Revenge of the Gen X

[Aviation Pro]

That’s what this whole Social Security bullshit is all about. A percentage of that cohort that never got over itself, the whiny, fucking snowflakes.

[Walleye]

1. They never stopped to think that they might have to support their parents and grandparents

[SheltieLover]

5. Judging by the high #s of elders parked in care homes, I fear many

Wouldn't bother to help them.

I attended a senior holiday dinner a couple of yrs ago & asked a few people whether they had plans with their adult kids for the holidays.

They all but laughed at the thought & replied with things like, "oh no. None of our kids want to be bothered. It's a generational thing." And "That's why we are all here. Kids can't be bothered." These were seemingly all retired professionals who appeared to be normal & well adjusted.

If that's any indication, we can expect to be tripping over elders dying in the streets when Medicaid cuts nursing home funding.

[Walleye]

6. American values and morality have died

[SheltieLover]

11. Precisely!

[spooky3]

29. Please know that some choose where they live.

When my mom passed away, I invited my dad to move in. But I live 600 miles from the community he’s lived nearly his whole life. He did not want to move. At the time he was capable of independent living. But as he aged and more care was needed, well, you know the rest.

[SheltieLover]

34. Yes, I know

[Scrivener7]

2. No. It's still about men who are butt hurt that a few of their unearned advantages have

been taken away, and the women who love them, wanting the rest of us to suffer for it.

There's no one generation. It's cross generation.

Mump is just using the GenX kids as their flying monkeys because GenX kids are cheap.

[JI7]

17. It really is this

I spend time reading right leaning forums and discussions and it really is this.

And it includes young men also.

They blame feminism for problems they see in society.

They also have hatred for things like "girl boss" and other trend/memes which women use to motivate themselves.

They alsi keep doing things like bringing up Amber Heard or some other woman and cases as examples of how men are persecuted.

There is very little discussion of policy issues with them. It's more about just cultural grievances.

[alarimer]

66. Yes, this.

I wish people would stop with the generational bullshit already.

It is Republicans and the right-wing, of any and all generations.

Gen-X are not really kids anymore. Probably early 50s for most.

The youngest cohort is Gen-Z now, I think, but I can never keep track.

[bronxiteforever]

3. Yes they just royally screwed themselves

& their children. Climate change will rake their lives in old age too.

[boston bean]

4. There will be revolt of Gen X if they increase the retirement age as proposed.

Which is anyone under 59. God changing this when full retirement for most gen X is 67. Holy fuck. And they also want to reduce benefits. Get ready for a fucking revolt.

[Walleye]

7. I'm not sure Gen X is capable of revolution.

[brush]

9. Do they even know how to revolt? Remember they're the ones who never picked up the torch...

of the Boomers who were always in the streets protesting something...the war, civil rights, the '68 Dem convention in Daly's Chicago, police brutality, women's rights.

The Gen Xers never continued the movements.

[BannonsLiver]

55. The movements?

lol by the time I came around all that was left of the “movement” were people who were progressives in the 60s who then grew up, sold out and voted for Reagan, bought BMWs, and watched Moonlighting.

Some “Movement” 🙄

[misanthrope]

67. Replace "Moonlighting" with "Thirtysomething" and you hit bullseye.

The materialism of the Reagan Era was driven by Boomers.

[BannonsLiver]

71. Damn you're right that's what I was trying to think of.

My boomer parents loved that show.

[brush]

74. Some did that, but that was a divided generation, some young rethugs, and others got jobs and stayed in voting for Dems.

Last edited Mon Mar 3, 2025, 10:54 AM - Edit history (1)

[Ursus Rex]

64. lol the Boomers are the reason there's nothing left.

They took everything the New Deal and PostWar Prosperity offered them, and then soured on govt under Nixon and somehow got their faith back for Reagan. They left Gen X to raise itself and start a life, amid recessions and crunches due to austerity that suddenly became necessary because the grownups didn’t wanna pay taxes, now GenX has to take care of the Boomers AND the Zoomers with neither experience in being part of a supportive culture nor the financial boom times to cover up mistakes. And NOW the Boomers are literally reverse-mortgaging their future and they are gonna pin their blame on their own kids? Trump is the perfect Boomer avatar, if you look at it one way.

So yeah, don’t pin this on Gen X. Nobody has asked us about much until now, when the old ideas and easy fixes are done for.

[brush]

72. Who didn't pick up the torch?

[misanthrope]

68. The movements against apartheid

involved plenty of older Gen Xers. Same with the social awareness that tried to combat the Reagan era, the growth of Amnesty International, the growth of underground culture and noted cynicism of Gen X was driven by seeing through the corporatism and materialism that came to represent American life.

They felt squeezed between "Greed is good" and "The era of big government is over." I know plenty of Gen Xers who were sick of it all just felt powerless to change things.

[brush]

73. True, the younger siblings of movement boomers, not the young repug boomers.

[Polybius]

85. Because there was no need to

Last edited Mon Mar 3, 2025, 02:42 PM - Edit history (1)

By the time many of us turned 18, it was already the 90's and after the Gulf War 1. The 90's were awesome. There was nothing for me to protest when I was a late teen/early 20's.

[brush]

89. Aren't you a Millennial, not a GenXer?

[Polybius]

91. No

I was 17 in 1990. I wish I were younger lol.

[Johonny]

23. I revolted years ago

We've been screwed since Reagan

[kelly1mm]

38. All 12 of them????? j/k

[The Madcap]

8. As a crossover between boomer and gen x 1963

I can say Gen X already got screwed when they raised full retirement to 67.

I think all of this goes deeper than just generation, as I have seen large numbers of seniors who appear to be in their mid to late 60s sporting MAGA caps. Education, social standing, personal experience, etc., could all contribute to the disease.

One other thing I can think of is the desire to conform. It seems very strong in the MAGA "mind."

[lark]

10. Gen X are just following R's fascist lead because those men have been working to kill SS since day 1.

They - the reich wing fascists - never die, they just pass on their hate and greed and this is the newest generation to inherit that mantle of hating everyone but themselves and their clan.

[GPV]

12. Every generation that's come through has screwed

other ones over. Not the whole generation, but enough of them to matter. The boomers who became neolibs and triangulated us to death. Gen X for believing we had more time and wasting our chance. My millennials and the kids who have come after them, I don't blame them for one bit that so many are checking out. They know deck-chair-rearranging when they see it.

[Alice B.]

13. As a Gen-Xer who's the sole caregiver for an aging parent, with cognitive issues, in their home,

I'm trying really hard not to be really p'ed off by the broad brushes applied in this thread.

I have Gen X relatives, also caring for parents who require significant assistance or are no longer safe in their homes without someone else being there. These family members have children of their own and don't have the luxury of working from home. One in particular is not well-off and I am amazed every day at what they've managed to navigate when both of their parents experienced devastating conditions nearly simultaneously.

I know a lot of a******s within my cohort, but I also know a lot of good people doing their best -- who are always extremely engaged politically (and yes, drive a lot of our local protests).

I am fully aware my parent would be homeless without SS.. And I am fully aware of what I personally have paid in that I may never see if the current situation in Washington has its way.

I realize everybody is angry but nuance is always appreciated.

[DonCoquixote]

16. I care for an aging parent

and many Gen xers are. What happened though is that the ones that reach for a microphone are often the same whiny, nihilism slobs who thin South Park is cool. What did happen is that the right wing fed a bunch of hungry kids some garbage and told them it was edgy, like the way punk often covered for shitty musicians (three chords and the truth !) However, that does nto mean I will write a pass to some GOP gen xers that really really should have known better.

[Alice B.]

22. Understood. Every generation's got them.

And when you talk about supporting TSF and and the misapprehension that it’s edgy or defiant or subversive, my mind goes immediately to the college students I saw lining up for a campaign rally and putting his banners on student housing — who thought he was hilarious. I also think more sadly of the new voters quoted in the student paper who thought they were going to graduate and be able to buy a house thanks to this guy. Maybe they get a pass due to the erosion of critical thinking skills. Or because my generation raised increasing numbers of them (and honestly, I’m more disappointed by my generation’s child-rearing based on what I’ve seen among friends and have heard from profs and administrators about the readiness of kids coming in to the local university— but that’s a broad brush, too).

On the whole, there’s enough to go around, though.

[BannonsLiver]

47. lol

Hoo boy 🙄🙄

[boston bean]

21. I took care of my mother until her dying breath. I am gen X.

[Alice B.]

24. I'm so sorry.

I don't feel equipped for it at all. And I keep telling people, I knew the election's outcome wasn't going to increase supports or help, but I wasn't expecting the destruction or impending destruction of existing ones to come so fast and easily. A close friend (also Gen X) works in a community with a lot of retirees and they kind of manage activities and meals and things. They were telling me about this program or that (most state-based) that I should look into and I just gave up, thinking they'll probably lose funding or be difficult to get into due to increased demand.

So I'm angry, too.

[quaint]

32. It is insulting and uncalled for. All broad brushing is.

Doesn't matter what age, which faith, gender, or ethnicity, it is offensive.

[BannonsLiver]

42. Yeah it's a VERY divisive thread

[Alice B.]

76. Yeah, trying to assign blame is a luxury I wish we had.

I mean, I'm all for understanding how we got here but... you know.

My anger is toward individuals and I choke on it myself daily.

[DonCoquixote]

14. Gen X never got over itself (Gen Xer here)

Which is why the lead singers of Nirvana, Linkin Park, Stone temple Pilots, Soundgarden and numerous pthers of the area, either died of heroin or outright self-indulgent suicide (Kurt, you started the trend and others followed.) Yes it might have seemed natural to rebel against mom and dad, especially when mom and dad turned into yuppies whose hypocrisy stunk up the room, but that was all the MORE reason to not curl up into a ball and die. The sad fact is, like much of gen x humor (south park, Beavis and Butthead, 4chan et al) many of my fellow Xers think the whole point of humor was to get cheap laughs, but they forgot that laughter was meant to make you think and have more strength tom act. Letting yourself get run over is cowardly, and as the last breath comes, no, you will NOT feel any less pain.

I may have my beef with Millennials and Gen Z (seriously kids, Vaping?) but they do seem to be makign an effort not to gild and glorify previous mistakes. I humly say, do NOT curl up into a ball and die, like my generation did. That Karen who is tyellign at you, laugh, she is likely a gen x that just rolled over and died because she thought nihilism was cheap)

[muriel_volestrangler]

15. Can you describe what you mean by "this whole Social Security bullshit", and how it somehow benefits Gen X

rather than those older or younger than them?

[DonCoquixote]

18. they bought the illusion

That those evil baby boomers took money from their paychecks and that they would make sure the gen xers never saw any of it. DUDES, if you think you are screwed, wait till ss goes and you cannot even afford your cokes. You should be wiser becauseour generation was the first to see that the whole company man thing was bullshit.

[muriel_volestrangler]

19. OK, that would not be "revenge of Gen X", it would be "they bought an illusion, but it will also actually happen"

which has not really explained anything.

[yardwork]

20. This has nothing to do with generations.

The pervasive selfishness weee seeing in the U.S. now cuts across all age groups.

I disagree with this take. I'm a boomer.

[tishaLA]

25. This is as helpful, and incorrect, as threads blaming boomers and millennials

Which is to say "not at all." I'm especially fond of the notion that Gen X and its (white) music stars had a special affinity for heroin, as if Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, etc etc etc never appeared on the scene.

[Aviation Pro]

26. Look at the average age

Of Not President Motherfucker Krasnov’s cabinet and the contributors to Project 2025. There’s a reason I said percent in the OP.

[tishaLA]

28. Yes, the "whiny fucking snowflakes "

Irony.

[muriel_volestrangler]

30. So you put this "bullshit" down to their age, not to them being rich motherfuckers

but there was no blame on the Boomer generation when GWB wanted to partially privatize SS?

You still haven't explained which "bullshit" you're blaming on age.

[RandySF]

27. Don't speak for me.

[themaguffin]

31. Bullfuckingshit. What the fuck? Seriously? You typed that and posted it? Oof.

[bucolic_frolic]

33. Intergenerational economic and political conflict

They don't want to support grandpa. They think he's a greedy geezer.

We know they only care about money and tattoos.

This is a disconnect.

I blame niche marketing that divides us, and the Federal Reserve which coddles billionaires by never allowing a recession to clear the economy. The last decent recession was in 1982!

[Xoan]

35. Bullshit, sir.

[flvegan]

36. Gen X "whiny, fucking snowflakes." LOL, whatever. n/t

[chowder66]

37. Prejudices against whole groups of people based on something they can't help like the year they were born sounds

eerily familiar to other forms of group hate to me.

If you want to be pissed at a whole group of people there is one really good one and they are making choices that they can control.

Voters that vote against their own self-interests or because of hatred of others and non-voters that willfully ignore what is happening around them.

Generation vs generation has to be one of the more stupid things I keep seeing running around.

[ismnotwasm]

39. Gen X went for Trump in bigger numbers than the boomers did

A pity really, as they convinced TikTok teenagers that they were badass rebels lol.

It was fun to watch, but I realize generational traits simply bleed into one other.

[BannonsLiver]

45. Now do the 80s, 90s and early 2000s.

Lotta Boomer greed in those years.

[ismnotwasm]

70. Oh boomers have a LOT to answer for.

My point being GenX is often boomer lite. Not a renegade generation.

It’s all more complicated than easy categories of course. Generations overlap significantly, but the advent of technology has got things moving fast.

[womanofthehills]

62. The boomers all have way more money than gen X

Many gen X can’t afford a house unless their boomer parent leaves them one.

[Aviation Pro]

40. I feel compelled to clarify a few things

One, in the OP, I said, "a percentage," not the entirety and certainly not a broadbrush. Two, my ire and the target of the "bullshit" and "whiny, fucking snowflakes" is one 53-year-old President ShitPosterFuckheadIllegalImmigrantSouthAfrican and his claim with no evidence that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. He passes this along to the percentage of braindead zombies, who cheer him on for reasons that confound me to this day, but then again, they are braindead fucking zombie fuckwits with no critical thinking skills.

Elaborating further, yesterday was the first day I was eligible to apply for Social Security with full benefits beginning at age 66 and 8 months. I have been working for 42 years, followed the rules and expected that this component of my retirement plan would be there when I was ready. Now, said motherfucker who came to this country, our country, under false pretenses is shit stirring the pot and putting my plans in jeopardy. And my continued position is that he is being bolstered by a percentage of a generation that basically stumbled into adulthood filled with grievances.

So, if some feel slighted because I "slammed" an entire generation, I didn't, but this charge to strip this undeniably critical government program from the most vulnerable of the citizenry - seniors - is being led by the sub-cohort of shitheads in Gen X.

[JustAnotherGen]

53. GenX really only applies to Americans

Mostly white Americans at that. John Hughes didn't reflect my experience - but John Singleton did.

He's not from here. He has the citizenship he should not have been allowed to obtain -

But he's not a loyal American. Like he comes from a family of Nazis.

[muriel_volestrangler]

54. The president is a Boomer. The VP is a millennial.

There has never been a Gen X president or VP.

If you think it's down to Musk, then why not blame white immigrants? Or billionaires? Or racists? And Musk's lackeys are Gen Z. There really is no point in tying this to an age cohort of about 15 years.

[misanthrope]

69. The closest was Obama

Born in 1961, he is Generation Jones. He definitely didn't feel like he belonged to the same generation as Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

[eShirl]

41. it's not this generation or that generation

it's a striation that runs through every generation

[BannonsLiver]

43. I usually like your comments but this is OTT

[standingtall]

44. I fail to see how what's happening to social security could be put solely at the feet of Gen X

Yes Gen X went for Trump which was disappointing, but boomers spent decades voting for right wing politicians that wanted to gut social security when Gen X was still voting Democrat. This past election is the only election in my life that I didn't see people over 65 vote republican and even then it was only a 50/50 split.

[brush]

78. Not quite. Boomers were/are a split cohort. Roughly half former anti-war protestors and the other half, once young...

republicans who became magats. I am one of the once-campus radicals half who lived in Berkeley, my first presidential vote was for the Gus Hall/Angela Davis ticket so anti-maga has been my entire mindset in life.

Since that first presidential vote it's been straight Dem down the line. Fuck trump, Musk and all cowardly rethugs who are afraid to challenge the convicted criminal because of fear losing their seat in Congress. It's just a few weeks into trump 2.0 and already cracks are showing as the firings spread...and so does the anger of the fools who voted the criminal.

[standingtall]

49. Easy there Gen Z went for Harris 3 points better then millenials did

and 47% of millenials voted for Trump.

[artemisia1]

50. I don't go in for this generation blaming thing. Each one has their collective strengths and weaknesses and each

individual is unique. I'm Gen X (early Gen X) and I've seen as many or more militant Trump supporters among Boomers as among mine. I've also seen opponents of the Cult in all generations, X and Boomers included. Let's save the broad brushing for Freepers.

[BannonsLiver]

52. Apparently a lot of Boomers in the thread have forgotten about Reagan and the 80s.

Many Reagan Dems were just 60s progressive boomers who sold out. I think most here are in agreement that the road to wealth inequality began in those Reagan years. I mean as long as we’re keeping score…

But like you I don’t buy into the monolithic BS when it comes to generations.

[writerJT]

51. You couldn't have done a better

Job of telling us exactly what generation you are. 🙄

[Noodleboy13]

56. Ummm. Gen X here. Born1970. We prefer the term slackers. And before you label us as a bunch of whiny crybabies, remember

A lot of us have raised ourselves since age 5. We survived on hose water and what whatever bologna sandwich we could scrounge from the neighbor's. We basically are the original " fuck around and find out " We adopted "punk ethos" as our own. It you Boomers on the other hand who constantly pat yourselves on the back because you shouted and waved some signs seventy odd years ago. We didn't let the world burn cuz we're lazy and helpless, we just don't care


Peace and meh,
Noodleboy

[kysrsoze]

57. This is the stupidest OP I've seen in a long time

As a GenXer, we got FUCKED by the greed of the 80’s. I watched my dad get laid off over and over due to corporate greed, and our family was ripped apart. I have done Habitat for Humanity numerous times, donate a LOT of money year after year, took my daughter to protest the Iraq War and have been supporting my parents for years. Friends and relatives of my generation have done so many good things for others and dealt with a lot of the same things I did and get criticized for it. And my generation will get screwed out of all the money we put into Social Security.

You don’t know a goddamned thing about my generation. Whiny snowflakes? Look in the mirror.

[BannonsLiver]

59. Apparently Nirvana, Pearl Jam and South Park are "the devil"

Or at least that’s what I learned in the thread. It’s all Kurt Cobain’s fault.

[kysrsoze]

60. Yeah, I guess we all just gotta have our heroin.

[Polybius]

86. Yep

It sure is a "Get off my lawn!" thread. Side note: Didn't know you were a fellow Xer!

[BannonsLiver]

93. Yep born right in the middle of it.

I try to keep it on the down low since Kurt Cobain turned me into a heroin addict and the Simpsons and South Park made me a conservative Trump voter.

[Self Esteem]

63. It says a lot that they feel screwed over and yet now have become Trump's biggest support base.

Gen X is largely believed to be between 1961 and 1980.

So, in 2024, the oldest Gen X voter was around 63 and the youngest 44.

Looking at age breakdown of 2024's election, Trump won voters who were 45-64, or almost entirely what would be considered Gen X, 54-44.

Harris won voters 30-44 (mostly Millennials) 51-47, 18-29 (Gen Z) 54-43 and Trump won those 65 and older (mostly Boomers) 50-49.

Gen Xers absolutely voted overwhelmingly for Trump this go around. So, for all the people who felt like they got screwed over by Reagan, a good amount of 'em of 'em had no problem supporting Trump.

[Wingus Dingus]

58. I've never heard Gen X called "snowflakes"--ever.

Whatever you want to say about us, I don't think we're snowflakes, nor whiners either.

[cabotnn22]

75. We're the opposite

I grew up fat in the 80s...believe me, there's nothing you can call me that will hurt my feelings. We insulted each other, the weight and size of each other's mothers with the cruelest language but laughed it off. We're fucking teflon.

[Wingus Dingus]

83. We were pretty mean/cynical as a group...the 70's and 80's were a

wild and under-parented time to grow up in, that's for sure.

[JanMichael]

80. Me either. Losers slackers whatever but never snowflakes.

That's what boomers call millennials and gen z.

Par for the course really.

[Wingus Dingus]

82. Yeah, I think the OP has his generational insults mixed up.

[JCMach1]

61. What? Kick for OP to lay off

Whatever they are smoking...



I took care of my dad with dementia until he passed. I take care of my elderly mom now who is dependent on Social Security.

That's in addition to normal job and other family responsibilities. Meanwhile, I am borderline disabled myself. I won't bore you with the details since I guess I am a ❄️.

[Unwind Your Mind]

65. Nonsense

Gen X has never been in charge. We’re a tiny generation that grew up under the thumb of boomers, who still run everything. And, yes a lot of us are cynical because of it. We knew we were screwed long before millennials figured it out.

But we also take care of our families, parents included and and I don’t appreciate that broad brush.

[Polybius]

87. You're right, there's never been a Gen X President or even VP (Vance is a Millennial)

Looking towards 2028, Xers Gavin Newsom (1967) and Ron DeSantis (1978) may run. But to me, they are just an early Xer and a late Xer. I want a mid-Xer - someone born between 1971 and 1976. Not sure who in politics that leaves me with.

[travelingthrulife]

77. The Gordon Gekko "Greed is good" crowd

Things really changed in the 80s. People embraced their arrogance and greed.

[Rob H.]

79. Boomers were christened "The Me Generation" back in the mid-70s and never outgrew it

but sure, it's Gen Xers who are the problem.

[JanMichael]

81. Whatever boomerdude.

My expectations are low for boomers so there's that. Keep those expectations low and you'll always be a success.

[Polybius]

84. Hey, we're by far the best and coolest Generation

And we grew up with Atari and Transformers. Don't be jelly.

[Sky Jewels]

90. I respectfully disagree. I've always thought our generation sucked yak balls.

See post #88.

[Polybius]

92. Because you're an older Gen Xer

You missed out on much of the cool stuff that us 70's Gen Xers cherished. No He-Man? No Transformers? No Nintendo? I can't even imagine a childhood without those.

Plus, Reagan winning in 1980 bothered you and soured you toward your classmates. I didn't care at all. I was 7.

[Sky Jewels]

94. Yes, I was born into a generational no-woman's land

Not really a Boomer, not really an Xer, sort of an in between stuck with a shit ton of Alex P. Keaton-ish peers.

[Polybius]

95. All I remember about the 1980 Election is my mother being upset that Carter lost

She wasn't too political, but she really liked him and didn't seem to trust Reagan. But by 1984, she was all-in for Ronnie.

[Sky Jewels]

96. It's amazing how many people eventually jumped on the Ronnie Bandwagon.

I was 14 and had never paid attention to politics. But Reagan turned me into a liberal almost instantly. I recognized in the very core of my being that he stood for everything I despised. I couldn't understand how so many other people couldn't see it. And that was in the days when we had a pretty highly functional media. Now, fuggedaboudit. Right wing propaganda is in the very air we breathe.

[Sky Jewels]

88. I'm an old Gen Xer; born mid-60s.

We are a HORRIBLE cohort (yes, obviously many exceptions, myself included, I'd like to think). Fucking Ronnie Raygun got elected as we were entering high school and 2/3 of my classmates were entitled preppy white Republican douchebags. Reagan overwhelmingly won the mock election at my school. I've never liked my peers nor felt a like I fit in with the Gen X zeitgeist or whatever. Ugh.