Why Now?
We’ve long worn our grungy, eye-rolling, “whatever” ethos like a badge of honor. Gen X—the generation raised on mixtapes and the relentless chant of “get a job”—took that mantra seriously. We got jobs. Lots of them, actually.
Over the decades, we weathered every economic mood swing imaginable—dot-com booms, housing busts, market crashes, mass layoffs, and, of course, the curveballs life throws just for fun. We became masters of the pivot, often not by choice but by survival. If there were medals for professional reinvention, our mantels would collapse under the weight.
“…we weathered every economic mood swing imaginable—dot-com booms, housing busts, market crashes, mass layoffs … and now, in 2025, we’re pivoting once again.”
And now, in 2025, we’re pivoting once again—this time to accommodate a new player: generative AI. (Cue the collective eye roll.) The rise of AI hasn’t just nudged its way into the workforce—it’s bulldozed through it. Hollywood’s 148-day strike in 2023 wasn’t just about creative rights; it was a signal flare for every industry touched by creativity, code, or capital.
The AI wave has coincided with yet another round of layoffs, persistent inflation, and the long-tail effects of a global pandemic. And here’s the twist of the knife: the oldest Gen Xers hit retirement age in 2030. But how exactly does the generation saddled with the highest debt, persistent underemployment, and vanishing retirement safety nets plan to retire?
Spoiler: many of us won’t.
We’re facing what can only be described as an existential cliff. Retirement is no longer a finish line—it’s a mirage. Between volatile markets draining once-stable 401(k)s, ballooning healthcare costs, and the reality that Gen X could outlive our savings by decades, the dream of “aging with dignity” is starting to look like a luxury good. And let’s not forget ageism, which quietly ensures that many of us are locked out of career opportunities just when we need them most.
This is more than a generational inconvenience. It’s a national economic threat.
So why now? Because the consequences of ignoring this are about to become very real. If Gen X—experienced, battle-tested, and economically critical—goes bust, the ripple effects will hit everyone. The economy doesn’t run on youthful optimism alone; it needs seasoned professionals who’ve been through the fire.
Sure, Gen Z is struggling with unemployment too, but Gen X carries institutional knowledge and hard-won skills that take decades to build. You can’t ChatGPT your way to 30 years of experience.
So no, this isn’t just a Gen X crisis. It’s a flashing red warning for every generation that followed. If the generation that did everything it was told—went to work, stayed adaptable, paid into retirement—can’t afford to retire, what hope does anyone else really have?
