The first wave of Gen X turns 60 in January...

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Numerous_Teacher_392@reddit

Gen X was said to start in 1961, then 1964, then 1965.

I think 1965 is a bit late. When sociologists like Howe and Strauss started really studying generations, they called Gen X birth years 1961 to 1981. 1965 is based on, well, pretty much nothing.

1961 was the real inflection point in the birth rate. As far as my personal experience, I can relate to people well when they are born in that range.

Maybe it depends on geographic region. Before MTV and then the Internet, people in LA or NY started looking and acting Gen X sooner than, say, Seattle or Austin, which were cultural backwaters in the early 1980s.

Someone born in 1962 in coastal Southern California seemed Gen X. In Dallas? Still Boomer. My high school friend in Huntington Beach had Texan cousins, and their hair, clothes, etc only seemed Gen X starting around 1985.

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In_The_End_63@reddit

Fair point about generational acceleration factor in the larger media markets / international hubs. There is also the situation of "mixed" families and Xers with Greatest Gen parents. Some muddying there too. Broad brush though, S&H nailed it in a way the lamestream marketeers and media have failed to do.

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Numerous_Teacher_392@reddit

S&H were actually interested in people and what makes us tick.

He same goes for, say, an author like Douglas Coupland or Chuck Palahniuk.

They could each be right or wrong about any given thing, but marketers of late seem to be really out of touch.

You might think I mean using a male actor who does Tik Tok videos dressed as little girls to advertise beer to guys watching football. And yeah, that was an epic fail that has cost billions.

But I'm looking at a lot of less flamboyant but equally costly fails, like moving Jeep into the Porsche luxury price range, and taking a very profitable company with several top selling brands to one with no customers on overflowing lots, and the brink of bankruptcy, in 3 years.

You'd really think that the people who had the most to lose would be the most accurate, but in this case, the academics seem to be much more in touch with reality.

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

I saw an interview with Neil Howe from four months ago. The interviewer referred to Baby Boomers as 1946 to 1964, and he went along with it. So I'm confused. He also referred to Gen X as the youth of the 90s. The latest gen jones would have been 30 in the early 90s.

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BobbyD987@reddit

Strauss & Howe acknowledged that 1946-64 was the baby boom based off most demographers, but they defined the actual generation, as in the cultural Baby Boom generation as 1943-1960.

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Numerous_Teacher_392@reddit

That's a bit strange because if Gen X was 1965 to 1980 or whatever, in the 90s there would have been some Gen X adults with kids, but also some Gen X children. The youth of the 1990s were Gen X, but Gen X wasn't just yet youths of the 1990s.

Sounds like he was not arguing about exact dates in that interview. His writing has been more precise, but I can't say if he's changed his assessments over time.

I don't really get the Generation Jones thing at all. I tend to think that people born in the early '60s can fit Gen X or Boomer characteristics depending on their location, life circumstances, etc. But that's just me, and I'm no Strauss or Howe. 🙂 I'm just going by people I know.

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

Boomers have always been 46 to 64 based on historical data, birth rates and sociologists. "Great Expectations, America and the Baby Boom Generation" was published in 1980 by Landon Jones, from the Silent Generation. He was an award winning Time Magazine writer and coined and/or popularized the phrase Baby Boomer. . In the 70s, he interviewed sociologists, demographers and historians. The book explains why those dates are recognized (beyond birth years) and some of the differences between the beginning and the end of the generation. There were more similarities than differences (like all generations). He also mentioned the group '65 to '80, but we didn't have a name yet.

1965 is the perfect start to Gen X. Not only did the birth rate decline that year (54 to 64 had the most births within a 10 year period in history according to PubMed A guide to the baby boom - PubMed (nih.gov). '65 was also the first year to be born after the Civil Rights Movement. Everyone born '65 and after were in a classroom during the Challenger (grade school to college). All of us were still in high school or younger when MTV premiered. As a Gen Z wrote, there hasn't been as great of cultural differences than between late Boomers and Gen X.

It was only in the 90s when S&H and Coupland came along and unsuccessfully tried to change the dates. Every credible source, which this election confirmed, states Gen X starting in '65. It's always been the end date in question. Harvard still has Gen X as ending in '85. A lot of Elder Millennials say they were told in school that they were Gen X, then it changed.

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the_spinetingler@reddit

"the most births within a 10 year period in history" is not the same thing as "birth rate"

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Numerous_Teacher_392@reddit

Yeah, whoever wrote that should have gotten a freshman calculus student to help. It would have taken 5 minutes.

I couldn't care less what Time said about a guy who can't read a graph. 🙂 Credibility comes from competence, not awards.

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

You're confused. The quote above ("Between 1954-64, over 4 million babies were born each year, and during the decade 1955-64, the U.S. recorded more births (42 million) than in any 10 year period. This boom ended in 1965 when fertility rates and the number of births declined abruptly.) is from Pubmed, a very well respected and credible data institution. Landon Jones didn't write that. So, that shuts down that argument. Landon is an historian who won awards for his work. Nothing is more credible than that. Very competent.

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Numerous_Teacher_392@reddit

Well, I can read a graph and it's simply not true AT ALL that birth rates declined abruptly in 1965.

I don't care if it's in an article that you can find in PubMed. Just look at the graph.

https://usafacts.org/articles/how-have-us-fertility-and-birth-rates-changed-over-time/

You still have to use your own brain. Citing errors from "authorities" don't make them true.

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NoResearcher1219@reddit

There’s nothing Gen X about believing a person born in 1964 must be the same generation as 1946, due to a waning birth-rate, and because all the “sources” say so.

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Numerous_Teacher_392@reddit

Also, if said source had started with "1965 was when the birthrate hit bottom, therefore" and supported his claims from there, it might be interesting.

But since his claim is based on the premise that "birthrate dropped precipitously in 1965", he loses all credibility.

The birthrate actually ROSE in 1965 -- not much, but in 1965 there was a local minimum, when the birthrate had been dropping rapidly and steadily some 1960.

The guy didn't even draw himself a graph and look at it.

But really I'm getting long-winded saying exactly what you did in a few words: Argument from Authority is a logical fallacy. 🙂

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NoResearcher1219@reddit

And people who think otherwise are not Gen X. How is submitting to the “experts” and feeling that magazine writers have a good understanding of your generation a Generation X trait?

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

"Between 1954-64, over 4 million babies were born each year, and during the decade 1955-64, the U.S. recorded more births (42 million) than in any 10 year period. This boom ended in 1965 when fertility rates and the number of births declined abruptly.

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the_spinetingler@reddit

The decline started in 61. Full stop. It reached maximum decline in 65, perhaps, but the graph had turned by 61 and the boom was over.

dx/dy

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

"Almost exactly nine months after World War II ended, “the cry of the baby was heard across the land,” as historian Landon Jones later described the trend. More babies were born in 1946 than ever before: 3.4 million, 20 percent more than in 1945. This was the beginning of the so-called “baby boom.” In 1947, another 3.8 million babies were born; 3.9 million were born in 1952; and more than 4 million were born every year from 1954 until 1964, when the boom finally tapered off. By then, there were 76.4 million “baby boomers” in the United States. They made up almost 40 percent of the nation’s population." Baby Boomers ‑ Year Range, Definition & Facts | HISTORY

There were over 4 million Boomers born every single year between 1954 and 1964. That declined in '65 with under 4 million and stayed under. Full stop.

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ileentotheleft@reddit

I thought it had to do with birthrates, which decreased significantly starting in 1965. But perhaps I'm wrong. I can see it being tied to a national event, specifically the JFK assassination. Seems like there was a cultural shift after that. But maybe it's only if you can recall that event that you are a Boomer & if you were too young for it to touch you, you are X?

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Numerous_Teacher_392@reddit

Look at the chart of birth rate. The inflection point was 1961. 1965 was a local bottom. The trend was already well underway.

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CaveDog2@reddit

Ideas about the correct length of a generation probably had something to do with it at the time but ultimately, I doubt it was much more than a matter of convenience. Landon Jones' erroneous 1946 to 1964 boomer range had become entrenched over the decade before Gen X started to get adopted by institutions. I'm highly doubtful there was some sort of in-depth study that conveniently proved that Gen X just happened to start the year after the boomer range ended. It's amusing to watch people act as though there's anything scientific about it. Odds are it just would have been controversial at that point to change the baby boomer range, so people just did the easy thing and started Gen X after it.

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rwphx2016@reddit

I was born in 1964 in Chicago. Many of my friends are from places like Northern Virginia, St Louis, and Chicago. We think/act/speak like Gen X. We aren't Boomers by any measure. Then we have folks on this board who were born well within the Gen X time period who, frankly, act the way we accuse Boomers of acting. Case in point: the endless posts about who is and who isn't Gen X. Seems like the Gen X response would be "whatever." But it isn't.

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lazygerm@reddit

It is, or at least it should be.

But I think it just may be pushback on the whole Generation Jones issue. I have no problem with people 5-7 years older than me thinking they're Xers; even if the GenX definition I knew was from 1965-1980.

But carving out a whole mini Generation to distinguish yourself from Boomers seems like the most boomery thing to do!

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

"But carving out a whole mini Generation to distinguish yourself from Boomers seems like the most boomery thing to do!" Totally agree! They are on all of our Gen X platforms posting about things that are totally unrelatable to us. We complain many times, yet they still come on and make everything about them. This is the only platform that I've seen to push Gen X dates back as far as the early 60s.

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lazygerm@reddit

Me too to be honest.

From my personal experience, I think 1965 pegs it right. My freshman year in college I had a group of friends that fives years old than me (b. 1962); they shared some of X traits but mostly were boomers.

But hey if they have the attitude, I'll let 'em in!

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

I don't understand why they are so obsessed with being Gen X. There is a discussion on other Gen X (65 to 80) platforms of how late Boomers always followed us around. We were even discussing how as teens, they'd be outside of our teen clubs, or in the clubs preying on us. They were mid 20s to 30s in the 90s. Now they're doing the same thing 30 years later. I've never seen an older generation want to be like the younger. It's usually the other way around. The kids want to sit at the big table. With us, they want to sit at the kids table, so to speak. It's a bit weird.

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lazygerm@reddit

It is odd.

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rwphx2016@reddit

Funny story: I took one of those silly online quizzes that purports to tell you what generation you are. It had me as a Millennial who had a Gen X older brother or sister.

FWIW, Douglas Coupland, the man who wrote the book, defines Gen X as starting in 1961.

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Spacious-Recroom@reddit

'64 here as well. I had begun to type out a thoughtful in-depth response and then couldn't be bothered so I deleted it. I think more than anything else that should prove my GenX bona fides. 🥱

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rwphx2016@reddit

Great post! I, too, had begun typing a thoughtful and analytical post and, like you, said "whatever."

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Numerous_Teacher_392@reddit

I think that part is interesting to me, mainly because I think we were the last generation that wasn't homogenized by digital media. I mean, I'm not wondering who I am, but I wonder what it must feel like to be a kid now, where every bit of slang and pop culture spreads everywhere simultaneously.

The term "Karen" comes to mind. It crossed geographic and generational boundaries, instantly.

For us, you could tell the kids with the Duran Duran or Depeche Mode concert tees were from here, and the kids with Def Leppard and Ratt shirts weren't. 🤣 Or if someone said "dude, rad" they were Gen X, but "cool, man" they were Boomers. This just doesn't exist today.

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cmore_1967@reddit

I recall Howe and Strauss mentioning in The Fourth Turning that the national divorce rate peaked in 1979 and the children of that era (those under 18), with silent generation parents, were the first to experience family disintegration on a sizable scale.

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SamWhittemore75@reddit

This is the correct answer.

The Boomer birth rate started declining in 61-62. The generation was named because of the post war birth RATE boom. It's only logical that the generation ended when the rate of growth reversed. Gen X is 1961-1981 or 1962-1982. Strauss and Howe were correct. Everyone that followed that attempted to change the date range was doing so for socio-political reasons. Lots of Baby BOOMERS had a tantrum and didn't want to be associated with their older brothers and sisters (for obvious reasons) so they STOLE a few years of Gen X and tacked them on to a few years of BOOMERdom and made up the fake "Gen Jones".

A 'generation' has always been considered to be approximately 20 years (give or take a year or two at most). That doesn't change because a bunch of petulant BOOMERs stomp their feet and act like Karens.

Thanks for standing up for our Generation, X!

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Numerous_Teacher_392@reddit

Note that the birth rate peaked in the late 1950s. By 1961, it had been declining for a little while already, then fell off a cliff.

https://usafacts.org/articles/how-have-us-fertility-and-birth-rates-changed-over-time/

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

"Between 1954-64, over 4 million babies were born each year, and during the decade 1955-64, the U.S. recorded more births (42 million) than in any 10 year period. This boom ended in 1965 when fertility rates and the number of births declined abruptly.

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Numerous_Teacher_392@reddit

Yeah, that's not true.

Did you look at the graph? The rate was plummeting from 1960 on.

It didn't happen suddenly in 1965.

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Righteous_Sheeple@reddit

I was born in 62 but identify as Gen X because my partner was born in 69.

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Numerous_Teacher_392@reddit

If you felt like you came from different generations, you'd know it I think.

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Righteous_Sheeple@reddit

He keeps me young.

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

"Between 1954-64, over 4 million babies were born each year, and during the decade 1955-64, the U.S. recorded more births (42 million) than in any 10 year period. This boom ended in 1965 when fertility rates and the number of births declined abruptly. A guide to the baby boom - PubMed (nih.gov)

There is a book published in 1980 that recognizes boomers as 46 to 64. Gen X has never been early 60s. S&H tried to change the dates to no avail. If Gen X had to be 20 years, 65 to 85 would make more sense. We all grew up on PCs, MTV and cable TV whereas early 60s and earlier did not.

Late Boomers did have a tantrum not wanting be associated with earlier Boomers which doesn't make sense to me. It was the early Boomers who were the revolutionaries and who will go down in the history books.

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dfh-1@reddit

1963, GenX, and will die on this hill.

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In_The_End_63@reddit

Making matters even more interesting, due to increasing longevity especially when you subtract outliers caused by self-harm and violence, Saecula and hence likely generational / turning time frames may be increasing as well. Moving from 80 toward 90 or more years,

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the_spinetingler@reddit

Inflection point.

It's basic calculus.

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TotallyRadDude1981@reddit

And 1981 babies came of age in the old millennium just like the rest of Gen X, with 1982 babies as the first Millennials since they were the first to come of age in the new one.

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

Agree.

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TriggerTough@reddit

Interesting take. Very informative.

Grew up in NJ. I’m 51 but we had 5 brothers about 10 years older than us who taught us skateboarding and such. One was sponsored by Simms in the early days of snowboarding.

I consider them Generation Jones, not Boomers.

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Numerous_Teacher_392@reddit

Did you ever go to Action Park?

I wish I could have experienced that. I mean, assuming I wasn't killed or badly injured. 😁

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nycbaldman@reddit

I went several times over the years. I remember the blood and stretchers. The rides never stopped tho.

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kerosenehat63@reddit

I was born '63 and don't consider myself a boomer. Gen X all the way.

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Absinthe_gaze@reddit

My Mom was born in 1961 and definitely is boomer.

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Numerous_Teacher_392@reddit

It's really all about whether someone ever listened to the Circle Jerks. 🤣

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Spiritualy-Salty@reddit

I agree with this.

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witchcraftbeer@reddit

And that would be me on Jan 3

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Flashy-Ad1026@reddit

Party Hardy Rock n Roll Drink Bacardi , smoke a bowl Sex is great, sex is fun Cause we’re the class of 91!

That’s all I got . Oh and…

Happy January Birthday to the old farts!

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Ineffable7980x@reddit

I'm in this wave as well.

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Funny_Leg8273@reddit

My niece called me one. I offered her a hearty, "I'm GenX. Whatever, bitch."

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cindy6507@reddit

60 in July

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Funny_Leg8273@reddit

Me!

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International_Try660@reddit

I'm a boomer, but I don't fit the stereotype. I'm happy about that.

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Fellowshipofthebowl@reddit

58 next year. Video killed the radio star.

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SpaceMonkey3301967@reddit

Me too. My older brother will be 60. He's almost a Boomer!

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HHSquad@reddit

Gen Jones

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SpaceMonkey3301967@reddit

So Generation Jones are people in the older side of GenX?

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HHSquad@reddit

I've always felt that those born '61 - '65 are both, but so many are sold on Pews '65 start for GenX. Generation Jones is the equivalent of Xennials on the other side.

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oldschool_potato@reddit

My sister is '63. She is full boomer

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HHSquad@reddit

I was born in '61 and definitely not.

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oldschool_potato@reddit

I think the tweeners can really fall either way. She's married to a guy my age '68 and he is also full boomer.

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HHSquad@reddit

Yeah there's a lot of grey areas for 60's born, we are all over the place in who we are. But I don't think most of us have much in common with those born in the 40's.

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

Gen Jones is the later subset of Boomers. Xennials are a true mix between Gen X and Millennials. Jones only has one year of Gen X. It is 1954 to 1964/5.

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Wide_Breadfruit_2217@reddit

Me too jan 2

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mucifous@reddit

56, my 4 year old loves that song. There’s a cover out there by the band "Custard" which is fronted by the Actor who voices Bluey's dad.

By my kid loves the Buggles version.

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TriggerTough@reddit

Yes. Yes it did.

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CrazyLady_TT@reddit

Nice! First video on MTv

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Fellowshipofthebowl@reddit

I was 13 when we got MTV!

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YupNopeWelp@reddit

And same.

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YupNopeWelp@reddit

Same.

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bcoz05@reddit

Hey, me too.

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TotallyRadDude1981@reddit

According to this sub’s sidebar, the oldest Gen Xers turn 63 this year. And the youngest turn 43.

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DoNotResusit8@reddit

That window gets shifted around depending on who you ask.

I would say anyone born 64 thru 80 is Gen X but whatever. The exact dates are that important. It’s more about the experience

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TotallyRadDude1981@reddit

True. But I’d say 1961-1981 is the most accurate. 1961 is the first of the baby bust and 1981 the last to come of age in the old millennium. That’s how Strauss & Howe defined it anyway.

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

Early 60s are very different from Gen X. 65 is the first year born after Civil Rights.

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TotallyRadDude1981@reddit

I always saw the early 60s on the furthest end of the Gen X spectrum. So different, yes, but similar enough to be part of X and not the Boomers.

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

Actually, early and late boomers are similar enough to be the same generation. All generations have some differences. However, sociologists concluded that it was actually Boomers that are similar. If Gen x were that similar, we'd be officially in the same generation.

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TotallyRadDude1981@reddit

I’ve never met anyone born 1961-1964 who fit the bill for Boomers. If they’re Boomers, then they’re Boomers in name only.

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

Everyone I've met fit Boomers. Remember, every generation has the oldest and youngest. Late Boomers seem more Boomer than early. Insisting that you're a totally different generation and rebranding your generation to your liking is the most "Boomer" thing ever. No other generation has done that. I even saw a post on Gen Jones berating Gen X and Millennials for how we dress. They're always in our spaces talking about our lead exposure, our music, we're soft. Same comments that we'd expect from earlier Boomers. Don't be fooled.

Black ankle socks with shorts: GenX and Millennials do it for mountain biking. I just can't and I won't. That's 1950s dad stuff (but they never met 1950s dads). What whipper snapper fashion crimes can you not get over Jonsers? : r/GenerationJones

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TotallyRadDude1981@reddit

I can see differences between early 60s vs mid of late 60s. But then early 70s look different from the late 70s too. And when I think of those born in the early 60s I see people who seemed more like Wayne & Garth from Wayne’s World or hairband Xers rather than hippies like the elder Boomers.

And there’s a difference between the elder hairband Xers vs the grunge and post-grunge Xers that make up the 70s and early 80s. Still, I see more similarities than differences.

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In_The_End_63@reddit

Also unless some sort of freakish superpower, a person born in 61+ will have no memory whatever of JFK or his death.

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TotallyRadDude1981@reddit

Very true. And on the other end, 1981 is the last to remember the Challenger explosion. 1982 babies would have no memory of that unless they too had some sort of freakish superpower.

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TriggerTough@reddit

Carpe Diem. Enjoy the ride!

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

This sub is the only platform that I've seen to push Gen X dates back that far. Gen X is 65 to 80.

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TotallyRadDude1981@reddit

1965-1980 is the most popular range today, yes, but that wasn’t always the case.

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

The very first Gen X (Breakfast Club Kids characters) are almost 60. 😁We still have a while before the second wave Gen X, "Reality Bites" kids turn 60. Happy Early Birthday!

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Superb_Ant_3741@reddit

Incorrect.

Judd Nelson was born in 1959 (by most standards, he’s a boomer).

And Emilio Estevez was born in 1962 (according to you, he’s not GenX either).

Janae Garrafolo was born in 1964 (not GenX by your measure).

Karen Duffy, born in 1962 (again, you would insist she’s not allowed to claim GenX)

And so on.

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OlderNerd@reddit

58 this year. 7 years till retirement!

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Jasonstackhouse111@reddit

I turn 60 next year, zero boomer vibe from me. Complete X attitude and life.

Fitting that as among the older X cohort, I have two older Z daughters and they are so Z-X it's hilarious. Crazy smart, sarcastic, and willing to use their middle fingers at the drop of a hat.

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oldschool_potato@reddit

I'm 56 and my 22 year old are the same, but my 18 year old is wildly different and full Z. My 3 year old is a trip already

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Infinite_Dig3437@reddit

Conversation with my 18 yo daughter today

Her: “dad accidently getting package sent to your house rather than mums, can you keep an eye out for me” Me: “is it anything is should be worried about” thinking it could be drugs or something illegal. Her” no it’s just some new nipple rings” Me: “ ok cool as long it’s not drugs. Will let you know when it arrives but might keep them for myself”

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CaveDog2@reddit

I used to read a Gen X group on FB where some late Xers would accuse ‘60s born Xers of being “too boomer” and not “true” Gen X. I saw one guy just joke that his heart is Gen X but his knees are boomer and a late Xer totally went off on him. Just the suggestion that Gen X may no longer be the young generation seemed to trigger them. I had one person on Reddit tell me they don’t like “much older” people associated with Gen X because it makes them feel “old before their time”.

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Wild@reddit

I thought they already did. Maybe I’m wrong. My dad was born in ‘62.

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nota2024@reddit

I think the better differentiator is the simplest… did you enter the full time professional workforce before personal computers?

If you know how to work with just a phone on your desk, use the mail, and expect only secretaries to type, you are a Boomer.

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Camille_Toh@reddit

That’s not a good dividing line. PCs were already a thing in 1983 thanks to Apple.

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nota2024@reddit

Exactly. But not widespread in business use at all. So my dividing line works.

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ku_78@reddit

I remember trying to teach a bunch of boomer commercial bankers how to use a new CRM software back in 99. It was like I was asking them to pull out their own teeth with rusty pliers. They didn’t “do computers.”

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Jimmybuffett4life@reddit

60-year-old chicks are fucking hot!

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ahamay65@reddit

Feb for me

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HuMon1@reddit

Me too

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Intelligent_Arm_7186@reddit

i got over a decade before i hit that age.

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jcwillia1@reddit

They are the lucky ones - I still have 12-ish years before I can retire

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cheesecheeseonbread@reddit

If it makes you feel any better, a lot of 60-year-olds can't retire either.

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Sad-Corner-9972@reddit

iirc correctly: 1965 saw the birth rate drop that signaled the end of the boom (widespread use of “the pill”). You gotta draw a line somewhere, so 1965-1981 works. I do think the NT post calling out varied local cultures is interesting.

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the_spinetingler@reddit

Birth rate turned in 61.

"total births" is not the same thing.

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Sad-Corner-9972@reddit

Griswold v, Connecticut was the 1965 ruling that allowed widespread distribution of “the Pill.”

Maybe that’s why it’s year one for GenX?

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cheesecheeseonbread@reddit

The Pill came out in Canada in 1961, and that's the same year the author of "Generation X", Douglas Coupland (a Canadian) was born.

Maybe that's why it's year one for Genx?

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Consistent_Pitch782@reddit

This also means the youngest Boomer turns 61. Can we please hurry those assholes up, get them retired and gone? Jesus what a fucking narcissistic generation

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S1159P@reddit

This also means the youngest Boomer turns 61. Can we please hurry those assholes up, get them retired and gone?

GenX telling boomers to retire at 61? I don't know about you, I don't see myself retiring at 61, (or at 65, sigh) - why would I expect others to? Safe to say I anticipate being entirely unmoved by any hostile millennials holding similar attitudes towards GenX when I hit my 60s.

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cheesecheeseonbread@reddit

If they want me to retire, they're more than welcome to send me the necessary funds.

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Optimal-Ad-7074@reddit

no.

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thumpingcoffee@reddit

It’s really that defined?

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mrjanitor639@reddit (OP)

No, there have been some different opinions expressed here on the beginning date. Different statistical studies give different starting dates. 1965 has been the most prevalent in popular media

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RobNY54@reddit

5 freekin' 8 in Jan. Class of 85 reunion coming this summer. 36 24 34. My high school locker combination.

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thirtyone-charlie@reddit

March for me

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j_mcr1@reddit

60 in September. Y'all let me know how it goes

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Legitimate_Egg_2399@reddit

I read the other day that 60 is the new 40 being that we age so gracefully. I’ve got 15 years. Praying this is still true then. 😎

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jimonlimon@reddit

My body at 59 feels 10 years older than last year at 58. I still think I’m a kid but a muscle strain takes a week to get over.

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NeckPourConnoisseur@reddit

Do you vividly remember the Moon landing? Did you have brothers drafted into the Vietnam War? That's very Boomerish.

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NeckPourConnoisseur@reddit

The mid 1960s could really go either way, depending on where and how you were raised.

If you were raised in the country, by older parents, and were the youngest of a lot of Boomer siblings, you're probably a Boomer.

If you were raised in a Metropolitan area, by younger parents, and didn't have Boomer siblings, you're likely Gen X.

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Adept-Elderberry4281@reddit

Dang. We got old, you guys!!!!!

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segerseven@reddit

59 next summer, building a fort in retirement to invite my friends to smoke a j and wait for the street light to come on….but I don’t have to go home!

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Waffler11@reddit

50 in September…late X’er, but still an X’er.

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Saucy_Baconator@reddit

Meh. Whatever.

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paulio10@reddit

I'll be 60 next Feb, definitely gen X by nature, music taste, attitude, beliefs, etc. my wife is 62, she is definitely a boomer! By music taste, attitude, beliefs, etc. it is so fascinating, 1965 really is the start of gen X.

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

I totally agree!

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TreyRyan3@reddit

There are a few differences and it depends what years you use.

There are a variety of start dates for GENX ranging from November 1963 to August 1964, basically Kennedy Assassination to Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.

CUSP Babies - Then there are birth order babies in multi-child homes. For example, if you were the youngest child with multiple older siblings, you are more likely to adopt traits of your older siblings. If you are the oldest of multiple younger siblings you are more likely to adopt characteristics of your younger siblings.

So it can be argued the oldest GENX cohorts are already 60/61 and share many of the same characteristics as Boomers. If you graduated college and/or already had a career by October of 1987, you are probably more likely to display Boomer traits than a member of GENX. College Seniors graduating in 1988 are often viewed as the defining start of GENX. X for unknown, which was the outlook for their future in a major recession.

Not saying you can’t still identify as GENX, but there is likely a reason why you are viewed as a Boomer.

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Few_Advisor_2525@reddit

Agree! '83 is really the start of the true 80s experience. 80-82 was still very much 70s culture. '83 is Gen X first graduating class. There is a video of high school students in the late 70s compared to '83 to '85 and people commented on how different the eras are. The music was "Dancing Queen" to highlight the 70s and "Living on a Prayer" to highlight 80s teens.

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auslan_planet@reddit

gif

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ikokiwi@reddit

I'm already 60 - and I'm Gen-X - I tick all the boxes big-time.

That said, due to a miss-spent youth which has lasted pretty much... well, 60 years I guess, I tick a whole lot of other boxes as well.

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Jazzlike_Detail5539@reddit

The first wave turned 60 three years ago. (look to your right)

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MK5@reddit

Right there with you, sixty in May. I get accused of being a Boomer all the time.

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Odd_Method_2979@reddit

60 in November 2025.

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BingoSpong@reddit

60 next year! 🥳 give me my discount card!

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PDXJimS@reddit

Every HS commencement speech in ‘84 “You are the future!” Alas, still governed by Boomers …

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Moonglow_sunshine@reddit

One thing genx, millennials and genz have in common…Boomers are irritating lol

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mrjanitor639@reddit (OP)

Very true

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Moonglow_sunshine@reddit

A lot of younger people aren’t aware of genx at all. The ones that are seem confused by us.

gif

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SouthOrlandoFather@reddit

Those that are 59.5 have been able to withdraw from IRA and/or 401k with no age penalty.

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tomarofthehillpeople@reddit

I turned 60 in November. I am not a boomer.

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Nanyea@reddit

Whatever Boomer :) pre-Happy Cake-day!

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altrudee@reddit

I'm 58 (1966) and I have nothing in common with boomers. I had every symptom of Gen X'er before I had heard the term and I'm damn proud of it!

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Thorne1966@reddit

I turned 58 back in August.

I'm 26, with 32 years experience being thus!

🤘😁🤘

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Designer-Course-8414@reddit

I’m Jan 65 so turning 60. Never been a trailblazer before. 🤭

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TheTrueGoatMom@reddit

Little story for ya! I'm 51. So the other night, we were playing cribbage and listening to a 70s music playlist. Dream on by Aerosmith comes on and I'm like this isn't 70s, it's 80s. Uuuuggghhhh. Dream on came out in 1973, same year I was born! What is happening here?? 🤣🤣🤣

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wrpk@reddit

Cribbage! I’m 59 and learned from my parents, GPs, and GGPs. The game will go extinct with GenX.

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TheTrueGoatMom@reddit

I was playing with my 23 and 17 yos. They play with their friends! I don't think it's going anywhere!

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gtownjim@reddit

Or did 3 years ago ffs.

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HHSquad@reddit

....or maybe in 2021 😉

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InvestigatorQuick118@reddit

59 in April

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hatetochoose@reddit

Just in time for cuts to social security and privatization of medicare.

To know one’s surprise.

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Accurate-Response317@reddit

July for me

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Expert_Habit9520@reddit

Pretty crazy that those of us born in the mid to late sixties have seen what life is like in 7 different decades. Now admittedly, I remember zilch from the 1960s as I was born in ‘69, but I can truly say that I was around for the end of that crazy decade.

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Peppyrhubarb@reddit

Yep that’s me! Turning 60 in May. I want my MTV.

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Matt-J-@reddit

Same here

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lisanstan@reddit

Me too

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Some_Refrigerator147@reddit

Lucky, they’re that much closer to retirement.

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H__Dresden@reddit

Nice, I turn 50 next year.

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doocurly@reddit

It's been my Gen X experience that people will only call you a Boomer if you are behaving like one.

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LongDuckDong1974@reddit

if a younger person disagrees with you they may say that too

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doocurly@reddit

Your username just cracked me up. Just watched that show a couple of weeks ago.

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Satans_colon@reddit

I've experienced this twice(both times on Reddit) after presenting or defending positions in subs that are less civil than our Gen X space. Strangely, my positions were not specific to any generation at all, and the tone of my comments was not jerky (to the best of my knowledge, although I'm no expert in self-awareness)). I believe this was just a couple of Redditors hurling insults bc they felt they were "losing" a useless argument

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DanielDannyc12@reddit

A group of friends and I are planning a cruise to happen the next few years.

I said to my girlfriend, "Oh my God I'll be 60 when this cruise happens"

She said "You're planning a cruise - How old did you think you were?"

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mrjanitor639@reddit (OP)

She's a keeper!

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chinstrap@reddit

If you're over about 35, you're a Boomer, as far as some of these kids see it.

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RetroactiveRecursion@reddit

I remember when my kid sister turned 50 a couple years ago it made me feel older than when I did.

I just turned 55 last month but my wife turns 60 next year. So far she's ok with it, but I must admit I'M freaking out a little.

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GGLiddy666@reddit

59 in 2 weeks!

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heyknauw@reddit

First Wave on Sirius XM 33.

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loveallcreatures@reddit

Me too! I just turned 60.

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elijuicyjones@reddit

The final Boomers turned 60 this year. That’s you.

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loveallcreatures@reddit

Naw man. Its arbitrary.

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Tex_Arizona@reddit

Huh huh, huh huh huh... You're old.

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Sad-Corner-9972@reddit

Watching the retirement goalposts move is exciting (…sob).

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TriggerTough@reddit

/s

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LongDuckDong1974@reddit

I don’t think I’ll be able to retire sadly

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SolomonGrumpy@reddit

Red 5, standing by.

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TriggerTough@reddit

Damn that hits hard. Nice.

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Sensitive_Note1139@reddit

Younger people think everyone older than them is a Boomer. If it's not on Tik Tok kids don't know anything about it. I remember seeing a mildly infuriating post about a Millennial parent who was disciplining their Gen Alpha child and their kid told them "Ok, Boomer." Parent was upset because they were 30.

Heck, in Boomers Being Fools, Gen Z is trying to claim our generation is turning into the Boomers. This really started after the election statistics came out about who voted for whom.

Oldest Millennials are starting to whine about their employers discriminating against them for their age. Like that is something new?

Whatever.

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TriggerTough@reddit

Whatever. lol

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willboby@reddit

December for me

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Shag66@reddit

59!

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IsThisRealRightNow@reddit

This is why I got my all caps forehead tattoo, to instantly convince young whippersnappers I'm cool not fool :

GEN X

NOT BOOMER!

(please like me!)

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HBsac@reddit

My all caps forehead tattoo is: FUCK IT and definitely not: LITTLE BITCH! April 65 here hahaha!

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Satans_colon@reddit

Still rocking my 80s FTW here!

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LightBeerOnIce@reddit

I'm also in the first wave of turning 60 next month. Crazy!!

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Dutch4757@reddit

I turn 60 Friday

Tell me I’m not Gen X

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nite_skye_@reddit

I turned 60 this past summer. Same!!

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In_The_End_63@reddit

Yep!

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In_The_End_63@reddit

Over on the defunct Fourth Turning Forum we refered to us head enders as Atari X. Well Ataris are actually '61 - 70 or so. So head enders are bleeding edge Atari. LoL. Later X were deemed Nintendo X.

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Havetowel-@reddit

Retirement homes bettered be ready for us!! They wont know what hit them when GenX hits.

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JLammert79@reddit

I can't wait to be in the retirement home headbanging.

To be fair, my mother who is 75 (and definitely a Boomer in mentality as well as age) started digging KISS concerts 5 years ago when I finally streamed a concert for her, and actually thinks Twisted Sister is a trip. "Why didn't you kids tell me about this ealier?" Because you told us to shut off that Devil music, Mom. Geez.

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Saltydogusn@reddit

60 in February here. Still feel 30 unless I'm getting up from the floor from playing with grandkids!

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Misanthropemoot@reddit

Gen x and still alive lol. I just don’t know how.

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2hands_bowler@reddit

Yarp. 60 on Jan 10th. Whatever.

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hornbri@reddit

I am on the other end approaching 50, lead us!!!!

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GuyFromLI747@reddit

Yea but you are closer to being a boomer than say someone born in the 70s

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In_The_End_63@reddit

According to Strauss and Howe and per the Op Def in the upper right-hand corner of this sub, first of the X Gen (Nomad type in the Generational Theory scheme) to reach 60 were the 01-JAN-1961 babies. Been going on now for nearly 4 years.

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StillC5sdad@reddit

I can't drive 55 in March

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Puzzled_Plate_3464@reddit

60 on the Ides of March :)

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OldSailor742@reddit

Dang I just turned 50

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Lord_of_Entropy@reddit

Age 60 next year! Wish I was one of these guys I read about who can retire at 60.

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attalbotmoonsays@reddit

Congrats! Show em how it's done. =)

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7_62mm_FMJ@reddit

I hate you

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believe_in_dog@reddit

i’m 49 and it didn’t really hit me until i realized that billie joe armstrong was 52! like wait, what? cue the weird midlife existential sort of crisis. whatever, i’m still cool.

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mrjanitor639@reddit (OP)

Definitely Super Cool still!

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Voodoo330@reddit

60 in March. I ain't no Boomer, junior

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mrjanitor639@reddit (OP)

The most consistent statistical year I read is 1965, but as already mentioned the dates float according to which study is referenced

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mmurphy5221@reddit

58 now and still looking around for the adults in the room! 1984 was my year! JUMP

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Creative_Cat1481@reddit

What a fantastic year for music! I was 11 at the time and radio was fucking awesome!

Van Halen, Quiet Riot, ZZ top, The Cars, Billy Idol, Prince, Duran Duran, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Billy Squire, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Cyndi Lauper, Laura Branigan and the list goes on and on!

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YupNopeWelp@reddit

You're GenX. Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.

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VendettaKarma@reddit

Stopppppp

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mrjanitor639@reddit (OP)

I sincerely apologize, please forgive me!

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VernonDent@reddit

60 in November. Sigh.

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Zealousideal-Move-25@reddit

Dam, man. don't remind me!

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CompleteService8593@reddit

57 next month…

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Chronic_Sharter@reddit

gif

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TPixiewings@reddit

49 in january!

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WalkielaWhatsUp@reddit

Three brothers with 2 official Boomers My youngest big bro is turning 60 but is more boomer than X. I am alone in my GenX-ness (but just how cute was I though 😂)

Photo Credit: St Joseph church directory 1969

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