What generation am I? A breakdown of each generation

Gen X (1965-1976/1979/1980)

Current Age Range: 44-59

Foundational Events: High divorce rates, AIDS epidemic

Gen X has never gotten the kind of attention that their predecessors or followers had, in part because they don't have as much in common as the other generations. In many cases, there weren't major foundational events that changed their lives, so they tend to be more influenced by local or personal events.

Despite that, there are a few notable trends worth discussing. Because so many Baby Boomers prioritized work, many members of Gen X grew up as latch-key children, which made independence and flexibility key traits for them. In the workplace, Gen X tends to be best at creating work-life balance, as they saw what over-working did to their parents.

Even so, they did benefit from relatively strong economies in their youth. Gen X as a whole was the youngest group to become homeowners, and while they have less economic success than their parents, they don't struggle as much as Millennials and Gen Z.

While they are not as tech-savvy as the next few generations, Gen X did have relatively easy access to things like computers and calculators as young adults. This gave them the impression that technology can be used for convenience, which they ran with. This generation is responsible for many notable tech companies and startups, launching the Internet Age.

Public Figures in this Generation: Elon Musk, Winona Ryder