The event that separates
Posted by geekgirlwww@reddit | Xennials | View on Reddit | 56 comments
I think if you remember the Challenger exploding and/or watched it in school that puts you in Gen X camp. If you’re too young that puts you in Millenial camp.
I argue the same for tail end Millennials and Gen Z. If you remember 9/11 happening Millenial if not Gen Z.
At a family party last month Challenger came up, my mom and aunt were in high school and they lived close enough they’d go home for lunch every day. My mom was giving me a bottle (I’m 85) my aunt comes down “they keep talking about a spaceship blowing up”. Mom and my grandmother turn on the tv and seeing the Challenger coverage. My grandmother “well I guess go back to school and see if they send you home”. My mom “so I handed you to Nan Nan and went to school”
Oily_Bee@reddit
I was in Jr High, went to science class and the teacher was crying and told us the news.
TransportationOk657@reddit
I was in 1st grade and watched the Challenger disaster in class. I was born in '79, so technically Gen X. My wife doesn't remember it. She was born in '82, so technically a Millennial. However, we're both Xennials.
TurangaLeela78@reddit
Yep, first grade and 78.
SunshineInDetroit@reddit
I remember watching it in 3rd grade.
sarcasmexorcism@reddit
saddam "he's so insane"
funky_donut@reddit
‘77? Because same.
sarcasmexorcism@reddit
i think Barney is the great separator.
Pocleese@reddit
'81 here. I remember watching the Challenger launch in preschool. I was obviously too young to understand exactly what was happening, but I remember seeing the shuttle explode and the staff shutting the TVs off almost immediately, and I remember thinking "I don't think that's what was supposed to happen".
noonesaidityet@reddit
I've posted about this before, but I remember the Challenger pretty well, but I was 4 and didn't fully understand at the time. But Baby Jessica was the one I remember being completely aware of the entire situation as it was happening.
ReservedPickup12@reddit
The earliest thing I remember from the news was seeing Oliver North’s face all over the TV. Obviously I had no idea who he was or what it was all about… but I distinctly remember seeing him enough that it is now ingrained in my mind.
TroleCrickle@reddit
Same. 79er here.
taleofbenji@reddit
I still don't and every time I think I would like to find out I quickly realize that I'm wrong. :)
craigsler@reddit
Watched it live in class, 3rd grade iirc. Teacher left it on as they continually replayed it, as we discussed it in real-time.
dkonigs@reddit
I don't remember Challenger exploding, but I do remember everyone talking about the event (or what they remembered about the event) in the years after. So I guess that puts me in this very in-between group :-)
bud_4z0@reddit
Wrong…
geekgirlwww@reddit (OP)
Valuable contribution to the discourse thank you for your vigilant service
Few_Improvement_6357@reddit
Well, you did invalidate every Xennial born 1977-1980, at least. That's, like, half of Xennials. While their reply didn't explain why you were wrong, they weren't wrong.
BlueSnaggleTooth359@reddit
wouldn't 1977-1981 borns remember the Challenger explosion?
Few_Improvement_6357@reddit
Sorry, I wasn't trying to leave out the '81 kids if they remember it. I could see that year going either way.
BlueSnaggleTooth359@reddit
Actually my mistake, I thought you were saying that nobody '77-'80 would have seen it. But I guess the OP said seen it in school not just seen it, so I get your point.
geekgirlwww@reddit (OP)
Right right you guys know it’s a Reddit post and an opinion right
Few_Improvement_6357@reddit
Yes, it's Reddit. That means I get to share my opinion back
BlueSnaggleTooth359@reddit
And honestly I think this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/Xennials/comments/1iosmcu/why_do_i_all_of_a_sudden_like_dad_music/
pretty much separates early/core X from late X/Xennials.
If you actually call Phil Collins and Journey that.... and if you also refer those two as Yacht Rock(!).... and if they were not mainstream cool when you were in middle school/high school.... and if you think Hall & Oates were solely adults music.... or if there was pressure for mainstream guys to not listen to pop, especially female sung pop.... if Phil Collins was seen as anything less than super popular and cool by the mainstream.... if you were a guy and afraid of listening to Phil Collins or Madonna or Belinda Carlisle for losing street cred....
then you are definitely way full Xennial and not X. It is crazy how late X/Xennial did a total 180 on attitudes of these sorts from those sometimes even just a couple years older than them at most.
BananasPineapple05@reddit
I don't remember the Challenger, but then I always put that down as not being American.
BritOnTheRocks@reddit
Yes, same! I’m definitely the right age but it happened “over there.”
HungryFinding7089@reddit
I'm not American and it was huge news
geekgirlwww@reddit (OP)
Yeah they really hyped it for kids because of the teacher onboard
Same-Photograph1926@reddit
Born in 84'. Senior in highschool when 9/11 happened. This single event changed what and how I thought about everything. Still to this day I don't believe anything the media or government says.
GimmeFalcor@reddit
Oh I’m from Akron like one of the teachers on board. We were so excited. Watched during kindergarten/the only thing except alphabet people that was ever shown on that tv. We normally had half day classes but we were allowed to stay for school lunch and they had both (morning and afternoon) classes in the room watching when it happened. Most of us did not immediately understand what we saw. We all took home a hand written apology (photo copied) from the teacher about the unfortunate situation and how she needed our parent to explain it. They tried but most didn’t get it.
I’d argue those born In 85 are squarely millennials.
geekgirlwww@reddit (OP)
Oh definitely but the vibes here are way better than the Millenial sub usually
XTlmGT502X@reddit
81 baby here. I remember Challenger vividly because it was right after my Chicago Bears won their first and only Super Bowl two days before.
geekgirlwww@reddit (OP)
That’s a lot for a little brain to process in just a couple days
bikeonychus@reddit
I was 6 months old when Challenger happened ('85) but also in the UK. People remembered it happened, but it's not really brought up a lot - the first I really heard about it was at school. Even my older brother doesn't really remember about it, and he's in the age range to absolutely remember about something like that.
I feel like, for the UK, if you remember the last round of IRA bombings in the early 90s in your childhood, you are Xennials - definitely if your family decided to leave the greater London area and move back up North like mine did... Even when I moved back down to London in my 20s, my mum refused to come down to visit because she was still scared about it.
geekgirlwww@reddit (OP)
Ohhh yes I’d love to know what those moments are for my xennial cousins all over the world.
I watch a lot of British tv (grandparents and PBS influence) so like I have an awareness of that time but not much. Like I had to google when Mountbatten died when I was watching the Crown to remember context
butt_honcho@reddit
Doesn't trying to define the news story that separates Gen X from Millennials kind of miss the point of this sub?
geekgirlwww@reddit (OP)
I mean I thought it was an interesting thought exercise nothing more bro
champagneformyrealfr@reddit
the fact that there are adults walking around in the world who aren't old enough to remember 9/11 blows my mind.
geekgirlwww@reddit (OP)
It breaks my brain
Walksuphills@reddit
I don’t remember the Challenger. I feel I must be on the border of the border, since I do have some memories earlier than that. I wonder if my parents deliberately hid the news.
Finalgirlcandy@reddit
I remember the Challenger exploding while I was in grade school
butt_honcho@reddit
I don't remember Challenger, but I do remember Chernobyl, which was only three months later.
FI-Engineer@reddit
You’re an Xennial if you had an Apple IIe in your classroom.
snwbrdngtr@reddit
I was WAY into space at that age so I was glued to the tv when it happened. ‘81
Ippus_21@reddit
I was 6, in kindergarten, so not REAL aware of the world. Had it explained to me second-hand.
gummi-demilo@reddit
Zero memory of Challenger. Was in all-day preschool at the time
RoyalPuzzleheaded259@reddit
I remember being in kindergarten and they took the whole class to the library to watch a teacher go into space. The shuttle blew up and the teacher said “Oh my.” Then took us all back to class and didn’t speak a word of it ever again.
geekdeevah@reddit
I watched the challenger explosion happen. I also watched 9/11 happen. I remember both vividly.
fakewoke247@reddit
I watched the challenger disaster on live tv when I was in kindergarten
alwaysupvotecows@reddit
I think the fall of the Berlin Wall was one that I really remember when I was younger.
5torminNorman@reddit
I remember being crushed watching the explosion
Jenaaaaaay@reddit
I was in kindergarten and it was half day at the time. I watched with my mom.
sh1nybaubles@reddit
I don’t remember Challenger but I remember baby Jessica. (‘84 baby here)
CPolland12@reddit
I was born in late 83, so a xennial. I was barely 2 when it exploded, so don’t directly remember it, but absolutely remember watching the Punky Brewster episode about it at a super young age.
sweetbirthdaybaby333@reddit
True Xennial bc I remember all the run-up to the Challenger ("teacher going to space!" was a huge news story for a 5-year-old) but was in half-day kindergarten so was probably in carpool or something when the explosion happened.
GotWood2024@reddit
I don't remember the challeger explosion. Maybe I was shielded by my mom.
peggysue_82@reddit
Born in ‘82, I remember the challenger explosion. Mostly because my mom threw her body across the tv and turned it off. Then we prayed for the astronauts and their families.