Although I think it’s very cool that a gal from the Silent (born 1925-1942) Generation would have their own blog (and a good one, at that), I am amazed at the amount of vitriol that Helen of “Margaret and Helen” has for Sarah Palin. Don’t get me wrong, I am not a fan of Palin, but Helen’s diatribe on Palin is mostly about how she has “no substance” and low morals. Martha Stewart (also a Silent, but younger than Helen) said something similar. The question is whether the massive voting block of conservative [X] really cares about those sorts of things. I often wonder why people have such a hatred of Palin. I get that people don’t like her ideas (I certainly don’t care for them). I get that some are offended by her approach. But could it be because she is an independent-minded woman who doesn’t seem to give a damned what anyone else thinks?
I wouldn't call Palin independent minded considering that she is a christian fundie nutcase. And I don't really think that hatred of her has anything to do with her generation, while you often make a lot of good points and I generally tend to agree with Strauss and Howe that might be taking this theory to a bit of an extreme.
fair points
On one important point, I have to thank you. I've noticed that for all the blogs that go on about Obama being a Gen-Xer, not many mention Palin in the same context. Thank you for doing something about that.
On another note, I'm not exactly a fan of Palin's ideas either, or even her speaking style, and I nearly fell out of my chair laughing when I read the Margaret and Helen blog entry. Speaking as somebody who usually gets along with Silents, though, I'm led to think the only part that's generationally-motivated would be the pompous moralizing: epithets about Todd's brand of condoms, "babies out of wedlock" in the family tree, etc.
Though even here, I'm still not sure whether it's a case of imposing a First Turning set of values onto the product of a Third Turning culture, or if it's intended as an indictment of Palin's avowed stance as a religious conservative (i.e. a group which desires to lock the world into a perpetual First Turning of their design). It's a pretty fine line here, and I think it could cut in either direction.
Agostino – I agree that what Helen and Margaret have to say is not purely generational, and I laughed out loud at her comments too. But if you look at the TONE of what she said instead of the CONTENT, I think that is where the generational biases come to light. I can make all sorts of arguments about how poor a leader Palin would make, but my tone would be very different than Helen and Margaret's. Thanks for reading!
Along with H&M and Martha Stewart, another Silent with similar disdain (and tone) is Chris Mathews. But a political contrast the other way would be interesting. I'd be willing to bet (but don't have examples at hand) that if you looked at conservative Silents tone towards Obama you'd find it similar as these Silents towards Palin. Just a guess.
@Tac – Good point. I will keep my eyes out for that sort of criticism.
I recently discovered Margaret and Helen and they crack me up! I love them. But I agree with you that they're extreme when it comes to Sarah Palin. And I think you're right about Palin, I don't think she gives a damn what anything thinks. Which makes me like her, even if I don't like all of her politics.
I'm a GenXer and I can't stand Palin. It has nothing to do with her generation or even political beliefs. What I don't like is that she doesn't seem all that intelligent and well-informed. Her attitude of not caring what others think doesn't bother me in and of itself, but combined with being dismissive towards knowledge and intellectuality her statements disgust me.
I don't think anti-intellectualism is a trait of Generation X. It's more of a trait that has always held currency in the conservative movement, but not always within mainstream conservatism. GenXers in general often seem very interested in knowledge and very interested in seeking out knowledge. It's true that GenXers don't limit their self-education to only 'intellectual' sources, but neither do GenXers dismiss out of hand 'intellectual' sources.
However, GenXers do seem to have a flaw in being over-opinionated. Many GenXers are mistrusting towards any authority who claims to know more than they do: professors, scientists, etc. At worst, this becomes intellectual laziness or even outright anti-intellectualism.
Nah……It’s nothing generational.
Vacuous airheads are born in every generation…..and even silents can’t contain the loathing many of us from all generations living today have for the vacuous Ms Palin….