Here’s a different kind of throwback for you. Depending on your age, you either remember these well, or are about to experience a truly WTF moment. Back in the day, public service announcements (PSAs) were on a whole other level, and were trying to scare the crap out of people. Because of that, we have some truly unforgettable Gen X PSAs.
Who is Gen X?
Just a little refresher. Generation X is the demographic of people following baby boomers and preceding millennials. The generation is defined as being people born from 1965 to 1980. They’re also known as Gen X, the baby bust generation, the MTV Generation, or the “middle child” generation. Gen X has fewer members that the generations before or after it, which is one of the reasons that they’re considered to be the forgotten or overlooked generation.
Generation X Characteristics
Gen Xers are known to be independent, resourceful, adaptable, and have a strong sense of self-reliance. They likely value a work-life balance, are skeptical of authority, and may often see work as just “a job to get done.” Those born in the later years of the range, tend to be tech savvy. They grew up in the beginning of personal computers and technology.
The Origins Gen X PSAs
So how exactly did these Gen X PSAs come about? Well, there were these things called Afterschool Specials. They were shows that started in the early 70’s when ABC executives realized that while they had a lot of content for adults in the daytime and primetime. They also had cartoons for kids on Saturday morning. But there was very little content made especially for teenagers and pre-teens. The shows aired on Wednesdays at 4pm, hence the name Afterschool Specials. And let me tell you, the names of these were hilarious. We had: Me and My Hormones, Me and Dad’s New Wife, and the uber-relatable It Must Be Love Cause I Feel So Dumb. Because of the issues raised in the Afterschool Specials, television also felt the need to warn young people about the dangers of life. The result, Gen X PSAs. Enjoy!
