Erika Holst

Growing Up X

Sandwiched between the much larger Baby Boomer and Millennial generations, the members of Generation X (those born between 1965-1980) have variously been called the “middle child generation,” the “slacker generation,” the “MTV generation,” the “latchkey generation,” and “the least parented, least nurtured generation in U.S. history.” With minimal adult supervision in their lives, this generation’s childhood toys, technology, and media had an outsized role in their development.

This presentation takes close look at toys, technology, and cultural touchstones that informed the development of Generation X. This talk will dig into the social, cultural, and historical factors behind the conditions and objects that surrounded this generation in everyday life, including the rise of divorce and single parent families; the low-grade existential fear produced by the Cold War; the war on drugs and the AIDS crisis.

The presentation will be structured in lecture/discussion format incorporating images of objects, vintage photographs, and advertisements. Visual Thinking Strategies will be incorporated to spark insight into selected objects and images. Dialogue and discussion will be an important part of this presentation. Many of the attendees will doubtlessly be members of Generation X themselves and will have ample opportunities to share their memories and insights as well as engage in cross-generational discussions.

Program Logistics

The presentation takes approximately 45 minutes, with extra time at the end for Q&A, making it approximately one hour. Project and screen are required.