Where are my fellow “slackers?”
We were the bridge generation. We grew up analog and came of age digital — and that unique position made us ideal test subjects for the rise of social media.
But it also made us vulnerable.
As a proud GenX rebel with a foot in both worlds, I’ve been reflecting on how our upbringing uniquely shaped our relationship with the digital world — and why so many of us are now craving a detox.
Here’s what I’ve uncovered:
1. We Were Raised Analog, but Adapted to Digital Instantly
We played outside until the streetlights came on… and then we logged into Prodigy and AOL chat rooms or uploaded photos to MySpace.
We were the first to adapt to tech as it evolved — curious, competent, and nostalgic for what came before.
That combination made social media irresistible when it first showed up. It felt like a lifeline — a way to reconnect with old friends, share our stories, and stay relevant in a fast-changing world.
2. We Were the Latchkey Kids — Unparented and Deeply Observant
GenX was the generation left home alone. We figured it out ourselves.
We grew up independent and skeptical. But deep down, many of us were hungry to be seen, affirmed, and appreciated — things we didn’t always get at home.
Enter social media: finally, a space where we got to curate our story. Where we could post our wins, our kids’ milestones, our deepest thoughts — and be seen.
3. We Craved Connection but Were Trained in Disconnection
We grew up in divorce culture. We watched the Challenger explode in our classrooms, saw institutions fall, and learned early not to trust systems.
So we pulled away. We DIYed everything. We stayed cool and detached.
But underneath that armor? A longing for tribe.
And in came Facebook — letting us reconnect with high school friends without the awkward phone call. Letting us belong… without risk.
4. We Were the First to Live Publicly Online
We posted baby pics before Millennials had babies. We blogged through our pain and midlife reinventions.
We invented the “highlight reel” and made the overshare feel relatable.
In many ways, we created the emotional tone of the internet — raw, real, but still curated.
We set the stage for the influencer era. And we got hooked first.
5. We Needed Expression and Control
We were told: “Figure it out yourself.”
So we did.
We became hyper-independent. But that often came with emotional starvation.
Social gave us a place to process, express, and pretend we were in control.
We could post a perfectly filtered life, even when we felt lost inside.
And that dopamine hit of likes and comments? It felt like the affirmation we never got.
And Now… We’re Waking Up
Many of us are now feeling the pull to get off the hamster wheel.
We’re seeing the cracks in the curated world.
We’re craving deeper, slower, more honest connection.
We’re craving detox — not just from social media, but from the systems that made us think we had to perform to be loved.
Because we’re the generation that knows what it was like before. And now? We’re ready to take back our time, attention, and sovereignty.
Are you with me?
Let’s lead the way back.
Back to presence. Back to the land. Back to true community and self-expression that isn’t driven by likes.
Join the Attention Resistance.
Unplug. Reset. Rebel.
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