Conservative media calls on Gen X to save us from ‘cancel culture’ and Gen X responds, cancel that

Daily Kos Staff

Monday March 15, 2021 · 3:06 PM PDT

2021/03/15 · 15:06

US First Lady Michelle Obama reads the classic Dr. Seuss book "Green Eggs and Ham" to children at the US Department of Labor Day Care Center on January 14, 2010 in Washington, DC. AFP PHOTO / Tim Sloan (Photo credit should read TIM SLOAN/AFP via Getty Images) — Behold First Lady Michelle Obama canceling Green Eggs and Ham!

With the Republican Party’s only identity at this point being white identity politics, and white people having all of the rights afforded them in the Constitution, they find themselves at a loss. Unable to muster up the vroom needed even to vote for the overwhelmingly popular American Rescue Plan, the conservative world has launched back into their tried and true culture war rhetoric. An old conservative tradition we see play out time and time again throughout history: attacking new immigrants while sweeping in every old immigrant not of the conservative order’s race, and warning that they are all a threat to “heritage” and “culture” and ultimately the safety of the ruling class.

On Saturday, the New York Post published an op-ed from Matthew Hennessey titled “Cancel culture is out of control — and Gen X is our only hope.” It’s a special kind of vacuous argument that basically explains that now that Gen X is middle-aged, it’s time for us to parent millennials and their more socially equitable ideas of ruling the world.

Forget about the demographic size issue here—Hennessey’s entire argument is classic New York Post, which is to say it sounds like the know-it-all guy next to you at the bar dumping opinions nobody asked for. “If Gen Xers want to spare our own kids having to live in the new East Germany these woke maniacs are trying to build, we can’t go on wearing our sunglasses at night. We have to do something, and we have to do it soon.” I didn’t write that, he did. Hennessy’s opinion piece is filled with 1980s pop culture references, everything from Tipper Gore to Tears for Fears, in a way that might remind a Gen X-er of psychopathic Patrick Bateman in Brett Easton Ellis’ American Psycho. At one point, Hennessey asks, “Does saying there’s two sides to every story make me a racist?” In your case, Hennessey, sadly I suspect so.

Of course, it wasn’t long before another tentacle of the Rupert Murdoch media empire was picking up on the story. Fox News, which, like the Post, is owned by News Corporation, picked up this sentiment because this is how their echo chamber works. Once that signal was boosted from Fox, the internet got their hands on it and a field day was had by all.

We seem to be living in a post-ironic era these days.

*Boomers call on the entire generation that they summarily cancelled to save them from being cancelled*

Gen X: pic.twitter.com/1rflIotsDs
— Attorney@Law (@TheGlare_TM) March 15, 2021

I'm Gen X too. I remember it well. pic.twitter.com/22koearrAK
— Bagpuss ANTIFA Press Secretary (@BagpussU) March 15, 2021

Gen X is trending because Fox News thinks we are the ones who can kill cancel culture.

*laughs in 2 Live Crew, NWA and Sinead O'Connor*
— monique, who is openly Black (@thejournalista) March 15, 2021

And being a part of Gen X, I can tell you that we’ve been here before.

The most important thing Gen X can do for the war against cancel culture is share our knowledge of how it was mostly a bunch of ginned up BS back when it was called the war against PC culture too. https://t.co/I3uzbhjoOl
— Matt Duss (@mattduss) March 15, 2021

Our very own Jen Hayden is feeling that angst!

This Gen Xer has a message for Fox News pic.twitter.com/gVs6olNrc5
— Jennifer Hayden (@Scout_Finch) March 15, 2021

And because I think it’s funny.

Other generations fighting with each other and Gen X be like... pic.twitter.com/Yy5bTTs9et
— Mari (@nela_runner) March 15, 2021

And to be clear, I love me some boomers, Some of my best friends’ parents are boomers! But there are a ton of them that are … Ron Johnson.

Boomers asking Gen X to save them from cancellation pic.twitter.com/JKtgEglGMr
— Jimmy D (@Jimmystardust79) March 15, 2021

And let’s cancel it up baby!

Fox News: We need Gen X to save us from cancel culture.

Gen X: pic.twitter.com/etKh2IRAMp
— David Giesinger (@dgiesinger) March 15, 2021

And a reminder of why we are the way we are.

It's cute that they think that we will stop something we didn't even start. Gen X Latchkey kids have spend our whole fuckin' lives being cancelled and ignored. Consequence Culture is for you to deal with. We're good over here doing our homework and making a snack for ourselves. https://t.co/TzpiyIEBe4
— C:\start wearamask.exe (@BitterMercy) March 15, 2021

Ted Cruz attempted to hop on board, you know, to make some more money off of the cancel culture conservative gravy train.

Hate yo break it yo you @tedcruz but Gen X hates you too pic.twitter.com/vjvN3ZFg7w
— SharK (@k470_k) March 15, 2021

But don’t worry kids. Fox News and Matt Hennessey are cool dudes.

Fox is trying to tell Gen X we have to pick sides between boomers and gen z in the cancel culture thing...

*puts in Body Count cassette (pre cancel)* pic.twitter.com/tVeJdvkhSt
— Beau of The Fifth Column (@BeauTFC) March 15, 2021

And a big reminder (throw on that Harry Chapin song, boomers!).

Shit Gen X watched you conservative nutjobs and evangelical frauds try to cancel: Madonna, George Michael, D&D, AIDS, Hip Hop, Rap, Equal Rights, Heavy Metal, Punk Music, Stand Up Comedy that offended you, MTV, the list goes on and on. We Learned It By Watching You, Okay? #GenX pic.twitter.com/sa4uepF7rF
— Tyger Bryte (@Tyger_Bryte) March 15, 2021

Here’s some Prince and Sinead for you!

In the late 80's and 90's you called my generation losers and stoners and were so sure that Gen X would ruin America.

Now you want us to save America because only we can stand up to #CancelCulture?

Boomers with 0 sense of irony now saying 'nothing compares 2 u!' to us 😂 pic.twitter.com/CTZme64lbC
— Rianne (@crazy_rez_girl) March 15, 2021

Let’s go LOTR! Nerds!

Boomers: Gen X can save us! Gen X, please tell the kids to stop cancelling things, they're ruining YOUR childhoods too!

Gen X: pic.twitter.com/fiokLRYqpP
— Angela ☠ 📜 (@bitchyhistory) March 15, 2021

That’s not nerdy! That’s when that nerd stuff got cool! I’m talking about this!

Boomers: “We need you to save all the racist, transphobic, misogynistic 💩 we love from “Cancel Culture”!!!!

Gen X: “Like when you called #dungeonsanddragons “satanic?”

Boomers:

Gen X: “Okay, make a saving throw.” pic.twitter.com/NO9JGZWBXm
— Captain Antifa (nah, just antifa) (@aaronsama1313) March 15, 2021

Let’s go American early 1990s “Indie” cinema!

Gen X watching people lose their minds about cancel culture. pic.twitter.com/HSOCFuUMki
— Musings of An Intelligent Idiot (@musings_idiot) March 15, 2021

And don’t worry boomers, they’re coming for me too.

zoomers and millennials spending too much time fighting when we should be uniting against the real enemy: gen x pic.twitter.com/Mk63DzijJz
— papi chulo (@notkristiane) March 15, 2021

Gen X when we see Zoomers and Millenials canceling Boomers:#GenX pic.twitter.com/tgMbCaEGGA
— Mayhem Mendes (@MayhemMendes) March 15, 2021

But a reminder to us all.

Love that Gen X is trending for seeing right through propaganda! pic.twitter.com/KUva87Ei9Q
— Torch Bearer (@THE_GRAND_CHEF) March 15, 2021

Conservative media calls on Gen X to save us from ‘cancel culture’ and Gen X responds, cancel that

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