Peak Gen X Culture Representatives

Last month, the Times had a long feature on Janeane Garofalo who has gone so far to avoid any real success that she just appears at random comedy clubs and if a joke is too successful, she gives it up before it leads to anything. The idea is that if anyone is the true peak Gen X person, it’s her.

I found this interesting. And it got me to thinking, who are the best representatives of Gen X in culture. Who are the people who never gave up on that slacker culture, the idea that success is bullshit, the skepticism about everything. And if they did have success, they laughed at it. Here’s some nominations, some from me and some from some suggestions on Twitter.

1. Janeane Garofalo (of course)
2. Juliana Hatfield
3. David Berman
4. Quentin Tarantino (2-4 were the three that first came to mind for me)
5. Ethan Hawke
6. Ben Stiller
7. Winona Ryder
8. Liz Phair
9. Beck
10. Snoop Dogg

Thoughts? With the caveat that generational definitions are inherently bogus, etc.