Are you Generation X or a Millennial?

[twattymctwatterson]

This is just for fun as I was reading something that caught my interest. Depending on what you read I could be classed as either, I suppose I'm a Xennial. According to Wikipedia, you're Generation X if you're a child of Thatcher, possibly a latch key kid, grew up with Friends, Nirvana, remember the fall of the Soviet Union. I think that's me. Apparently Gen X are more cynical while Millenials are more confident, more civic minded and better at collaboration but also more sheltered. I'd be interested to see if just being born 2/3 years later than me could really make that much difference? Surely someone born in 83 would also consider themselves a child of Thatcher's Britain, remember life before the internet etc?

*who can't spell

Also, there's an economic factor between Gen X & Millennial's. Most millennial's will struggle financially/struggle to fine meaningful employment and struggle to get on the property ladder due to the economic fall out of the Thatcher/Regan era. In that way I definitely consider myself a millennial and not a Gen X'er. Really, the only thing Gen X about me is my pop culture references.

I was born the last week of 82, started secondary school in 94 and turned 18 the last week of 2000. I think I fall between the two, I’m probably a Xennial.

I don’t remember Hillsborough or the Berlin Wall falling - I do remember all of the replay shows over the years. My only memories of the eighties are infant school and kids shows like He Man, Button Moon, Grange Hill, Byker Grove and Rainbow.

I’m too young to remember grunge and Nivarna (although like them now) and was still a pre-teen when Brit Pop started. I was 12 the summer of the Oasis V Blur battle, the year Robbie also left take that.
The music of my youth was later Brit pop, Gorillaz, Robbie Williams, Spice Girls, Greenday, Placebo.
I had a discman (and later a mini disc player) rather than a Walkman.

I grew up with video consoles like SNES, Mega Drive and Gameboy and whilst I remember life without the internet, all of my teen years feature it.

The TV shows of my teens were Friends, Fraiser, Buffy, King of the Hill, Southpark, SMTV, The Simpsons, Spaced and Father Ted.

The year group above me at uni were the last to be allowed to hand in hand written assignments. And people my age that I know who did photography A level were the first year to do digital only.

I graduated and worked only a very short time before the financial collapse.

Just popping on to give the usual warning- there’s no hard-and-fast rules with generations/generational theory. It’s only as useful as the ‘shared experiences’ of a group. Not meant to pigeon-hole anyone.

It’s fascinating to read about though. I think what’s most exciting (and concerning!) is that we are living in the first period of human history where so many generations are alive at the same time, and so many people of different age cohorts sharing experiences (older people at uni, being parents of young kids in your 50’s + 60’s, etc).

In my family there’s a 2 month old meeting a 97yo this week- 4 generations apart!

I think what’s most exciting (and concerning!) is that we are living in the first period of human history where so many generations are alive at the same time, and so many people of different age cohorts sharing experiences (older people at uni, being parents of young kids in your 50’s + 60’s, etc).

It's crazy isn't it. I read somewhere that by 2050 20% of the world's population will be classified as super-old (over 80). What that implies for the future of state-funded health care is devastating. Not only that, but Boomers aren't retiring. Due to longer/healthier lives and inflation, many are choosing to work well into their 70's, which means that millennials/X'er's aren't getting the opportunity to move up the corporate ladder and earn enough to retire themselves someday.

I'm a Boomer .

Boomers aren't retiring. Due to longer/healthier lives and inflation, many are choosing to work well into their 70's, which means that millennials/X'er's aren't getting the opportunity to move up the corporate ladder and earn enough to retire themselves someday.

So annoying that somehow, Boomers are being blamed for everything these days. The late retirement plans may have some connection to the Government's plans to make the pension age later and later......hmm we're all affected by that.

So annoying that somehow, Boomers are being blamed for everything these days.

It's a fact and a noted result of the ageing population. I don't blame Boomer's for not retiring, I wouldn't in their position. I blame decades of economic decisions that have made it nearly impossible for Boomer's to retire.

None of that sounded like blaming to me.
One thing happens for merriad reasons meaning it contributes to something else impacting other people.
I think you’ve read beyond the scope of the post.

I'm a millennial. I don't buy this xennial thing. I think it's bollocks made up by someone who sees all the negative crap about millennials and doesn't like it. As someone else said there aren't hard and fast boundaries anyway.

Gen X. Watched Friends first as a post graduate student, identified more with This Life or Coupling but all felt like 'wow, they are making a TV show about my generation'! Before then it was all about the Boomers and how they were the voice of the youth and how our generation was just rehashing their music or were created by Boomers, we have lived our lives in their shadow. Think we were always cynical, that's why we loved grunge.

I'm an xennial born in 1978...I like being from this time. I remember a time with no internet and laugh when I think of dial up!

Im a stereotypical trashy millennial. I have the poor mental health and nihilist memes to prove it

I'm a 1981 Gen X type. My mum and I were talking about this yesterday (she's a boomer). She will be better off when she starts getting her state pension next year, on top of her small private one, than when she was earning.

While I am pleased for her that she will have more comfort. I don't see how this is sustainable for coming generations as the population increases, living costs increase etc.

It may be that I still get to have healthcare and financial support in old age. But is that going to be at the expense of my kids and grandkids getting it?

I don't know.

On a lighter note I tick all the boxes you mentioned I think, particularly Nirvana and Friends.

1986 so well into millennial territory. I did watch friends and listen to nirvana though and I was a latch key kid.

I don’t remember the Soviet Union falling but I do clearly remember my mum shouting “yes!” at the television when thatcher was ousted. And years later watching tv someone was talking admiringly of her so I turned to dad confused and asked him what was going on, I thought everyone hated thatcher, and he said “well of course not, millions of people voted for her!”

In some ways I’d say I fit a lot of the stereotypes of millennials. If I was in work I think I’d insist on work life balance as my number 1 priority. And I do feel a lot of unwarranted entitlement to a lifestyle similar to that which my parents provided me growing up (made more difficult by the fact my dad’s income was in the top 1% by the time I was a teenager). It’s not a deliberate thing, you just feel like you should do at least as well as your parents somehow I think but our generation is the first in a while that’s going to do worse than our parents.

As I get older and more settled in life though that feeling gets less.

Some of the generation z’s have kids now too mind (teens and early 20s).

gen x i think. early 70s is gen x. used to read douglas copeland books. What's changed for young people since I read those books? Millenials could relate to them.

Born in 1990! So I'm one of those awful entitled snowflake work-shy avocado-loving millenials

I think one of the major differences is that millennials can't imagine the world without the internet whereas generation x remember what the world was like before it. I think this is why gen x are more cynical while millennials are seen as snowflakes. Gen x can see the internet and social media as a separate, fabricated world while it's true reality for millennials. Don't know if anyone knows what I mean!

I've just realised there were people born INTO a world in which The Simpsons has always existed!

Definite Gen X (1976). Even read the book and loved it

Interesting to hear someone born 78 describe themselves as a xennial. I'm early 77 and feel 100% generation X. None of the millennial references and experiences feel in the slightest bit relevant to my childhood. Maybe something about growing up in a still v cold cold war and being politically awakened by fall of Berlin wall etc, which possibly would feel less relevant to someone even a few years younger.

Frog soup I agree it's interesting. I'm 1980 and feel more Gen X than Xennial. Possibly because I grew up in a very working class area which was at that time badly impacted by Thatcherism.

I'm generation X for sure. I work with younger people than myself generally. And feel very outdated regarding social media tweeting et al. However luckily my skill base and experience protects me to some extent in my work role. I'm obsessed with paying off my mortgage early whereas my millennial colleagues seem OK with paying huge rents. I'm the only one who mostly brings in their lunch, uses a coffee flask etc. Even our tastes are different : i like foreign/art house films whereas they love super hero or dystopian movies. They are lovely people but I often feel there is such a chasm and I want to shake them and say: start paying into something or you will be left with nothing.

@Babymamama the cultural things I feel more like you but financially I’ve been very lax. I wish we’d saved earlier and got a mortgage but we’d convinced ourselves it was an impossible dream and didn’t go for it.

But my husband is a hairs bredth away from being a higher rate taxpayer now so we can’t really pull the impoverished disenfranchised millennial thing off anymore. It’s our own fault. iPhones, avacados, Waitrose, the lot 😅