Nobody would have ever called themselves an “influencer” in 1991 – that would be the definition of selling out.

“After writing this book, I’m back in the ’90s mindset of nothing being worse than trying to sell yourself,” Chuck Klosterman, author of “The Nineties: A Book,” told Esquire. “Nothing was more embarrassing in the ’90s than trying to convince people to like what you made.”

There is a deep-seated sense of nihilism deep in the hearts of nearly all Gen Xers. We didn’t trust the corporations that fired our parents or cut their pensions in the ’80s. In fact, anything corporate was predatory. We didn’t have much faith in family values ​​because we were the first generation to be raised by single parents or in daycare. We also didn’t care much about politics. In the ’90s, Gen Xers’ aversion to politics was historic.

Of course, these are all generalizations about a generation of nearly 65 million people, but studies show that there are some clear characteristics of who belongs to Generation X.

According to a document on generational differences circulating in the business world, Generation X’s core values ​​are “skepticism,” “fun,” and “informality.” They are described as “self-reliant,” “independent,” “unaffected by authority,” and motivated by “freedom.”

For young Gen Xers, the culture of that era has instilled “a certain caution and skepticism and a kind of ‘figure it out for yourself’ mentality,” Paul Taylor, author of “The Next America: Boomers, Millennials, and the Looming Generational Showdown,” told the Washington Post. And with that came a sense “that you don’t have to put yourself first. You’re not the center of the universe.”

But things have changed since the ’90s, when Generation X came of age. We live in an American culture divided by political partisanship, fueled by a constant culture of outrage, paralyzed by a fixation on technology, plundered by greedy baby boomers, and annoyed by hypersensitive millennials. And all of this is happening while we face the greatest challenge of our time: climate change.

The answer to all of these problems is simple: admit that Generation X was right once, and that if we followed their example, we could reverse these terrible trends. OK, maybe that won’t solve all of our problems, but the way things are now, it certainly won’t work. And weren’t the 90s great?

And I must admit, with my head held high, that this message holds true for Generation X as well. Many of us have lost our way because we have forgotten our disdain for authority and our skepticism of institutions. This is a call for us to remember what we once stood for and fight back by doing what we do best – stay out of the fray.

Generation X, it’s time to put on your Dr. Martens and start fighting the “battle of indifference” again. It’s time we collectively take back our “whatever” and show the other generations how powerful disdain can be.

Here are the five most important Generation X values ​​we need to re-embrace.

5. Buy vintage items

Nothing was less hip in the early ’90s than wearing clothes from the mall. If you had style, you’d go to a thrift store and buy used clothes from the ’70s and early ’80s and remix them into something awesome. If you were into hip-hop or skating, you’d go to the surplus store and rock super-durable stuff from Dickies or Carhartt. The zeitgeist was completely anti-fashion. Today, we live in a world where fast fashion is destroying the environment. By embracing the Gen-X value of old-school cool, we can help the planet and look a lot more fashionable in the process.

4. Skepticism in companies

In the early 2000s, people fell head over heels in love with smartphone technology and social media so fast that no one stopped and said, “Hey, wait a minute!” Today we live in a world where kids are depressed, the culture is divided, and no one speaks to each other in public anymore but just stares at their phones. I can completely understand why young Millennials and Luddite Boomers fall for the scam of big tech, but unfortunately Generation X has also slept and fallen victim to it. The generation that promoted the idea that television corrupts the brain needs to remind everyone to get outside and play in the sun or read a book. And if you read a book, it should be by Bret Easton Ellis.

3. Just say “whatever”

Two of Generation X’s most popular phrases were “whatever” and “talk to your hand (because your face doesn’t care).” These may be flippant responses, but they’re the right way to deal with other people’s nonsense, and in 2022, we have to deal with a constant bombardment of it.

At some point, people forgot that ignoring someone is even more effective than admitting they’re getting on your nerves. In the world of social media, we inadvertently amplify the worst voices by subtweeting, commenting, and liking the posts of the army of scammers fighting for our attention.

We also live in a time when many seem addicted to outrage. The quickest way to stop fanning the flames of outrage is to simply say “whatever.” Like dogs distracted by squirrels, our heads are spinning with outrage these days. Throwing around the occasional “whatever” frees us up to focus and take action on the issues that really matter.

Nowadays, “whatever” is more important than ever.

2. Bring back the snobbery

Good taste used to be important. In the 2000s, millennials decided that everyone has the right to like what they like and that judging someone’s personal taste is worse than having bad taste. Gen Xers built their entire personalities on taste and demanded integrity from artists and were rewarded for living in an era of excellent movies and music. Today, no one listens to new music and we’re stuck in a world dominated by comic book movies because no one stood up and called people out for liking a low-effort culture.

1. Political apathy

The political divide in America has become more entrenched over the past decade as more and more people build their personal identity around their politics. This has created a culture in which dialogue between liberals and conservatives has become a war of words that only drives people up the wall even more. This has also created a culture in Washington, DC that attracts an even more depraved type of politician and has led to a gridlock that has stalled any sense of progress. Unfortunately, Generation X has been sucked into this vortex as well.

In the 1990s, things were very different. As early as 1999, Ted Halstead noted in the Atlantic that Generation X “seems to have ingrained political apathy as a way of life.” He added that Generation X “shows less social trust or confidence in government and has weaker loyalty to their country or political party.”

Compared to what’s going on in America in 2022, that kind of apathy seems welcome. In the ’90s, a “chill pill” could solve everything. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone took one and then we could open our ears and hearts and have constructive discussions?

In the 1980s, there was a widespread complaint that hippie boomers had sold out and become yuppies, turning from caring about peace, love and the planet to stocks, bonds and conspicuous consumption. Generation X is now in its 40s and 50s, and it’s fair to say that we have evolved from outsiders to creators of technological and political machines that produce the very kind of conformity we once railed against.

Now that we, as Generation Xers, are at the age where we get to rule the world for a few decades, it’s time to reconnect with the core values ​​that define us. The good news is that as Generation Xers, it will be easy for us to return to our roots because we were raised to, ironically, love the past.

This article originally appeared on 03.10.22