I took this from Wikipedia (citations available through the link) since it sums up what I've come to know of Generation X.
Those associated with Generation X have cultural perspectives and political experiences that were shaped by series of events. These include the 1973 oil crisis, the 1979 energy crisis, the 1980 election of Ronald Reagan, the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, the 1987 Black Monday, the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War, the elections of George H.W. Bush, William (Bill) Clinton and the savings and loan crisis that preceded the early 1990s recession. Generation X saw the introduction of the home computer, the beginning growth of video game era, cable television and the Internet. Other attributions include the AIDS epidemic, the War on Drugs, the Iran hostage crisis, Iran-Contra Affair, Operation Desert Storm, the Dot-com bubble, alternative rock, and the global influence of the hip hop culture and music genre. They are often called the MTV Generation. When compared with previous generations, Generation X represents a more heterogeneous generation, exhibiting great variety of diversity in such aspects as race, class, religion, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
Change is more the rule for the people of Generation X than the exception. Unlike their parents who challenged leaders with an intent to replace them, Generation X tend to ignore leaders and opt to work for more long term institutional and systematic change through economic, media and consumer actions.
The US Census Bureau cites Generation X as highly educated, statistically holding the highest education levels when looking at current age groups (bloc): US Census Bureau, in their 2009 Statistical Abstract. (Also see Education Statistics Canada, 2001 Census.)
Other Xs from the 1980s:
XTC
Know any more? Because I don't seem to.
