether it was all the Animal Planet shows they watched on TV or the fascination they had with the ocean at a young age — like children of all age demographics seem to adopt — the fears that they would run into a piranha in a freshwater lake of a barracuda in the neighborhood pool were seriously irrational fears for many Gen X kids.
Considering most piranhas live in South America and barracuda attacks are far and few between, even for professional fishers who spend their lives on the water, this irrational fear has become one of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal.
9. Showering during a thunderstorm
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While it's possible to be struck by lightning, both walking around outside or standing in the shower, the odds of it truly happening are close to nothing, according to the National Weather Service.
Despite most children being afraid of thunder during a storm, many Gen X kids were taught to fear lightning, with parents who were concerned about it traveling through the pipes while taking a shower or a bath.
So, yes, the risk is there, as with many of the other things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal, but the true reality of having to come face-to-face with these fears is nothing to spend all day worrying about.
10. Swallowing fruit seeds
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Experts like Fritz Gross, the head of culinary excellence at the LSG Group, argue that many childhood horror stories and fears around eating, like ingesting a watermelon seed and growing a tree inside your stomach, are realistically impossible.
Not only are many of these seeds unable to grow within the acidic conditions of a person's stomach, in many cases, the biggest danger of ingesting too many fruit or vegetable seeds would be a bit of inflammation. In fact, some seeds — like those inside citrus fruits — actually have a lot of antioxidants and fiber that can be healthy for children to safely digest.
11. Cracking your knuckles too often
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One of the things that terrified Gen X as kids that turned out to be no big deal was the fear that they'd develop an illness or hurt their fingers by cracking their knuckles.
However, according to experts like rheumatologist Dr. Eric M. Ruderman, there's no association between risks for arthritis — or any other long-term health problem — and cracking your knuckles.
While parents might have condemned their kids for cracking their knuckles and making unnecessary distractions, Dr. Ruderman suggests it's a "harmless habit" that can even spark some endorphins in people of all ages and reduce tension and pain.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
Related Stories From YourTango:Tragedy, TikToks, Taboo Jokes: Understanding Gen Z's Humor
For Gen Z, dark humor serves a purpose beyond mere entertainment, often functioning as a coping mechanism for mental health challenges.
This story is jointly published as part of the Utah College Media Collaborative, a cross-campus project bringing together emerging journalists from Salt Lake Community College, Southern Utah University, the University of Utah, Utah Tech University and Weber State University. The collaborative is an Amplify Utah project with support from PBS Utah and POV.
When Luigi Mangione was arrested for shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a New York City sidewalk in December, Gen Z quickly turned the tragedy into memes across Instagram, X and TikTok. The online reaction — ranging from grief to celebration — sparked debates about the appropriateness of such dark humor.
"[Dark humor] can use language or things that have happened that you shouldn't be joking about, but that's what the jokes are sometimes," said Garrett Balok, a general studies major from Utah Tech University.
For Gen Z, individuals born between 1997 and 2012, this type of dark humor serves a purpose beyond mere entertainment, often functioning as a coping mechanism for mental health challenges. According to Harmony Healthcare IT, 42% of Gen Z have been diagnosed with a mental health condition.
"For young people who've grown up from the recession in 2008 and 2009 to all the chaos that's happened since then, it's been a long time," said Dannelle Larsen-Rife, professor of psychology at Utah Tech University. "They feel this helpless and hopeless [as they try] to grapple with these really big, big issues."
There has been an emerging pattern of reflecting tragedy through humor amongst Gen Z. Mental health experts and sociologists say this is caused by an increasingly chaotic world, where younger people use a combination of dark humor and digital culture to face these unique challenges.
"Mental health problems are very high among Gen Zers right now, and perhaps, that is also being played out in the types of humor that they're making," said Bethany Gull, instructor of applied sociology at Utah Tech.
Incidents like the Luigi Mangione case or the Titan submarine implosion quickly became subjects of memes and jokes across digital platforms.
Social media platforms have played a significant role in how Gen Z processes serious social issues. Incidents like the Luigi Mangione case or the Titan submarine implosion quickly became subjects of memes and jokes across social media platforms.
As intense events take over the news cycle, from the 2024 election and the LA fires, Gen Z turns to humor using memes to both acknowledge and cope with them, according to a study by Abilene Christian University.
While the American Psychological Association reports Gen Z is more likely to report experiencing mental health conditions than previous generations, Gen Z is one of the first generations who have improved in expressing their emotions.
Joshua Henrie, a population health major at Utah Tech, said he's leaned on dark humor as a coping mechanism.
"It's something people use to get through hard things and mentally straining things," Henrie said. "It might not always be appropriate or anything like that, but it's how people get through things."
This phenomenon isn't exclusive to Gen Z. Weslie Janda, a general studies major at Utah Tech, noted experiencing similar humor with her parents, though she acknowledged it is "more common and severe" among her generation.
The increased usage of social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube over the last decade has allowed Gen Z to connect through shared humor in unprecedented ways. However, this connectivity also comes with unique challenges.
"We used to graduate from high school, get a job, get married, have a child and buy a home," Gull said. "It doesn't look the same way that it did 30, 40 years ago. I think some of this humor is just a reflection of how there are very few absolutes anymore."
Even historical tragedies like 9/11 have become subjects of memes for Gen Z, which raises questions about when humor crosses boundaries of appropriateness, as discussed in an issue of "The Criterion."
Some members of Gen Z view this humor negatively. Jimmy Thurston, an electrical engineer major at Utah Tech, said he finds it annoying and irritating.
"People do it because they want to test boundaries. They want to test limits. They want to see how badly/how much can [they] push this, [and] how much further can [they] go with this," Thurston said.
John Jones, professor of psychology at Utah Tech, said it allows people the "opportunity to be irreverent."
Janda pointed to internet anonymity as a factor enabling boundary-pushing humor without consequences.
"You can kind of just say whatever you want and it doesn't have impacts on your real life, day-to-day situations," Janda said. "So, you can make those kinds of jokes with no real repercussions."
Jones added that online environments can encourage less empathetic behavior.
"It's essentially easier to be cruel online," Jones said. "And that could be one manifestation of online cruelty."
Alyssa Bayles and Ives Hong reported and produced this story as communication students at the University of Utah.
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