“Can you name the generation that was born after the Baby Boomers but before the Millennials?”
I’ve asked Gen Z-ers and Millennials this question and they usually can’t answer it. Most of them don’t think there is one. Even Boomers leave us out of their marketing strategies and estate planning pitches. Gen X-ers are the forgotten generation and, as Boomers and Millennials have fought for cultural turf, we’ve mostly been fine with that.
But lately I’ve been thinking more about the generations and I wanted to know what contributions Generation X has made to the tools and activities of everyday life. Baby Boomers invented the internet, Microsoft Windows, and the iPhone. Millennials invented Facebook, Instagram, and Airbnb. What about us?
Frustratingly, when I googled “What did Generation X invent?” I only got articles on what Gen X-ers popularized. For instance, Gen X was instrumental in integrating video games into daily life, but we didn’t invent them.
It took some digging, but I eventually came up with this partial list. It’s got some huge accomplishments, so we can be proud!
Brought to you by Generation X:
- YouTube
- What’s App
- Google!
- Free web-based email service (Hotmail)
- Amazon
- Blogger.com (same guy who started Twitter)
- Medium (same guy who started Twitter)
- Juul
- PopSockets
- And, of course, South Park.
Several of these creations have changed the lives of people all over the world and they came from the generation that gets forgotten. Mmhm.
And some R.I.P. inventions of Generation X:
- MySpace
- Napster
- Yahoo
That’s not a short list. Generation X didn’t produce Bill Gates or the Snapchat guys, but we’ve definitely got our own groundbreaking entrepreneurs. How’s that for a bunch of slackers?
Gen X were outside the box, which is a good thing. Music, culture, and our day to day was heavily influenced by each other, also outside the box. We raised ourselves, parents weren’t home. What did we invent? Self-reliance, independence, work ethic, and to be adaptable. We’re go-getters no matter what people say!
Thank you, Adam. Few generations have had to do for ourselves as much. Someone once asked me about being spoiled and I said, “Spoiled? Who would have spoiled me??”
Right, haha? Our parents would say “what do you think I’ve been doing all day, go and do what you’re asking me for yourself now”, and so, we did it, often improvised, perfectly imperfect, and learning by happy and unhappy mistakes along the way, we’ve been at this for decades. I don’t know if we invented anything, but we certainly became savvy just being who we are, and definitely very different from most around us. I’ve so missed our chats, we live in Rogers Park now also, and loving our community! I remember taking the L to your apartment for my weekly voice and yoga class, I really enjoyed those days by the way, thank you!