Flashback: June 8, 1992

Welcome Back to The GenX Edit 

Hey there, fellow survivors of the analog age!

Welcome back to The GenX Edit, where we're still trying to program our VCRs and refusing to ask for directions. 

This week, we're rewinding to June 1992—when Kris Kross had us all jumping, Batman was returning to theaters, and presidential candidate Bill Clinton was playing saxophone on Arsenio Hall.

Remember when our biggest financial worry was scraping together enough cash for the new Red Hot Chili Peppers CD?

This edition's Life Reboot tackles money matters, because now our financial concerns involve things like retirement and college tuition.

Whether you were sporting flannel shirts or rocking a Rachel haircut, June '92 was peak GenX culture.

So put down your beeper, pause that dial-up connection, and let's take a nostalgic stroll down memory lane where the phones had cords, still played music videos, and "social media" meant passing notes in class.

Mixtape Memory Lane 

This Week in June 1992

• "Jump" – Kris Kross

  The backwards-clothes-wearing duo of Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly and Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith had everyone jumping with this infectious hit produced by Jermaine Dupri.

• "Under The Bridge" – Red Hot Chili Peppers

  Anthony Kiedis's haunting lyrics about isolation and addiction struck a chord with the angst-ridden GenX soul.

• "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" – En Vogue

  The vocal powerhouse quartet delivered this sassy kiss-off anthem with perfect harmonies and attitude to spare.

• "I'll Be There" – Mariah Carey

  Mariah's cover of the Jackson 5 classic showcased her incredible vocal range and would soon become her sixth #1 hit.

• "Baby Got Back" – Sir Mix-A-Lot

  MTV initially banned the video, which of course only made us want to see it more.

  Flashback: June 8, 1992

  The GenX Edit

  music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAP5Oj7iUBp3wEYCnsdT8zgrG1of_F2lo&si=fwKaJkaj8klGoNTg

  

You hit “record” on the VCR to catch these. Now you just hit play. Watch the full throwback video playlist on YouTube Music.

Screen Time Rewind 

Patriot Games Hits Theaters (June 5, 1992) 

Harrison Ford stepped into the role of CIA analyst Jack Ryan in this adaptation of Tom Clancy's bestseller, taking over from Alec Baldwin who played the character in The Hunt for Red October. 

While Basic Instinct and Lethal Weapon 3 dominated the box office, our TV screens were busy shaping culture in quieter but equally unforgettable ways:

The Oprah Winfrey Show was moving into bold territory. In June 1992, Oprah featured Native American guests in a powerful conversation about race, identity, and cultural survival…long before that kind of dialogue was common in daytime television.

The Young and the Restless was still the top dog in daytime drama, and in June 1992, things were as messy as ever in Genoa City. Jill was deep in a custody battle, Vicky was caught between love and loyalty, and the show’s famously slow-burn tension kept fans glued to the screen.

And over in primetime, Murphy Brown was redefining what a modern woman and a sitcom could be. In June 1992, the CBS hit found its stride after the infamous Quayle controversy about single motherhood.

Candice Bergen’s character remained unapologetically independent, professional, and downright sharp, laying the groundwork for future “strong female leads” on TV.

This Life Reboot is sponsored by La’Merde Designs apparel.

Life Reboot: Money 

Financial Wisdom from Then to Now 

In 1992, our financial planning likely involved a physical checkbook, paper statements arriving monthly in the mail, and maybe a copy of "Your Money or Your Life" if you were ahead of the curve.

Investment advice came from a broker in a suit or the latest issue of Money magazine—not a 22-year-old on TikTok. 

Try This: The 1992 Cash Envelope System Reboot. Before apps tracked every penny, people used actual envelopes to budget for different categories.

Try this analog approach for one month: create physical envelopes for discretionary spending categories (dining out, entertainment, shopping), put your budgeted cash in each at the beginning of the month, and when an envelope is empty, you're done spending in that category. 

Studies show the physical act of handing over cash creates more "spending pain" than tapping a card or phone, potentially reducing impulse purchases by up to 23%.

Plus, there's something satisfying about seeing exactly what you have left—no surprises when you check your account online. 

This Interactive Feature is sponsored by Practical Advice from the Scriptures podcast.

Interactive Feature: Word Find

Results Rewind 

Last Week's Poll Results: What was your vibe in June 1984?

• Skate rink slow dances to “Almost Paradise” — 28%

• Mall rat with Aqua Net and strong opinions about Molly Ringwald — 24%

• MTV addict with a cassette collection organized by mood — 35%

• Too young for any of this, but still catching feels from the reruns — 13%

108 readers voted.

This Visual Feature is sponsored by Practical Advice from the Scriptures podcast.

Visual Feature: Throwback Ad of the Week

Before we had Instagram-worthy latte art, we had powdered "cappuccino" in flavors like "Suisse Mocha" and "French Vanilla."

These commercials convinced us we were sophisticated Europeans rather than Americans drinking glorified hot chocolate.

The dramatic whisper of "Celebrate the moments of your life" made us believe that drinking instant coffee was somehow a transcendent experience.

Life Reboot is sponsored by La’Merde Designs.

Interactive Feature is sponsored by 50 Ways to Keep Your Lover.

Visual Feature is sponsored by Practical Advice from the Scriptures.

Before You Go...

If this week’s trip back to 1992 made you nod, laugh, or quietly sing along to “Under the Bridge,” do one more thing:

👉 Forward it to a fellow GenXer who remembers what life felt like before text messages and algorithmic playlists.

Better yet, subscribe so you never miss a week of smart throwbacks and grown-up perspective.

We’ll be back next Thursday with more from the decades that raised us and the clarity to face what’s next.

Until then, keep your Discman from skipping, your Blockbuster card in your wallet, and your finances more together than your flannel collection.

And remember…we survived using payphones and paper maps, so we can handle whatever midlife throws our way. 

"Thanks for watching. Drive safe. Good night."