Thelife- Everyone's talking about boomers, millennials, and Gen Zers, but Gen X is often left out of the conversation.
- Many Gen Xers say they like it this way, and they just want to be left alone.
Every generation has its stereotype — millennials are whiny, Gen Z is weird, and boomers are selfish. Gen X's is that no one remembers them.
Earlier this year, TikToker Bryan Lee complained that while boomers, millennials, and Gen Zers receive a lot of criticism, Gen Xers — those born between 1965 and 1980 — are "let off the hook."
"Why aren't we talking shit about those guys? They were teenagers in the '80s and were in their 20s in the '90s. Those were the sickest decades." he asked. Lee questioned why Gen X hadn't been criticized for "not saving the planet," and for failing to fulfill their promises.
@bryaninheelee 90s best decade prove me wrong #genx #genxtiktokers #millennial #millennialsoftiktok #genz #90s
♬ original sound - Bryan 인희 Lee
Gen X viewers immediately began weighing in, and some jumped to defend themselves. "GenX gets a pass because we raised ourselves. Definitely our bad on the tech bros, though. Sorry," wrote one.
But many more said they preferred to be left out of the generational griping altogether.
On December 2, a compilation of responses to Lee's video was uploaded by TikToker @heatherlynntx. It's been viewed more than 300,000 times and has reignited discussion around why Gen X is seemingly ignored in conversations about generational strife.
@heatherlynntx Gen X Hall of Fame #generationx #genx #70s #80s #FAFO #nostalgia #memories #fyp #foryourpage #viralvideo
♬ original sound - Heather
In one video featured in the compilation, Jon Wellington, who posts under the username @thedadbodveteran and said he was a Gen Xer, thanked the TikToker for "acknowledging the existence of Gen X" but said that he doesn't think they've been let off the hook at all.
Wellington said that no one wants to mess with Gen X because of their status as a sandwich generation — boomers depend on them for care, and younger generations rely on them to pay bills.
Wellington was among several Gen Xers who spoke about how their generation was often left to their own devices as children and forced to "learn how to survive," which means they will probably "obliterate" their opponent in any "battle" they're involved in.
He shared his final thoughts at the end of the video: "I do appreciate you thinking about us. But I also appreciate you leaving us alone as well."
@thedadbodveteran @bryaninheelee #genx #fyp #thedadbodveteran #comedy #oldways
♬ original sound - “The” Dadbod Veteran
It was a sentiment shared by many. In another video, TikToker @stygian_strategies, who also said he was Gen X, said his generation "gets a pass" because they "endured the evolution of media," and had to adapt to so much new technology over their lifetimes.
"Don't bring us into the fight because you're not going to like the results. We don't like dealing with bullshit," he said. "That's why we're out of this fight. You wanna pick on boomers, boomers wanna talk about millennials — we're just gonna do our jobs, go home, and try to relax."
@stygian_strategies #stitch with @bryaninheelee #genxkid #genxtiktokers #genxcrew72 #media
♬ original sound - michaelmiller9733
The discussion spilled over to X. On December 2, Cassandra Carr asked why millennials and boomers are frequently mentioned in headlines, while Gen Xers are left out of the discussion.
I don't understand all the headlines like "Boomers & Millennials Don't Understand" etc. I see a ton of them. Does Gen X just not exist to these writers? We're an entire freaking generation & yet get left out of conversations & articles all the time.
— Cassandra Carr ♿ (@_CassandraCarr) December 2, 2023
In response, author Victoria Denault asked that other generations "Leave us alone to do our thing. We'll get in your face if we need you. But we won't need you," she wrote.
Meanwhile, Cindy Kehagiaras wrote, "Shhhhhh, let them think we are invisible. We don't need their shit."