XLM Insight | Stellar Lumens News, Price Trends & Guides
XLM Insight | Stellar Lumens News, Price Trends & Guides
The narrative is taking hold: Gen X, once the epitome of "Cool Britannia," is supposedly fueling a populist insurgency, diving headfirst into conspiracy theories and right-wing politics. But is this just media hype, or is there actual data to back it up? Let's dig in.
One article cites a YouGov poll claiming a "staggeringly fast turnaround" for Gen X, with a third of those aged 50-64 now considering voting for Reform UK. Nineteen percent voted Reform UK at the last election. That's... a 14% increase (to be precise, it's closer to 14.3%). Staggering? Maybe not. Significant? Possibly, but it needs context. What was the overall voter turnout? How does this compare to shifts in other demographics? The article doesn't say.
Anecdotally, the piece paints a picture of middle-aged folks calmly discussing political assassinations at Aldi or espousing chemtrail theories at bus stops. It’s a vivid image, sure, but hardly scientific. The author chalks it up to the "dizzyingly fast collapse of social norms online." Perhaps. Or maybe it's that the internet gives everyone a platform, amplifying fringe voices that were always there. I have to admit, I've seen a lot of bizarre things online, but that doesn't reflect my offline experiences.
The article mentions the "Smidge project," a study on how conspiracy theories spread among 45-65-year-olds. The fact that this project exists is interesting, but the article provides no actual findings from it. What specific conspiracy theories are gaining traction? What are the key drivers? What are the demographics within Gen X that are most susceptible? Details are conspicuously absent. As one article suggests, Gen X may be Meet gen X: middle-aged, enraged and radicalised by internet bile | Gaby Hinsliff becoming radicalized by internet bile.
The other article presents a different facet of the Gen X experience: ageism in the job market. A 59-year-old woman details her struggles finding work after a layoff, suspecting that her gray hair is a hindrance. She's submitted over 500 applications. Five hundred. That number alone speaks volumes.
This brings me to the part of the report that I find genuinely puzzling: the recruiter's suggestion to dye her hair. It highlights a painful truth: experience is valued, but perceived vitality often trumps it. (The communications industry is particularly brutal in this regard.)
The woman's anecdote about job coaches offering conflicting advice is telling. One suggests removing dates from her resume, while another suggests halving her tenure at Boeing. These are desperate measures, attempts to mask age rather than highlight experience.
The article quotes her saying, "I look at my age as a competitive advantage... We have more life experience, so we can see what's urgent and distinguish between a real crisis and a manufactured crisis." It's a compelling argument, but one that's clearly not resonating with employers. As one article suggests, Gen X Worries Gray Hair Affects Job Search, but Won't Dye It.
The data, or rather the lack of it, is the problem. We have anecdotes, but no hard numbers on age discrimination in hiring. What percentage of Gen Xers are facing similar challenges? How does this compare to other age groups? Without that data, it's impossible to draw firm conclusions.
The data is patchy, the anecdotes are alarming, and the overall picture is… well, unclear. What is clear is that Gen X, caught between older boomers and younger millennials and gen z, is facing a unique set of pressures. They're old enough to feel the sting of ageism, but young enough to be swept up in the digital tide of misinformation. They are in their gen x years.
The question isn't whether Gen X is radicalizing, but why. What are the root causes of this apparent shift? Is it economic anxiety, a sense of cultural displacement, or simply the echo chamber of social media? Until we have more data, we're just guessing.
Gen X isn't monolithic. Some are embracing conspiracy theories; others are fighting ageism. The common thread? A sense of being left behind. The solution? More data, less hype.
