Over the weekend, author Matthew Hennessey wrote a column in the New York Post calling on Generation X “to fight the cancel culture” that has become a constant right-wing talking point, especially on Fox News.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) shared a link to the story, and naturally Fox News picked up the cause with a direct appeal to Gen X:
Fox News correspondent Gillian Turner: “Cancel culture is spreading like wildfire. There is a call for Generation X to lead the charge to save America from the social media mob. Can they do it?” pic.twitter.com/zxmxkppQ3i
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) March 15, 2021
Many Gen Xers were quick to point out that the prime Fox News demographic today were the “adults” of the 1970s and ’80s who attempted to restrict or ban everything from rap and heavy metal music to video games to Dungeons and Dragons.
That, combined with the generation’s proud indifference, led to a swift reply on social media suggesting that Gen X is sending the Fox News call straight to voicemail:
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
The Gen X discourse on here is so lame. We do not want to be talked about. I hate myself for even writing this tweet. Please leave us alone.
— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) March 16, 2021
If there’s one thing Gen X loves, it’s being told who they are and what they should do
— Mara “Get Rid of the Nazis” Wilson (@MaraWilson) March 15, 2021
Hilarious notion that Gen X would assist the scolds that told us what to watch, read and listen to. Blow on the cartridge, boomers. pic.twitter.com/vnzrL2a9sL
— Gerry Duggan (@GerryDuggan) March 15, 2021
The War on Drugs? Mostly took out Gen X. We were sacrificed on a few fronts. Those of us that made it? Borderline feral. And some of the Boomers circled back to demand we support them while we paid off college debt & raised kids. We’re exhausted & most of us won’t live to retire
— Openly Black Mikki Kendall (@Karnythia) March 15, 2021
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
Sorry but generation x grew up listening to our stepdads rail against political correctness while calling Sinead O’Connor a bitch and trying to ban rap so we’re kinda over this shit https://t.co/8oRBd1uOSN
— Lauren Hough (@laurenthehough) March 15, 2021
Hi, Gen X’er here. I’m still a little pissed at what Tipper Gore did to my CD covers and how the religious right told parents to boycott blue jeans who supported the Boys Scouts for hiring gay leaders. https://t.co/9sc0X76iJl
— Book Jockey (@AngelaLovesNY) March 15, 2021
Fox News: “GEN X NEEDS TO STEP IN AND STOP CANCEL CULTURE!!!!”
Gen X: “Remember when y’all tried to cancel Bart Simpson and Murphy Brown tho?”
— Corey Richardson (@vexedinthecity) March 15, 2021
As a Gen X who grew up poor under Reagan I know the real “cancel culture” is conservative. I’ve seen them try to cancel food stamps, unions, social security, Medicare… heavy metal, hiphop, Dungeons and Dragons, video games and even french fries (!) Kiss my Gen X ass. https://t.co/FFHwNm8JFc
— Clayton Cubitt (@claytoncubitt) March 15, 2021
Hi, Boomers:
During my latchkey teenage years, I listened to heavy metal, Madonna, and Sinead O’Connor. I played a lot of Dungeons & Dragons.
Please don’t talk to me about “cancel culture.”
Respectfully yours,
Gen X https://t.co/j59ZdEHHCX— Mike Dunford (@questauthority) March 15, 2021
Listen. Gen X was born canceled.
No pity, motherfuckers.
— Amanda Quraishi (@ImTheQ) March 15, 2021
As a Gen Xer: lololol, no. I’m not going to save America from a fictional panic the right keeps peddling because they want to say bigoted things without consequence. https://t.co/uhtcX6QIvZ
— Elizabeth Spiers (@espiers) March 15, 2021
Gosh, I’d sure like to, but my brain is still too poisoned by all that heavy metal music and D&D devilry in the 80s to make anything I do be very effective. https://t.co/HRbpBWCJrl
— Wm. Brett Hill (@magisternihil) March 15, 2021
I never do this but…Dungeons and Dragons. Horror movies. Twisted Sister. The entire genre of rap. Boomers tried to “cancel” a shit ton of stuff when I was a kid. Why…as a self-respecting Gen Xer, should I care what you think about Cancel Culture? https://t.co/UXWc2rcnuZ
— Drew Edwards (@halloweenmancom) March 15, 2021
Sorry. I can’t speak for the rest of Gen X, but I myself missed your call. I have my phone in “do not disturb me with your whiney bullshit” mode. https://t.co/tKxtkqaPLJ
— Chris Randall (@Chris_Randall) March 16, 2021
If you expect my fellow Gen Xers to do anything but mock this culture warrior dipshittery we’ve been suffering through our entire life, you haven’t been paying attention. https://t.co/EUHfr8Kq0w
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) March 15, 2021
