Umm... I had not been aware of the pontificated statistic and am, frankly, aghast. Personally, I was disappointed that Obama was no more liberal than Nixon.
As a side-note, my parents are "Silent" generation (which appellation they are not super fond of), and I was surprised to learn that Biden is the first president of that generation, since the electorate jumped from the "Greatest" generation to the Boomers. Any bets on when/whether we will get a GenX president? (...or is that antithetical to Nevermind values?)
Oh I can't wait. And I'd love to understand why so many of us became right wing douchebags. I don't get it. Our age group really votes horribly but then acts like they vote liberal.
Exactly. I guess because we are the last generation who can afford homes and benefit from Reaganomics? I honestly don't get it. Everyone I know talks the progressive talk but they must be voting the opposite. At least our kids (Gen Z) and some younger millenials are cool.
Hmm... so... my lens says this is a problem of exceptionalism, but I don't get the impression that applies in East Asia, for instance. Do Chinese Boomers as a class punch above their weight in suckiness, within the Chinese socio-political context?
I was talking with my friend from Iceland about how boomers are the woret and she didn't understand at all. Italians do. Anglo-Americans Definitely do.
Like, I mean, I totally get it, but also I think the Boomers were both whooped and coddled by their own folks, not to excuse their self-importance, but their lived experience seems to be trumpeting their enfranchisement - strangely enough as a subvention from within of imported traditional straight-laced old-country values (like... uh... strict obligation to community?).
And also, I would hope that Italians would recognize that regardless of any shittiness Boomers bring to the table, they rank sub-Mussolini in worst-ness.
Have you by chance, given that you have Icelandic input, dove into Njáls saga?
I actually really like the concept of the "law rock" as correlative to our concept of "having skin in the game."
All the tribes would meet at the law rock once a year to hear petitions. If the plaintiff and the defendant were unable to reach settlement about a point of contention, the court would adjourn overnight, and the parties would circulate to build support. Then, the next day, they would be all, like, "Me and my six cousins and their extended families will fight you for fair recompense over the death of my brother" or whatever. Then if one of the parties was clearly outnumbered, the matter was de-facto decided in favor of the majority, and if disagreement persisted, war would determine whom the law favored.
This may sound barbaric, but also, it is to an extent illustrative of legal fundamentals.
I have not but that would make an excellent K drama. I'll look into it. I live in Italy. There is definitely a generarional divide here. Boomers had so much financial power here when they had the Lira. Gen Xers were in early adulthood when it changed to the Euro and we've been fucked every since.
Didn't *realize* that we are being defined as American Gen Xers and douchebags that have no engagement with Canada. Very deep analysis from the intersectional end.
Welcome to substack!
Looking forward to future columns. I would be interested about insights into how Gen X experiences shaped the generation's politics. Politico pushed this a few years back: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/05/20/cherie-westrich-alt-rock-gen-x-maga-00033769
That article is onto something, but didn't nail it.
Great suggestion and thanks for the link.
Umm... I had not been aware of the pontificated statistic and am, frankly, aghast. Personally, I was disappointed that Obama was no more liberal than Nixon.
As a side-note, my parents are "Silent" generation (which appellation they are not super fond of), and I was surprised to learn that Biden is the first president of that generation, since the electorate jumped from the "Greatest" generation to the Boomers. Any bets on when/whether we will get a GenX president? (...or is that antithetical to Nevermind values?)
Oh I can't wait. And I'd love to understand why so many of us became right wing douchebags. I don't get it. Our age group really votes horribly but then acts like they vote liberal.
Ha -- I just saw this comment and then read this tweet https://twitter.com/morninggloria/status/1722378019908858183
Exactly. I guess because we are the last generation who can afford homes and benefit from Reaganomics? I honestly don't get it. Everyone I know talks the progressive talk but they must be voting the opposite. At least our kids (Gen Z) and some younger millenials are cool.
I wondered that about the Boomers and blamed shell-shock from Kent State.
But what about non American boomers. They suck too.
Hmm... so... my lens says this is a problem of exceptionalism, but I don't get the impression that applies in East Asia, for instance. Do Chinese Boomers as a class punch above their weight in suckiness, within the Chinese socio-political context?
I was talking with my friend from Iceland about how boomers are the woret and she didn't understand at all. Italians do. Anglo-Americans Definitely do.
Like, I mean, I totally get it, but also I think the Boomers were both whooped and coddled by their own folks, not to excuse their self-importance, but their lived experience seems to be trumpeting their enfranchisement - strangely enough as a subvention from within of imported traditional straight-laced old-country values (like... uh... strict obligation to community?).
And also, I would hope that Italians would recognize that regardless of any shittiness Boomers bring to the table, they rank sub-Mussolini in worst-ness.
Italians are very complacent people in general. There isn't even a minimum wage here. Italians that want better just leave. Total brain drain here.
Have you by chance, given that you have Icelandic input, dove into Njáls saga?
I actually really like the concept of the "law rock" as correlative to our concept of "having skin in the game."
All the tribes would meet at the law rock once a year to hear petitions. If the plaintiff and the defendant were unable to reach settlement about a point of contention, the court would adjourn overnight, and the parties would circulate to build support. Then, the next day, they would be all, like, "Me and my six cousins and their extended families will fight you for fair recompense over the death of my brother" or whatever. Then if one of the parties was clearly outnumbered, the matter was de-facto decided in favor of the majority, and if disagreement persisted, war would determine whom the law favored.
This may sound barbaric, but also, it is to an extent illustrative of legal fundamentals.
I have not but that would make an excellent K drama. I'll look into it. I live in Italy. There is definitely a generarional divide here. Boomers had so much financial power here when they had the Lira. Gen Xers were in early adulthood when it changed to the Euro and we've been fucked every since.
Didn't *realize* that we are being defined as American Gen Xers and douchebags that have no engagement with Canada. Very deep analysis from the intersectional end.