You know, in previous generations (lookin’ at YOU, Boomers), people generally got more and more conservative as they aged. But I feel that with us (Gen Xers), we’re getting more and more LIBERAL. Perhaps it’s because we got SCREWED out of the American Dream that our parents had…
I say this, but when I think about the people in E TN who I went to school with, it seems they are all Republican and hateful to EVERYONE who is not white and christian like they are… So maybe it’s just me?
But, no, not that either. I think much of how you age and how you feel about society and politics and all that is VERY dependent on WHERE you live and HOW you live.
I really think that getting away from the small town mentality is the key. No matter where you’re from, you CAN get the fuck out of there and make your own mind up about how things should be. Yes, I grew up in E TN with the rest of the hillbillies and it took me a LONG TIME to move past those ingrained attitudes. But I finally did. Being in a large city with people from literally everywhere gives you a much better perspective than people who live their whole lives in a 10 mile radius like my family.
I think that being in a decent sized city with lots of “other” kinds of people really will change your attitudes about them. When you eat their food, shop in their stores and learn how they live, your attitude will change. I don’t think I’d be having miso soup for breakfast most days if I lived in E TN. I don’t think I’d have a pantry full of Indian, Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Middle Eastern ingredients, either. Food is a powerful way to connect with a different culture. When you are not exposed to different foods and cultures, you’ll never appreciate them.
Fear is fostered when people are never around anyone different. Clearly, this country is full of fearful people. It’s the ones who live in small towns and never see anyone different than themselves. There is a book I’m reading right now that is SO appropriate for our current level of fear of foreigners in America right now. It’s called The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout. Interesting (if slow) read dealing with the attitudes of a small town towards an influx of foreigners.
Anyway, back to the Gen X question. Most of my peers are not raging Republicans yet. I’m talking about the peers I have who are also city dwellers. Most of the people I allow on my FB are living in an urban environment rather than a small town one and they are generally of the same mindset as I, in that voting for Cheeto = voting for HATE. So I wonder if Gen X is split over the Cheeto? If so, in what ratio? Am I like the majority of my peers in thinking that Cheeto is a horrible POTUS? Or is the majority of Gen X (now 40-50) on the side of the Boomers?
I can’t find many articles about this that have non biased opinions, so instead, I found the NYT exit polls, which do seem to bear out what I’m thinking: that education, age and location are BIG factors. Click to see full page:
Location is a really BIG factor in the voting, which goes with how it felt to me. It felt like hillbillies rallied around the dude who stoked their fear and hatred of The Other. Gaslighting!! Turns out that Gen Xers are indeed divided pretty evenly Dem/Rep. The only ages that had a large margin of Democrat voting was 18-29. All the rest were within 10 points, which points to WHERE these people lived rather than which generation they were. Interesting.
So I guess I am sort of a typical Gen Xer – at least compared to others who live in an urban environment. It’s sad to me, however, that our generation has SO MANY conservatives. I think getting screwed out of the American Dream must have really ruined Gen Xers for giving a shit about others and about how this country is run. I know my brother is completely apathetic and feels completely beat down. Many of us do.
I just hope the bright eyed and bushy tailed optimism of the Millennials doesn’t get killed by crotchety Gen Xers telling them to STFU. I will admit that their constant fretting over which gender they should be is annoying, but hey, whatever. I try to just not say anything about it and let them fret. I do wish they’d vote MORE. But I have no idea how to convince them that it matters when the hillbillies (of all ages) just voted in a Cheeto. ? How to combat that?
I feel sorry for the Millennials, but hey, WE had our shit to deal with, too. Just about the time we got our shit together and got the career and tried for the dream of a home and all that shit, the government fucked us up the ass. We GET to be pissy about that. You young ‘uns can be pissy about student loans and no jobs, but WE got fucked, too. Just remember that.
And also remember that we had better music and bigger hair than you, too. :P
I think we can ALL AGREE that the fucking Boomers just need to fucking DIE already. If we can get rid of them, perhaps something might finally change for the better. As long as we can get the progressive Gen Xers to participate, that is. Again, no idea how to make that happen. Sigh. I fear for our Republic.
Comments are open. Tell me what YOU think, fellow Gen Xers. Do you feel typical? Why?