Newsweek: Why Some Gen X and Millennials Might Be 'Generation Goonies' Instead

Sometimes a TikTok trend nails something academia and think tanks miss entirely. Case in point: the viral rebranding of Gen X as “Generation Goonie.”

Inspired by The Goonies — that iconic 1985 cult classic about unsupervised, adventure-hungry kids on a treasure hunt — the term is resonating deeply. And honestly, it should. As someone born in 1975, I can say firsthand: this hits different.

In my recent interview with Newsweek, I called the Goonies definition “spot on.” Why? Because it captures something that gets lost in generational analysis: vibe. We weren’t digital natives. We were analog adventurers. We played outside all day. We communicated face-to-face. We built trust without text chains or Snap streaks. And we didn’t compare ourselves to filtered highlight reels on Instagram — because comparison wasn’t part of the culture.

Call it “analog grounding.” It made us independent, gritty, and confident — not because we were better, but because we had fewer distractions.

Today, kids grow up being tracked, tagged, and tethered to devices. Gen X? We were free-range. And that upbringing still shapes how we lead, work, parent, and resist the hype cycles younger generations sometimes chase.

But here’s the kicker: while the Goonies label feels nostalgic, it also surfaces a truth brands and businesses should be paying attention to. Gen X isn’t just “the forgotten generation.” We’re the bridge between two worlds — analog and digital. And that gives us an incredibly unique lens to evaluate what actually matters in a world overrun by screens and algorithms.

So no, we can’t go back. The world has changed. AI is the new electricity. Social media is the new neighborhood. But the values we carry — presence, resilience, real connection — are more relevant than ever.

Generation Goonie isn’t a gimmick. It’s a reminder. And if brands want to resonate with the most dynamic generation nobody talks about, they should start paying attention.