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It all comes down to numbers. Anyone with a hint of understanding of demographics knew that once the baby boomers began to move to the great beyond their political influence would wane. Generation X (born roughly between 1965-80) had hoped that they would take the wheel and finally have their chance to steer society in their direction.
It didn’t happen. The echo boomers (boomers kids) also known as millennials had the votes and took control. Unlike the British monarchy real political influence in a democracy is based on numbers. So while Chuck is King for now, in the real world the crown would already be on his son’s head.
So you can understand Gen X feelings of disappointment with not getting to implement necessary changes to Boomer rule. We grew up watching trusted news sources on tv - and were socially well adjusted having spent our youth interacting with people - not phones. Like a diligent understudy we gathered intelligence on what changes needed to be made. Taking note of what works and what doesn’t.
So when the driver’s seat became free, Gen X made our move, only to see millennials out manoeuvre us and go all the way from the backseat to driving the car.
Once in charge millennials started to exert their influence by voting for politicians - many who were Gen X'ers themselves, who were now courting this significant voter base.
While most of the car was happy for the left turn in direction, the speed and sharpness was not how Gen X would have done it. The last students of history would have made changes, but with an appreciation of historical lessons of their elders.
So it is no wonder these last few years have been a crazy, frustrating ride for Gen X’ers. They have had to endure a number of stupid policy choices that were doomed to fail.
Defunding the police, decriminalization of drugs, and big government spending are just a few of these policies with good intentions that have paved the road to where we are now. Once these “progressive” policies had their moment in the sun, they were quickly exposed to be the ill conceived ideas that the wiser minority knew them to be.
The defund police movement, went beyond reforms to attack the very people who put their lives on the line protecting society. It is one thing to offer greater support to police and their difficult jobs, but quite another to cut their funding and question their motives. It is no wonder this lack of respect for law enforcement has led to low morale and higher crime rates here in Canada.
In the United States, citizens have seen the decay caused by this soft on crime approach first hand in the Democratic cities where defunding the police movement took hold. There they have reversed course back to tough on crime policies, erasing this poorly thought out strategy, but also any hopes for meaningful reforms till the sting of this misadventure goes away.
The recent reversal of drug decriminalization in British Columbia is the latest example of progressive millennials realizing that maybe there is a reason society’s drug policies had evolved to the betterment and protection of the community as a whole. You would think it would be common sense that allowing the use of hard drugs in public spaces was a bad idea, but once again Generation X and society had to watch millennials learn the hard way.
Now the repercussions of excessive government spending are being felt as once in a generation inflation has made home ownership out of reach for many millennials. Once again, society has had to take it on the chin, because older fiscal conservatives were shouted down for expressing concern that the federal government spending was out of control. Again, there lived experience taught them that the cost of servicing high debt eats away at a countries ability to address real priorities like perhaps, oh I don’t know, drug treatment.
Gen X saw past liberal governments run by men like Paul Martin, who understood the need to control spending and pay down debt. It is why they knew before most when Trudeau’s son talked of budgets balancing themselves that something sounded a tad askew. Now everyone is feeling the pain of fiscal mismanagement and the support for the liberal-ndp government plan to just spend more is falling apart among the same aged voters who put them in power.
As for all the Palestinian protests on university campuses that seem to be all the rage. Many Gen X in their youth wondered why the world couldn’t just all get along too. Luckily there were enough of the greatest generation around to remind us the duality of mankind and that evil does exist in this world. Then sadly, 9/11 happened and that message was brought home right in front of our eyes. Unfortunately, given our history, give it time and the reality of knowing who your true allies are will be understood by all again.
Other policy misadventures of the young woke will eventually unravel. Getting people to see race first and the character of the person last, isn’t going to last as the pot keeps melting. Lessons in history should have made the notion of equity of outcome, not equality of opportunity a non starter. But if TikTok history doesn’t debunk that one, human nature eventually will.
So you can understand why my generation is experiencing a little schadenfreude right now, even with the regrets of time wasted and opportunities lost. Perhaps going forward, the youth of today should give a little more respect and reverence to the smartest people left on the planet. If younger ones care to listen we do have another piece of advice.
As we try to get back on the road and steer back to the right, it would be wise as any driver instructor would tell you, not to overcorrect.
Written By 100% Human Content of Gregory Cawsey
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