Who remembers the scene in Say Anything when John Cusack’s character Lloyd Doble tries to impress his wavering girlfriend by blasting a Peter Gabriel love song on a boombox, which he holds above his head like a torch?
Many of us Gen Xers felt like the filmmakers got what it felt like to be young and in love or just lost and full of mixed up emotions in Say Anything, along with the John Hughes’ movies of the 1980s — the Breakfast Club, 16 Candles, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
With a backdrop of MTV and romantic comedies like those above, those of us coming of age circa 1980 felt disenchanted yet hip.
We danced to Duran Duran and camped outside to buy Cars and Police concert tickets. We wore neon colors and used far too much hairspray to achieve the “up” bangs that were regrettably all the rage. Younger Gen Xer may have swooned over New Kids on the Block and soaked up the angst of Smashing Pumpkins and REM.
And now? Gen Xers — those born roughly between 1962 and 1981 – aren’t wearing dancing until dawn any longer. We don’t see ourselves as the pretty young things getting into trouble and falling in love in the movies, although we may be the weary parents and teachers in the background.
But that doesn’t mean we’re ready to go quietly into that quiet night, so to speak. We’re still relevant with much to say even though the spotlight definitely has shifted to the generation behind us — the Millennials. For proof, just look at the onslaught of pandering ads and media stories. What do Millennials read? Do they still shop in brick and mortar stores? What about their house-buying habits? Pant, pant, we must monitor their every important move!
I remember the same fixation on Baby Boomers not so long ago. But Generation X? Not so much.
It partly comes down to numbers. Pew Research counts 77 million Boomers and 83 million millennials. By contrast, there are only 65 million Gen Xers. And we don’t have the technological reach of the younger generations or the cultural landmarks that defined the Boomers.
According to a 2016 Adweek article, by Robert Klara, “Demographers consider Gen X to be a “middle. child”—bookended and lost between the bigger and louder cohorts of boomers and millennials. And just as middle children often feel neglected by their parents, Generation X has been disproportionately overlooked by brands and marketers, it would appear.”
But we shouldn’t be. I’d say we’re as relevant and important as either of the adjoining generations.
We Gen Xers are thick into careers or creating new ones. We’ve survived more than a couple of recessions. We’re married, divorced, and widowed. Many of us are raising kids or have just launched young adults from the nest, often while also caring for aging parents. We’re home owners and consumers of all things electric. In other words, plenty active and relevant in this crazy, noisy world.
This is why I feel inspired to write a blog specifically about Gen Xers.
I want to share my transition from young, idealistic woman to realistic middle-age one who holds many roles — professional writer, wife, mother, daughter, friend, pet owner, and most recently, cancer survivor.
Along with sharing my personal journey, I plan to chime in on popular culture, music, world events, and tiny epiphanies about our generation. I will write about the trials (and joys!) of parenting and the challenges and best practices for caring for aging parents.
Many of us still figuring it out, whether we’re on our second or 10th career, whether we’re raising elementary school children or dealing with the return of young adults, whether we’re celebrating 20 years of marriage or returning to the dating world.
I, like thousands of other Gen Xers, understand all too well what Oprah means about “remaking yourself.” We’ve had to rebrand, reconfigure, and reboot to survive.
However, I also think we all hold onto a little of who we were when Lloyd held up that boombox and Ferris skipped school because “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
That’s right, Ferris. We’re paying attention, now maybe more than ever. We’re just finding new ways to dance. Please join me on the journey!