Two Gen X core values (as explained by Adam Curry on the recent Joe Rogan show.):
1. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.
2. I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.
As a whole, Gen X has tried to stay under the radar in the fight between Baby Boomers and Millennials over what dogma has to be essential to be a person in society because we adamantly believed there should be no dogma one has to hold and live to be loved, accepted, and protected. Despite a group's toxic dogma, a Gen Xer would fight for your right to party and hold that dogma. Just don't hurt others. Everybody hurts, sometime, but we just shouldn't add to that hurt. We should help alleviate that hurt. Just don't stop others from being able to say what they believe.
Then the hate and intolerance came back disguised as diversity and tolerance. Such an orwellian trick of words. The red, red wine spilled all over the dance floor. Dogma switched from religious views to "science" as it seemed like the world was trying to keep us separated.
This new framework was just as toxic as the one we Gen Xers rebelled against. We tore down the dogma of division to only have it replaced by a different dogma of division. The winds of change were only temporary. The better world we dreamed of and seemed to experience for a while never totally manifested. Racism switched from something to oppose, work on in ourselves, and work against to something we all inherently are. An evil accepted in people who aren't white. We apparently couldn't all just get along.
And that's just one issue. On an on. The culture switched to a new toxic dogma of hate orwellianingly disguised as love. We wanted to heal the world and make it a better place. But hate just kept springing up and we stopped resisting it. If you don't think this is true, think of the group that doesn't conform to your views. Are they accepted? Or are they snowflakes? Are they deplorable? Are they rednecks? Are they thugs?
I feel like I'm an old curmudgeon, but I want love and peace. I want tolerance and acceptance. I want us to be one people, not at odds. We are stronger with real diversity - not conformity disguised as diversity. We can get there, but it takes changing course. Right now, we are not on the way.
