The Unsupervised Generation: Exploring the Legacy of Gen X

This essay explores the essence of Generation X, detailing how this cohort, born between the mid-1960s and early 1980s, became defined by their experiences of economic uncertainty, cultural shifts, and technological evolution. It describes how Gen Xers were raised in an era where they were often latchkey kids, learning independence and self-reliance through practices like drinking from garden hoses and adhering to the "streetlights on" rule for coming home. The narrative covers their cultural influences, from the music of punk and grunge to the advent of personal computing, and discusses how these formative experiences have shaped their values, work ethic, and skepticism towards traditional structures, making them a bridge between analog and digital worlds.