Generation X is made up of people who were born between 1965 and 1980. Compared to other generations like Baby Boomers and Millennials, Gen X has earned a reputation that they tend to slide under the radar—and are easily "forgotten" about. It's a trait that has also earned them the nickname the "middle child" generation.

However, it's a sentiment that many Gen X'ers can attest to experiencing. In an online community of Gen X'ers, one member named @BizarroMax attempted to explain why Gen X is the "forgotten generation".

The expert humorously discussed the "generational strife" between Boomers, Millennials, and Gen Z, making a hilarious point about why Gen X seems to be frequently forgotten about. The post went viral among Gen X'ers who feel 'seen' by her expert take.

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@BizarroMax shared the three reasons why Gen X is ignored according to the leadership expert.

"Gen X, I didn’t forget you, even if the rest of the world has. But I have no advice for you. For a few reasons. First, you don’t need it. You are the most independent and self-sufficient generation in the history of mankind and there is literally nothing I can teach you," she said.

The expert continued with two more reasons. "Second, even if I did have something to tell you, you wouldn’t care. Third, the reason we ignore you is because the rest of us are all terrified of you. If the zombie apocalypse ever happens, we are all hiding behind you. Somehow, you’ll know what to do.”

Gen X friends hang out together.Photo credit: Canva

Many fellow Gen X'ers agreed. In the comments section, member @Sirenista_D wrote, "We wouldn't 'know' what to do but we def are the 'figure it out' crew," and member MNConcerto replied, "Because we had to. Damn we were left alone nobody helped us figure it out or problem solve, we had to do it. You got yourself into this mess, now get yourself out."

Others leaned into the comedic nature of the expert's observation about Gen X: "My body already hurts for no reason. You fight the zombies," member @fohktor wrote, to which fellow member @DocMcCracken humorously responded, "Zombie apocalypse? I've seen enough movies, not worth the hanging around in the after suffering, just get it over quick, I'm tired already and I just woke up."

Some poked fun at their generation's independent ways: "Gen X doesn't do 'leadership conferences'," @corneliusvanhouten wrote, followed by @Chalice_Ink's reply, "We might go, but we don’t pay attention." Member @Efficient_Weather_13 also commented, "I’ll go, but I’m gonna complain the whole time," to which member @Current-Anybody9331replied, "And make it awkward for anyone who talks to me."

Gen Xers are known to be independent and self-sufficient.Photo credit: Canva

According to Michele M. Kroll, Ph.D., a University of New Hampshire Older Adult Health & Well-Being Field Specialist, Gen X is often called the "forgotten generation" as well as the "latchkey" generation, "as they were often left unsupervised at home or after school until their parents came home from work. This was due to increased numbers of dual income households and parental divorce," she wrote in her article, "Generation X... "The Forgotten Generation". Dr. Kroll notes that this instilled independence and resilience, adding that "the sandwich generation causes additional stress by juggling many responsibilities from caregiving of children to aging parents."

Despite these challenges, Dr. Kroll adds that Gen Xers are "notably satisfied with their life, health and career."

And another member of the Gen X community, @Sensitive-Question42, summed it up perfectly: "God I’m so happy that this is my generation. I love being overlooked (not being sarcastic or ironic either, surprisingly for us). I just like being left to my own devices and working things out for myself."

This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

So many of us have the desire to compartmentalize our personality traits into neat little boxes. "Oh, she's such an INFJ. Oh, he's such a Gemini." Some of it is rooted (well sort of) in psychology, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, based loosely on Jungian ideas. Others rely on arguably less scientific data like stars and "rising signs." Humans aren't usually that simple.

That said, there's still value in understanding one's own personality and inclinations. Here's a confession: I've taken countless personality tests because I just couldn't figure out if I was an extrovert or an introvert. Neither description quite fit, and as someone constantly trying to understand what makes me tick, this has been frustrating.

Turns out, there are other options. The term "ambivert" got popularized in the 1930s (after being coined by Edmund S. Conklin in 1923), and it refers to a person "who has features of both an introvert (someone who prefers to spend time alone) and an extrovert (someone who prefers to be with other people) in their personality."

Replying to @Factura🛄 now knowing what an ambivert is, how would you describe yourself? #ambivert #introvert #extrovert #adamgrant #psychology #TEDTalk #worklife

But for those who still don't quite relate, meet the otrovert. Just recently, psychiatrist Rami Kaminski published The Gift of Not Belonging, in which he discusses his coined term to describe a whole new type of personality. In an Insta-reel captioned "What is an Otrovert?" Kaminski mentions the polarization of introverts and extroverts. "When Jung invented the terms extrovert and introvert, he saw them as two fundamental orientations of the personality. I see the otrovert in the same way. A personality trait that faces away from the group."

He continues, "Extroverts and introverts are inherently communal, while the otrovert is an outsider to the group. In itself, it is not a problem or condition, nor is it a diagnostic label. It simply means that while most people learn to develop a sense of belonging to a specific group through social conditioning, otroverts remain social but not communal."

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In writer Sarjna Rai's piece, "Struggle to Fit the Mold? The 'Otrovert' Personality Explains Why" for Business Standard, they write: "Unlike introverts or extroverts, otroverts are not defined by where they draw their social energy. Instead, the concept captures people who constantly feel like outsiders, and tend to look in a different direction altogether, not necessarily aligned with the rest of the group."

While it's impossible to group people into perfect categories, Rai explains that Kaminski claims the main thing that sets otroverts apart is their "reluctance to conform to group norms."

Writer Avery White lists signs one might be an otrovert in the article "7 Signs You Might Be an Otrovert" for VegOut. Among them is preferring "high-signal conversations........

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