Generational labels: Accurate or useless? Helpful or harmful?

As someone born in 1969, I am considered to be part of Gen X (birth years 1965 through 1980). We're tucked neatly between the larger Baby Boomer and Millennial generations.

Though I'm not sure that really means anything.

When we were younger, we Gen Xers were defined in pop culture and in the media as being cynical, disaffected slackers. We were associated with alt rock, hip hop, punk, grunge and heavy metal music. We were typically seen as "latchkey kids" whose moms worked outside of the home and who were often victims of soaring divorce rates.

None of that was true for me. I'm not a cynical person, I didn't really get into any of those genres of music, and I'm the product of a two-parent household in which my mom only worked outside of the home when I was much older.

Placing someone in a box labeled "Baby Boomer," "Millennial," "the Silent Generation," "Gen X," "Gen Z" or whatever can be fun, but I've never found it to be particularly useful. People are individuals, and while they're affected by the era in which they grow up, they are not defined by it.

Newsweek recently published an article headlined "10 Ways You'll Know Someone is Gen X, According to ChatGPT" in which they used artificial intelligence to come up with a list of tell-tale Gen X characteristics. I measured myself against this list to see if I was in any way a prototypical Gen Xer.

Spoiler alert: The results were mixed but at least somewhat accurate, as I might have suspected.

Here is Newsweek's (or ChatGPT's) list of Gen X descriptives and a quick analysis of how well each describes me:

(1) "Nostalgia for 1980s and 1990s Pop Culture" - This is half-true for me. I have great fondness for all things 80s but little regard for the 90s. As I've mentioned, I was too busy raising kids in the 90s to care what else was going on. So we'll split the difference. Result: Half-yes, half-no. 0.5 points.

(2) "Preference for Analog Media" - My generation is said to have a preference for vinyl, cassettes, CDs, and VHS tapes. Me personally? Good riddance to all of them, I say. Long live digital music. Result: No. 0 points.

(3) "Independent and Self-Reliant Attitude" - This is sort of a yes for me, I guess? I'm not a DIY guy for most things. I'm quick to call in a professional, which I would like to think has saved me a lot of time and trouble over the years while also depleting my bank account. But when it comes to non-home-repair-related activities, yes, I'm pretty self-sufficient. Again, let's split the difference.  Result: Half-yes, half-no. 0.5 points.

(4) "Cynical Sense of Humor" - Yeah, OK, they got me here. My humor was largely shaped by 80s stand-up comedians, who tended to be cynical and sarcastic. Result: Yes. 1 point.

(5) "Fashion Throwbacks" - According to Newsweek, we Gen X types have a fondness for the clothes of our youth and incorporate elements of them into our current wardrobes. Not me, boy. I had enough neon in the late 80s. Result: No. 0 points.

(6) "Language and Communication Style" - To quote Newsweek's ChatGPT-generated article, "They might use phrases like 'whatever,' 'totally,' 'cool,' or 'dude' naturally in conversation. They may also roll their eyes at newer slang like 'lit' or 'yeet.'" Sadly, I can't help but speak like an actual grown-up. Yet I don't roll my eyes at a new generation's slang because I'm not a cranky old person. Result: No. 0 points.

(7) "Technology Adaptation" - Again, they got me. From the article: "While they are tech-savvy, having adapted to the digital age, they may still exhibit a degree of caution or skepticism toward new technology. They might fondly remember the time before smartphones and social media dominated everyday life." Yeah, that's me. I embrace new tech while reserving the right to be skeptical of some of it. Result: Yes. 1 point.

(8) "Media Consumption Habits" - OK, the Newsweek folks and their AI allies are on a roll now. "Gen Xers might still consume traditional media like newspapers, magazines and cable TV. They are likely to enjoy reruns of their favorite old shows or listen to classic rock or '90s playlists on the radio." That would actually be 80s playlists for me, but broadly speaking, they nailed it. Result: Yes. 1 point.

(9) "Work Ethic and Career Outlook" - Gen Xers, they say, value work-life balance, partially in reaction to the burnout often seen among Baby Boomers. We are said to appreciate flexibility. True and true. I have to hand it to them, they're starting to get me. Result: Yes. 1 point.

(10) "Political and Social Awareness" - Newsweek says we "may lean toward centrist or independent viewpoints, often skeptical of extreme ideologies." The magazine adds that Gen Xers "tend to be pragmatic and open-minded." I would like to think that's true of me. Result: Yes. 1 point.

FINAL TOTAL: 6 out of 10 "yes"

The article captured my personality better than I thought it would. But I think my point still stands: We are all unique, and no overarching label will usefully describe a person no matter when they were born.