Generation X memes tend to follow a pattern. This cohort is seen as cynical. Sarcastic. Resilient and resourceful. Hard partying hedonists who are sceptical about authority. There’s a kind of nostalgia for the years they represent, when kids, teens and young adults entertained and provided for themselves with no mobile phones, no internet and not much parental supervision.

These memes are fun, but they’re a huge generalisation. Not everyone is the same. Generation X individuals have been shaped by their differing experiences as they grew up, entered adulthood and saw the decades fly by. So, we’re kicking off our deep dive by looking at the key personality traits in our six Gen X audience segments.

Socialisers and stay-at-homers

That oft-noted spirit of hedonism is still to be found in some places. Our wealthy and passionate Adventurous Achievers are the most likely to get the party started, with 25% of them saying they’re outgoing and like to socialise with lots of people¹. But this isn’t the whole story; at the other end of the spectrum, low-income and lacking in confidence, our Anxious Planners are far more introverted, with 66%² saying they spend time with close friends or alone. In general, Gen X is nearly four times more likely to identify as quiet rather than outgoing³. Perhaps the slower social interactions that were the norm when this age group was growing up, compared to today’s instantaneous, in-your-face social media possibilities, had a long-lasting effect.

Our bold, outgoing and active Progressively Engaged group join the Adventurous Achievers in retaining a curiosity about the world, with the percentage of those who said they enjoyed exploring and learning about new things at 36% and 41%⁴ respectively. Meanwhile Comfortable Traditionalists are as described: happy with what they already know, with 33%⁵ enjoying the comfort of routine and familiar places, and with an above-average income to do so. They find common ground on this with our Anxious Planners (49%) and Cynical Fatalists (37%)⁶. For these two groups, their lifestyles at this stage of life are likely shaped by challenges related to income and health.

Feelings about the future

It's no surprise that our Anxious Planners score highest on preparedness. 50%⁷ say they prefer to carefully plan, with the Comfortable Traditionalists at 48%, and the Adventurous Achievers at 41%⁸ snapping at their heels. In contrast, only 21%⁹ of the Busy Short Termers think about the future; they’re too busy focusing on the here and now, with success and the material things that success allows front of mind. Similarly, they tend to ignore potential problems, with only 18%¹⁰ of this group saying they’re the type of people to confront issues head on. The Cynical Fatalists are even less likely to act at just 15%¹¹. In general, this last group find themselves ‘stuck’ with quiet, simple lives due to lower incomes and possibly poor mental or physical health.

To sum up, our research has revealed that Gen X is far more complex than the memes might suggest. While some segments embrace new experiences, others find comfort in routine or struggle with the challenges of income and health. This diversity highlights the importance of understanding these distinct personality traits and behaviours, especially when considering their motivations and how they interact with the world today.

Footnote references

Just Group Generation X Segmentation Study 2024