How to sum up a generation? It seems impossible to do, but someone on Threads found a clever way to ask what makes Gen X so Gen X. He asked followers to describe Gen X using only bands, movies, TV shows, and one wildcard object.
The curious party is Matty Stratton (@mattstratton on Threads), a man who describes himself as a ’90s alternative and punk-loving “Gen X dad” from Chicago in a pinned post. His profile picture shows off his red-and-black punk-rock hair. He asks his followers:
“You have to explain Gen X to a 20-year-old using only:
- one band
- one movie
- one TV show
- one completely obsolete object
What are your four picks?”
Cassette tapes and Walkmans
In less than 24 hours, there are well over a thousand comments, ranging from quirky to serious. A few are very Gen X, but not exactly Upworthy (though those responses got plenty of likes). Others are quite earnest, and it’s a whole lot of fun.
Here are some of the responses:
“Nirvana, Singles, My So Called Life, VCR”
“The Violent Femmes, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Late Night With David Letterman (on NBC).” For their wildcard object, they got a bit detailed: “A yellow landline phone with a long-ass coiled cord that hangs on the kitchen wall and has a real metal bell inside”
“Depeche Mode, War Games, Miami Vice, Walkman”
“The Cure, Reality Bites, Beverly Hills 90210, Sony Walkman”
“New Order, Pretty in Pink, Square Pegs, Memorex cassette tapes”
“Loverboy, St Elmo’s Fire, Eight is Enough, Blank cassettes for mixed tapes”
“New Edition, Do The Right Thing, Living Single, VCR”
Some were specific to their location. “Gen X Canadian Edition: Alanis Morissette, Anne of Green Gables, Degrassi Jr. High, Pager”
This person cheated a little by including a TV lineup and not just one show: “Wham!, Risky Business, Love Boat followed by Fantasy Island, Acid-washed, yoked, and pleated jeans”
Adding a scent
One person changed the rules. “Not personal favorites but what I would choose for representation.
Nirvana (as Gen X, I hate being so obvious, )Reality Bites, Friends (watched in the same sense that ‘leave it to Beaver’ wasn’t the 50’s but an idealized and romanticized ’50’s,) pager
May I add a scent? CK One”
Gen X-ers rebel
Another common theme was the quintessential Gen X rebellion against the question itself. One person asks, “Why are we explaining anything to a 20-year-old?” Another, invoking the Gen X word of the century, declares, “Whatever. We don’t have to explain s–t.”
This Threader makes it clear that they will not be guided by random internet bait. “I don’t obey orders from random strangers on the internet. (Now THAT’S how you do it.)”
And here, a commenter nicely sums up the gist of Gen X: “I can only assume the complete lack of consensus on any answer in this thread is a direct consequence of everyone here drinking water out of sun-soaked garden hoses for the entirety of their childhood.”
To that, a fellow Gen X-er humorously adds, “That and eating orange sherbet out of toilet paper tubes.”
