Reasons Generation X are Kenya's unsung heroes and heroines

Anyone who has trod this earth for more than 50 years will perhaps tell you that the attitude of the Gen Z is not entirely strange. While they have done a good job using technology to marshal each other’s support, their zeal for change is not anything unusual.

You see, back in the days when it was still mandatory for college-going students to attend NYS, the policemen hated universities’ strikes. Gen X had a knack for throwing stones that even Luos in Kondele could not match. They fought hard for anything they deemed right and were known to chase policemen across the city.

University strikes were rampant and it was not uncommon for one to take six years to complete a basic degree in a Kenyan university. Their counterparts in the West, facing joblessness thanks to the recession, were equally bitter with the system. Generation X can therefore be compared to the middle child who is usually forgotten when everyone is celebrating the last child’s meagre achievements.

If there is a group of people who have suffered and gone unrecognised, it is Generation X.  Currently falling between the age group of 44- 59, this group has not had it easy in the job market as well.

The leadership roles that they should seamlessly ascend to are still occupied by the Boomers who do not want to retire. However, when such roles do open, they are overtaken by the Millennials and Generation Z who are seen to be more technologically savvy and adaptable.

The older Generation X went to school when computers were just desktops reserved for the lucky few. They used typewriters to type their first resumes and accessed their Facebook accounts through cyber cafes. While they may now own an iPhone X, they still rely on their children to navigate the applications on their phones.

Pitted against Gen Z who are brilliant content creators and marketers, Generation X cannot match.

While they may be good at what they do, their younger counterparts are exploiting the advantage of using technology to present their knowledge and skills in a more modern way. Gen X may come with lots of experience but if they cannot prove it to their employers, Millennials and Gen Z only have to wow their would-be employers with their Canva-generated presentations.

It makes sense when you find these younger generations dominating the marketing world because they know what would appeal to the audience and how to deliver it.