{
  "id": 11944652,
  "title": "Are my gen X peers the influencers the world has been waiting for? | Emma Beddington",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/are-my-gen-x-peers-the-influencers-the-world-has-been-waiting-for",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-04T13:00:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/oct/04/my-gen-x-peers-influencers"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Gen X, the generation born between 1965 and 1980, is emerging as a powerful force in the online world, according to marketing expert Joel Marlinarson. Despite the misinterpretation of the phrase \"Stop sleeping on gen X,\" which originally meant \"Stop ignoring gen X,\" this generation is proving to be influential online. Those aged between 46 and 61, who have established careers, are peaking in their professional lives, even if some face challenges in the job market as they navigate the difficulties of being over 50.\n\nGen Xers tend to own homes, a significant advantage that sets them apart from younger generations. As they exit the demanding phase of raising children, they are now in a position to enjoy some much-needed downtime. A report by the World Economic Forum highlights that gen X, or any country-sized group, would constitute the world's second-largest consumer market. Moreover, women in this generation have a particularly strong influence, shaping 70% to 80% of all consumer spending.",
  "summary": "Their careers are peaking, they’re rich in money and time – and young people think they’re cool. But maybe it’s not as simple as that ‘Stop sleeping on gen X.” I heard this on TikTok recently. I misinterpreted it, with a guilty start, as: “Stop sleeping, gen X,” because I am 51 (peak X), so always tired; while not sleeping at the time, I may have been resting my eyes. In fact, Joel Marlinarson, a…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}