If you haven’t heard about the latest American, take-this-job-and-shove-it hero, you will soon.

Steven Slater, a flight attendant for JetBlue, was so angry at a customer who hit him in the head with his luggage when the plane landed that he cursed him on the loud speaker, grabbed a beer, pulled the cord on the emergency-evacuation slide, jumped on and headed home.

He was soon arrested, but his story shines light on more than just disgruntled workers in this economy. Slater, 39, is a prime example of the hardships Generation X faces. You know, that group born roughly between 1961 and 1981 that no one really talks about. Lately it’s all about the struggling Baby Boomers and Gen Yers, but the plight for Gen Xers is just as bad, and many are at their wit’s end. (more…)