The Gen X Experience
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Episodes

Aug. 30, 2025

How MTV Shaped Gen X Culture Overnight

On August 1st, 1981, the world of music—and the world of Gen X—changed forever with the launch of MTV. Those first words, “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll,” ushered in a brand-new way of experiencing music. No longer just something you listened to, music became something you watched, and for an entire generation, it became the soundtrack to growing up.

From Michael Jackson’s moonwalk to Madonna’s boundary-pushing performances, MTV created superstars, launched fashion trends, and gave us a s...
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Aug. 29, 2025

Latchkey Life: Freedom or Neglect?

For many Gen Xers, childhood meant coming home to an empty house. Parents were at work, and after school was a time of independence, responsibility—and sometimes loneliness. The “latchkey kid” became a symbol of a generation caught between shifting family dynamics and cultural change.

In this episode, we rewind to what it meant to be a latchkey kid in the 70s and 80s. From after-school snacks and unsupervised TV marathons, to the lessons in resilience and self-reliance, latchkey life shaped Gen...
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The Gen X Experience

The Gen X Experience is a journey through the generation that grew up analog and helped shape the digital world. Hosted by Eric Thompson, the podcast explores the people, events, culture and experiences that shaped Generation X—from our beginnings in the 1960s through the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and into the world we're navigating today.

We'll revisit the music, movies, television, sports, technology, news and unforgettable moments we experienced together—from latchkey afternoons and Saturday morning cartoons to MTV, arcades, mixtapes, malls and the arrival of the internet. But The Gen X Experience isn't only about looking back.

We'll also explore the issues facing Generation X today and the years ahead, including technology and AI, money and retirement, health, family, relationships, travel, purpose and what comes next. Through stories, commentary and conversations, The Gen X Experience celebrates where we've been, examines where we are and helps our generation navigate where we're going.

Remember Yesterday. Navigate Tomorrow.

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