The Skepticism Factor

The Middle Child of Generations

Ah, Generation X. Stuck between the idealistic Boomers and the hyper-connected Millennials, we’re the “middle child” generation—the ones who watched the world change around us and decided early on not to buy into the hype.

Skepticism? It’s in our DNA. We grew up with economic uncertainty, political scandals, and the slow, painful realization that the institutions we were told to trust might not have our best interests at heart. We learned the hard way that when someone says, “Trust me,” that’s exactly when you shouldn’t.

We’re the latchkey kids who raised ourselves, the ones who knew better than to expect a stable job, a secure pension, or a government that wouldn’t screw us over. And yet, here we are, watching the younger generations navigate a world we’ve already learned to side-eye with healthy skepticism and a dash of well-earned cynicism.

The Birth of Canadian Gen X Skepticism

The Economy: A Masterclass in Lowered Expectations

Growing up, we were told hard work = success. But reality had other plans.

We watched our parents scrape by through recessions in the ‘70s and ‘80s, saw companies like Nortel collapse, and learned that corporate loyalty is a one-way street. The rise of free trade agreements like NAFTA promised prosperity, but what we got was our jobs shipped overseas and a lifetime of contract work with “competitive benefits” (which is code for “none”).

Boomers told us, “Buy a house, it’s the best investment you’ll ever make!” Well, thanks for that advice. By the time we got into the market, real estate prices had already soared past reason. The idea of owning a home? Hilarious.

So, Gen X learned to adapt, hustle, and never assume anything is guaranteed. Our skepticism wasn’t born out of bitterness (well, maybe a little)—it was a survival skill.

Politicians: Different Suits, Same Disappointments

Gen X in Canada grew up watching scandal after scandal unfold, and somewhere along the way, we realized that politicians, regardless of party, were really good at making promises and really bad at keeping them.

We had the October Crisis before we were even old enough to know what it meant, the Sponsorship Scandal in the early 2000s, and countless leaders who promised transparency only to deliver...well, more of the same.

The 1995 Quebec Referendum was a masterclass in political disillusionment. Even if you weren’t directly affected, watching the country nearly split in two (with a 49.4% “Yes” vote) was enough to shake your belief in a unified Canada.

By the time Gen X hit adulthood, we’d learned:

• Never trust a campaign promise.

• If a politician says, “We’re doing this for the middle class,” they mean corporations.

• Voting isn’t about choosing the best option, it’s about choosing the least terrible one.

Gen X Skepticism in Action

Consumerism: Fool Me Once...

Gen X watched Canadian retail legends die slow, painful deaths. Eaton’s? Gone. Zellers? Barely clinging to life. Even Tim Hortons, once a true Canadian institution, got swallowed up by a multinational giant and started serving reheated factory donuts.

By the time Millennials were getting excited about Black Friday deals, Gen X was already sitting back saying, “Oh, “Oh, you precious, naïve little lambs. Do you really think that TV is 80% off? Have fun fighting some dude in a Walmart parking lot over it.”

We lived through the first waves of corporate downsizing, the rise of loyalty programs that give you nothing in return, and the slow erosion of customer service into “Press 1 to continue holding.”

By the time influencers rolled in, trying to sell us miracle creams and kitchen gadgets we don’t need, we were already shaking our heads. We’d been burned too many times before.

Technology: Not Our First Rodeo

Tech revolutions? We’ve seen a few.

We were the first to use dial-up internet (the original rage-inducing experience) and the first to realize that every new, “groundbreaking” technology is just a slightly different version of what we already had.

Social media? It’s just MSN Messenger with better graphics.Streaming? It’s cable TV, except you have to pay for 15 different subscriptions.AI? We’ve seen this movie before, and it ends with a robot uprising.

When someone tells us “This new app will change your life!” we say, “Yeah, that’s what they said about MySpace.”

The Good, The Bad, and The Absurd

The Upside of Skepticism

Gen X has one thing going for it: We’re adaptable.

We don’t expect handouts. We don’t fall for scams (well, except that one time we signed up for Columbia House CDs). We know how to pivot, survive, and call bullshit when we see it.

We’re also fiercely independent. While other generations worry about “finding themselves,” Gen X already knows who they are:

• The ones not clicking on that suspicious link.

• The ones who won’t call unless it’s an emergency.

• The ones still hoarding DVDs, just in case.

The Downside of Cynicism

The problem? Sometimes skepticism turns into apathy.

A lot of Gen Xers have checked out of politics, convinced that nothing ever really changes. Some of us resist new ideas too much—sometimes change is good, even if we don’t trust it at first.

And maybe—just maybe—we’ve become a little too good at expecting disappointment.

Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop

So here we are, middle-aged, watching the world try to reinvent itself. Younger generations are hopeful, fighting for change, demanding more.

Gen X? We’re still waiting to see if it sticks.

Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that the more things change, the more they stay the same. And when someone says, “This is going to be different,” we just raise an eyebrow and say,

“We’ll see.”

What Do You Think?

Are you a fellow Gen Xer? Do you see skepticism as a strength or a burden? What’s the biggest thing you no longer trust? Drop your thoughts in the comments—if you even trust that they’ll show up. 😉