Criticize Your Own Side

[David Horn]

(03-14-2022, 12:31 AM)JasonBlack Wrote:

(03-13-2022, 10:14 AM)David Horn Wrote: Gen-X is centered to the right ... the far right in many cases.  So what does the right want?  Apparently, they feel slighted by having to do anything or pay anything that contributes to others, unless they are preferred others, of course.

 
I think that's an oversimplification. The difference is that boomers tend to more loudly proclaim what their values are, and millennials are quick to profess solidarity with whatever cause their peers support. Gen X aren't like that. They help people and don't tell anyone about it, preferring quieter forms of volunteer work. ex: I even had one older Xer friend who would try to help me when I wasn't looking and get embarrassed when I expressed my gratitude (this is an extreme example for purposes of illustration, but I always thought it was funny).

Most of the Xers I know kinda relish this image of themselves as "selfish survivalists"....only to be far more charitable behind the scenes than they have ever expected anyone to do for them. For example, even Xers who are single and/or childless tend to be willing to do a lot for children, since they often felt thrown to the wolves during their youth. This isn't the behavior of someone who is uncaring.

And to be honest....that's an important role to fill during a crisis. We don't need everyone to be a soldier, activist, paragon or politician. When need people to be the pragmatic, sensible ones. People who manage the risks and logistics and make hard decisions while other people are all swept up in the emotional wave of the time. As you said below, most of the big projects and building are going to be up to my generation. They don't need to worry about that.

FWIW, I was mostly commenting on the RW Gen-Xers, but your points are accurate.  Boomers are more vehement and bifurcated (not much in the middle).  Xers tend to occupy the entire political spectrum, but far fewer on the left than the right.  I'm sure that the Ronald Reagan/Margaret Thatcher effect has a lot to do with that.  They came of age when those two were near their zenith.  Millies have a more moderate leftie in Barrach Obama.  Let's see if that matters in the long run.