I was thinking about…

Living Through the Cold War: How Gen X Grew Up Under the Threat of Nuclear Annihilation

by Andy Lee

As a Gen Xer, I’ll never forget the eerie tension we grew up with. It was like a shadow cast over our playgrounds, our classrooms, and even our living rooms. The Cold War wasn’t just a historical event; it was the background hum to our entire childhood. And at the heart of this was the constant threat of nuclear annihilation.

We didn’t have lockdown drills, we had “duck and cover.” And sure, looking back now, there’s something almost absurd about it. Ducking under a flimsy wooden desk or crouching in a school hallway with a textbook over our heads wasn’t going to protect us from a nuclear blast. But that’s what we were told to do. And being kids, we did it. We learned early on that sometimes life hands you absurdity, and you just have to roll with it.

Those Cold War drills were more than just a safety routine. They were an everyday reminder of how fragile everything was. One misstep, one trigger-happy leader, and it could all be over in a flash of light that no textbook could shield us from. In some ways, it shaped our worldview: a mix of skepticism, resilience, and a heavy dose of “why bother?” But it also toughened us, prepared us to face whatever came next with a shrug and a knowing glance, as if to say, “We’ve lived through worse.”

The Cold War didn’t just affect us at school. It infiltrated our pop culture too. Movies, TV shows, even the nightly news painted a picture of a world constantly on the brink. But we carried on—riding our bikes, playing Atari, and swapping stories at sleepovers about what we’d do if we saw that mushroom cloud on the horizon. Because, despite it all, we found ways to live. The threat may have been looming, but it never stopped us from pushing forward.

Generation X grew up under that cloud of nuclear fear, and it shaped us. It made us skeptical of authority, taught us the absurdity of bureaucracy, and instilled in us a kind of resilience that only comes from knowing the world can end at any moment—and still choosing to get up and live your life.

Sure, “duck and cover” wouldn’t have saved us from the bomb, but in a weird way, it saved us in other ways. It reminded us to keep going, even when it feels like the world is about to explode.

Stay thoughtful, keep your head low, but always stand tall! 🧠👀💪