The very first thing you need to know about surviving the 21st century as a man of a certain decade is this: you’re already doing it completely wrong.

I don’t care what it is—changing a tire, buying a phone, ordering coffee—somewhere out there, a 23-year-old pupae with a podcast is explaining a faster, smarter, more ethical way to do it, and you are currently their cautionary tale. 

But that’s fine. That’s good, even. Because if we’ve learned anything since the days of cassette tapes and dial-up modems, it’s that the key to survival isn’t keeping up—it’s acting like you were never trying to in the first place. And that, my friend, is where my survival advice comes in.

Now, you might be asking yourself, Rick, what exactly qualifies you to give me advice? To which I say: nothing. Absolutely nothing. And yet, here we are.

You see, as a more or less Gen-X man (we cuspers have feelings too, you know!) I’ve spent my life mastering the subtle art of getting by — a skill honed in the era of VHS tapes, America Online trial CDs, and assembling IKEA furniture without instructions because honestly, “how hard can it be?”. These skills may not have made me rich, but they have made me… resourceful? As well as mildly dangerous to myself and others.

So in these pages, I will guide you through the modern world the same way I guide myself: with a combination of unwarranted optimism, questionable shortcuts, and stories you didn’t ask for. Stories like the time I tried to fix my Wi-Fi router by putting it in the freezer because I’d read online somewhere that “heat is the problem.” 

It didn’t work, by the way. The popsicles, however, gained a strange and mysterious new flavor.

You see, that’s the thing about survival: it’s not about doing it right. It’s about doing it your way, then explaining to everyone why your way is right. That, my friend, is the Gen-X male ethos.

Each glorious chapter is going to give you another skill for this new life that you didn’t know you needed.  However, there are some basics you need to be aware of before we start:

• Step 1: Identify the problem first. This can be anything from “my phone won’t update” to “the neighbor’s kid is explaining NFTs to me and I need to leave the conversation.”

• Step 2: Dismiss all advice from experts, family, and anyone under the age of 35. This is not arrogance — it’s tradition.

• Step 3: Gather your tools. For most situations, this will be duct tape, a Phillips head screwdriver (not JIS!), and of course, several adult beverages.

• Step 4: Begin the fix with confidence, narrating out loud in case anyone is watching. This will make you look competent even if the problem gets worse.

• Step 5: When things inevitably do get worse, blame the instructions (or lack thereof). Mutter phrases like, “They don’t make these like they used to” and “This is why society’s crumbling.”

• Step 6: Improvise. This is the heart of the Gen-X man’s survival method. If you can’t fix it, re-name it. A broken chair is now a “low seating concept.”

• Step 7: Bask in your accomplishment. This is best done with a satisfied sigh and a drink in hand, preferably while explaining your process to someone who didn’t ask.

Are you ready to be a better you?  Well then … let’s get started!

Well, let’s get started after these unbiased and absolutely not paid for endorsements from those who may or may not have read the pages beforehand.

User Reviews (Completely Not Paid)

“I followed Rick’s advice exactly and can confirm my problems were not solved in any measurable way. However, I now own three new screwdrivers, a half-finished shelf, and a funny story I can tell at barbecues. Five stars.” – Steve, 47″