generation x Archive

In casual conversation a week or so ago I had talked about the Gen-X Perspectives post where I stated that I had “despised” the Baby Boomers. This was off the cuff remark that caught the ear of an actual Baby Boomer that was sitting on the coffee shop patio. He stopped me and we talked for a few minutes where we agreed on quite a few things; more than I had thought we would. The conversation moved from economics to politics and finished on personal experiences from our generations perspective. I enjoyed that kind of conversation because at the end I hope that I we both came away with something.

Re-reading the article I actually said “I feel like the Baby Booms have left us a mess of a world to clean up and they’re selfish bastards for it.” I don’t take that back and won’t. When their generation is retired and in need of healthcare and social security my generation is going to have to make the difficult decisions they didn’t. It’s not going to be pretty either.

Defining Apathy

What is apathy or apathetic? Let’s get it defined as by Dictionary.com:

ap•a•thet•ic

–adjective

1. having or showing little or no emotion: apathetic behavior.
2. not interested or concerned; indifferent or unresponsive: an apathetic audience.

ap•a•thy

–noun

1. Lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference.
2. Lack of emotion or feeling; impassiveness.

Benn’s last post in this series continued with the theme of Gen-X “apathy” and laid out examples from the 80s and 90s. The comments dug into it further but I think there’s much more behind this than just events that framed the generation as apathetic. The economic factors lent a big hand in the overall outcome.

Exploring the Economics of Apathy

It first began with the economic assault on the middle class by the conservatives with Regan taking national office in 81. In order to understand this we need to go back where the idea began, in the late 60s. You had the population uprising about civil and continuing woman’s rights along an unjust war started with lies. (Last one sound familiar?) You had the conservatives in fear and thinking the world was going to hell, their world view that is. Women in the workplace and black people with the same rights what is happening to my “Leave It to Beaver” world! So then you could make a living off one job where it paid for the house, car and still had money left for savings. People had the time for family and to be involved with these causes. You had the freedom if you quite your job it was fairly easy to get another one or if you were sick the public hospitals were there. If the basics were secure you could expand beyond.

If people were insecure with the basics then they wouldn’t have time for politics or civil rights or much else. Today three jobs is uniquely American. My basic expenses for rent, vehicle and food are over two thirds of my total income. Doesn’t leave much for entertainment or savings does it. I don’t have a tuition loan like most of my friends which is about the price of another auto payment a month. You can thank Regan for ending free college for residents in California.

What Does This All Mean?

It comes down to keep the masses worrying about sustaining the basics of survival and the ones in power can do what they want. Control the news media to blunt the message and the largest protests in the history of the world won’t stop war or the people who profit from it. Give people games and they will be content. Like the games in Rome “Caesar will give them blood and they will love him for it…” In our time the games are brought to us via television.

So is apathy our fault? We have been assaulted economically and socially since birth, we are the beaten puppy that people are afraid will bite when grown. We are grown up and want to bite.

The decisions of the Baby Boomers over the last 30 years are creating a perfect storm for the United States that we won’t be able to pass off decisions to the next generation. The bills are coming due and like every budget you need to make some hard painful decisions. Baby Boomers be ready cause you’re the ones are forcing this.

With that I’m going to throw on some Mathew Sweet and be apathetic about the world for today. Actually since I wrote this I’m sort of doing something.

Further Online Reading:

• The American Prison in the Culture Wars (Sections 5,6 & 7)

Suggested Books:

• Culture Wars: School and Society in the Conservative Restoration
• Screwed: The Undeclared War Against the Middle Class - And What We Can Do about It

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