Generation X Has Trust Issues

Somebody recently pointed out that my generation, "Generation X" -- usually defined as people born between 1965 and 1980 -- has trust issues.

You think so?

We are the children of the first generation of parents that decided it was okay to get divorced.

We were told that if we worked hard and graduated from high school, jobs would be easy to come by. By the time we got those precious diplomas, a college degree had become the prerequisite to get a good job.

The first President that Gen X can remember is Richard Nixon. He told us he was not a crook. He was one.

CBS told us Henry Blake was going home. He never made it out of Asia. They also told us J.R. Ewing had learned his lesson after getting shot. He hadn't. Then they tried to tell us Bobby Ewing was dead, and then showed us that he was still alive, and that him dying was all just a dream.

ABC told us to love Suzanne Somers. Then they fired her when she wanted to be paid as much as her male co-star John Ritter -- even after Ritter stood up for her.

Ronald Reagan told us he would balance the budget. He blew up the deficit. He told us he would create jobs. He did, for China and Saudi Arabia.

We were told greed is good. It wasn't, and it still isn't.

We were told that Bill Cosby, Pete Rose, O.J. Simpson, Robert Blake, Joe Paterno, Hulk Hogan, Mike Tyson and Donald Trump were good guys. They weren't.

You better believe we have trust issues.

The Real Generation Gap

According to NBC News Exit Polls:

Of Voters Overall: 

People ages 18-29, people born 1995 to 2006: 54-43 for Harris.

30-44, people born 1980 to 1994: 49-48 for Harris.

45-64, people born 1960 to 1979: 54-44 for Trump.

65 on up, people born 1959 or earlier: 49-49 tie.

The "Baby Boom" generation, generally defined as those born between 1946 and 1964, was the largest generation in American history, went for Trump. So much for peace, love, and tolerance. Rock and roll? They turned out to be less Grateful Dead, more Van Halen. (UPDATE: I originally had that as "more Mötley Crüe." That was before Crüe drummer Tommy Lee wrote this open letter to Trump, which begins, "Dear Fucking Lunatic." I guess he figured he'd go easy on him at the start, and then really let him have it.)

"Generation X," generally defined as those born between 1965 and 1979, thus including me, grew up on movies with lots of gunfire and explosions, professional "wrestling," and heavy metal. Metal is the most misogynistic music ever created, even more than rap. I felt out of place at the time, and I feel that just as much now.

But the Boomers are not innocent here: Our parents' generation saw their dreams partially realized, then cut short, and they gave up, and decided, "We tried to save the world, and we couldn't do it. So let's make some money, and who cares how, and who cares who gets hurt in the process."

Even the Millennials, born between 1980 and 1995, came too close to siding with white male supremacy, instead of with the most possible good for the most possible people.

The kids? Generation Z, the people born from 1996 to 2012 (though those born in 2007 or later were not yet eligible to vote), may yet save us from ourselves.

I was wondering what they were going to call the next generation. Turns out, they've started over with the alphabet, sort of: "Generation Alpha."

Women: 

18-29: 61-37 for Harris.

30-44: 54-43 for Harris.

45-64: 50-49 for Trump.

65 on up: 54-45 for Harris.

Men: Trump won every age group:

18-29: 49-47.

30-44: 53-43.

45-64: 60-38.

65 on up: 55 to 44.

Women by Race:

White: 53-45 for Trump.

Black: 91-7 for Harris.

Hispanic: 60-38 for Harris.

White Women:

College Graduates: 54-44 for Harris.

No College Degree: 63-35 for Trump.

Men by Race:

White: 60-37 for Trump.

Black: 77-21 for Harris.

Hispanic: 55-43 for Trump.

Other (Asian, Native, etc.): 48-46 for Harris.

As Joy Reid put it on her MSNBC show The Reid-Out last Thursday night, "Y'all voted with Stephen Miller and David Duke, and against your own sisters, who chose Kamala Harris with 60 percent of their votes. So you own everything that happens to your mixed-status families, and to your wives, your sisters, and your abuelas (grandmothers) from here on in."

Here's how to handle them: Tell them, "It's all yours now. You asked for this. Whatever happens, you deserve it. You were warned."

When it all comes crashing down -- and it will -- remind them: "I told you so. Now, you have no choice left. You have to do the unthinkable: Blame Trump for causing this damage, blame him for fooling you about it, and blame yourself for being fooled by him. And don't let yourself get fooled again. Get it right the next time, and all will be forgiven. But it will never be forgotten."