Neither mediocre, nor insecure, nor distressed . Most of the members of the so-called Generation X (those born between 1961 and 1980 ) have active, balanced and happy lives in which they dedicate much of their free time to culture, outdoor leisure or reading. According to a long-term study conducted by the University of Michigan in 2011, it identified them as “active in their communities, mostly satisfied with their jobs, and able to balance work, family, and play” according to registered questions from more than 4,000 members of Generation X.
The X is that generation that survived the consumer fever of the 80s, that saw the birth of the Internet and the fall of the .com bubble of the 90s. In their youth, they were a rebellious and counter-current generation that refused to accept the stale established world by the adults of the moment. They were the grunge generation and the Madrid scene ; the generation that broke stereotypes and role models. But, although they became known as the ‘Peter Pan Generation’, these lost children did grow up and take the place of the adults they rebelled against .
The millions of Americans of that generation are the fathers and mothers of the children who now go to school and, increasingly, are at the forefront of the main companies and institutions in the countries. Precisely because Generation X is the one who ‘runs the show’, it is important to understand their values, history and the challenges they face and will face .
Members of Generation X are more likely to be employed and tend to spend more hours working and commuting from home to work and vice versa than the typical adult. Two-thirds of the members of this generation in the United States are married and about 71% of them have children. Generation X is active and committed in professional, business or union organizations and they have adapted, with considerable ease, to new technological trends and to the use of social networks or smartphone- like devices. The results of the 2011 study already pointed out that members of Generation X “ have extensive social, occupation and community networks ”, with a fairly widespread tendency to participate in parent-teacher organizations, sports or book clubs and other organizations community.
Outdoor activities such as mountaineering, swimming or fishing are also very common among Generation X adults, which they use as an escape route and a way to disconnect from work obligations . They also tend to attend activities of a cultural nature such as theatrical performances, opera, concerts or ballet recitals; in addition to consuming a greater amount of cinema than previous generations . Reading, be it newspapers (printed or online) or books, is another of the most widespread leisure activities among its members.
The University of Michigan study found that the majority of respondents reported being satisfied with their lives . The growth and economic stability that occurred since the 90s, and until the beginning of the crisis, made the rebellious Generation X end up becoming that conformist middle class and with a moderately long-lasting comfort level. And it was their children, the well-known Millenials and the recent Generation Z, who became those nonconformists who seek to change the world that they have been given to adapt it to their new needs . As if it were a repeating cycle, Generation X came to occupy the place of leadership and responsibility in the world that their parents occupied before and in that society that they leave, they will have to build a new one the next and the next …
