50 Hilariously Relatable Memes That Describe Gen X Life Better Than Words Ever Could
Some things bring back so many memories they seem to take you back in time yourself; the smell of your favorite dish from when you were a kid, for instance, or a song you loved during the college years. It can also be a picture of something your generation had to deal with that would likely puzzle the current youth. A floppy disk, for example.
Loads of pictures depicting the ‘back in the day’ of one particular generation are shared on the Facebook group titled ‘Righteous Memes from Generation X’. With nearly 90k members, this public group is a gold mine of nostalgia-evoking memes that perfectly encapsulate the life of the baby boomer successors. Scroll down for the images and get ready to take a trip back in time.
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Internet memes are a phenomenon that spreads like wildfire, and there’s no end in sight when it comes to their prevalence. You can create them about anything and everything, as long as there’s something on your mind. That’s why they cover topics from cat behavior to economic crises, and everything in between, including peculiarities of each and every generation.
The Washington Post pointed out that during the first seven years of its existence—from 2008 to 2015, to be exact—the page ‘Know Your Meme’ documented roughly 12,300 memes. It is difficult to determine how many of them there are now, but one thing is clear—it must be a lot.
Memes are typically witty and oh so accurate, and that can be seen just by looking at the examples on this list. Everyone with a birth date that starts with 19 followed by a six, a seven, or an eight (in the case of 1980 babies) can definitely relate to them.
Pictures of the “remote control” from the seventies reminds them—the “remote control” in their family—of the times they’d be running between the couch and the TV to change the channel. Not to mention the nostalgia that seeing the patterns on the backs of computer game cards brings.
Nostalgia is likely one of the reasons such memes gain popularity. There’s something comforting about that warm fuzzy feeling (or a heartfelt giggle) they often bring, especially when you’re down and longing for the good old days.
According to the licensed psychologist and professor of psychology at LeMoyne College, Dr. Krystine Batcho, nostalgia is a feeling that unifies. In the podcast ‘Speaking of Psychology’, she explained that it unites “our sense of who we are, our self, our identity over time”.
Dr. Batcho pointed out that we’re constantly changing, which makes us way different from what we used to be, whether it’s three years or decades ago. By encouraging us to remember past events, nostalgia unites us to the authentic self and allows us to compare it with who we are now. This way it also helps us to get a sense of what version of ourselves we’d like to be in the future.
Wow ... I feel like I have been called out ... I don't want to think about the punctuation.... and maybe I'm a little dramatic for no reason
‘Medical News Today’ revealed that the term ‘nostalgia’ was first used to describe being homesick. It derives from the ancient Greek words nostos (home) and algos (pain), and was coined by physician Johannes Hofer back in the 17th century. He used it to describe the adverse feeling Swiss soldiers had being away from home.
I was 5-6 yo, so everybody at the high school was at the end of their lives for me.
Home is typically something dear to our hearts, a place we miss while being away and can’t wait to come back to (after the day at the office, especially). That’s why it’s not that surprising that the origins of the concept of nostalgia can be traced back to longing for home.
‘Science Friday’ revealed that nostalgic memories typically involve cherished moments or time spent with loved ones. They usually evoke joy, a sense of belonging and meaningfulness in life. And that’s a state every person is likely to feel fond of.
I got to know the routine of shows usually watched each evening. If it’s Tuesday at 8pm it’s “Combat” on channel 4, after it’s over I promptly get up and change to channel 7 for “Maverick”. I didn’t need to be told. I just got up and did it. Auto tune. Who new? A kid ahead of my time.
When I watch Back to the Futore II, I'm always 16 yo and it's 1989. So, 2015 is clearly the future. It's great watching Starwars Return of the Jedi and being 10 yo again!
Bringing positive emotions is one of the reasons people tend to feel nostalgic when they’re feeling blue. Clay Routledge, a social psychologist at North Dakota State University, told ‘Science Friday’ that people rarely ever choose to recall memories of mundane events, such as going to work or paying taxes.
Instead, they think about the special moments, such as weddings and graduations, or the people they love. That’s how, according to Dr. Routledge, nostalgia helps people deal with negative mental states. Bringing back beautiful memories becomes a coping mechanism, in a way.
When it comes to generation X, they have plenty to feel nostalgic about. Due to the rapid pace of technological development and other changes in, well, basically everything, the world as we know it now is far from the one they grew up in. And adjusting to change is not always easy. That’s why it’s understandable to look back on the good old days, seeking the warm embrace of something familiar—recalling an image of a toy from one’s childhood or food grandma used to make, for example.
In addition to the Gen X memorabilia, this list is brimming with descriptions of situations oh so familiar, as well as numerous pop culture references. For instance, the youth nowadays might not be able to name the movie by looking at a picture of the ‘Grease’ cast; however, it would take no more than a blink of an eye for a Gen X representative to do that.
And that’s just one example of a topic they would likely excel at. For more all-things-gen-X, browse this list previously shared by Bored Panda to see what things people consider the most representative of this generation.
I was using a chainsaw at 13 yo; now, I'm buying Lego plants for my office at 50 yo. So, yes.
That's when you held your head down ... sprayed a ton of hairspray ... and turned on the hair dryer. Bye Bye Ozone.
That’s a whole lotta Gen X packed into one pic.
Lmao! I love the payphone in the house!! Someone who doesn't know better will believe it, you know!
Well, that advice wasn't followed. Gen-Xers don't read instructions.
Gen X 1965 – 1980. I love that my older brother is a Boomer born in 64. LOL. I was born in 68. I'm Gen X all the way. Went to high school from 82-86. Such a great time period to be a teenager.
As a Boomer I am loving this. I get to have more and more fun nostalgia. But just you wait all you Millenials, Gen X’rs, and oh yes, Gen Z’s way off in the future, Your day will come when they’ll be yelling at you too. But at least we’ll all have BP to go to and look back at all the good times. Kind of takes the sting out of it.
No comments about drinking from the garden hose yet, but just wait for it. Aaaaany second now ...
I am still in shock BP even mentioned Gen X. I think I'm shedding a tear of joy.
A memory from being around gas stations and the city in the 70's and 80's that can't be photographed is the ever-present smell of diesel gasoline. They have diesel now, but not like then. Another memory is the constant rumble and roar of muscle cars, Harley Davidson's, beetle bugs and others. That might be caught on someone's home video, however.
I feel so old now. Just glad there was no floppy disk meme
As a millennial... I didn't get most of the stuff. Still looked like wild times tho
My 40-year-old friends are not Gen X. Or did I misunderstand and are they laughing at me now?
I'm still waiting for Axe to take over from Old Spice for the prevailing scent in the senior center.
Gen X 1965 – 1980. I love that my older brother is a Boomer born in 64. LOL. I was born in 68. I'm Gen X all the way. Went to high school from 82-86. Such a great time period to be a teenager.
As a Boomer I am loving this. I get to have more and more fun nostalgia. But just you wait all you Millenials, Gen X’rs, and oh yes, Gen Z’s way off in the future, Your day will come when they’ll be yelling at you too. But at least we’ll all have BP to go to and look back at all the good times. Kind of takes the sting out of it.
No comments about drinking from the garden hose yet, but just wait for it. Aaaaany second now ...
I am still in shock BP even mentioned Gen X. I think I'm shedding a tear of joy.
A memory from being around gas stations and the city in the 70's and 80's that can't be photographed is the ever-present smell of diesel gasoline. They have diesel now, but not like then. Another memory is the constant rumble and roar of muscle cars, Harley Davidson's, beetle bugs and others. That might be caught on someone's home video, however.
I feel so old now. Just glad there was no floppy disk meme
As a millennial... I didn't get most of the stuff. Still looked like wild times tho
My 40-year-old friends are not Gen X. Or did I misunderstand and are they laughing at me now?
I'm still waiting for Axe to take over from Old Spice for the prevailing scent in the senior center.