Post by @Anomnomnomaly@beige.party

You want to know why Gen X and Millenials are so nostalgic for the recent past and angry at the world today.

It's because we got a glimpse at a world of promise... a world that wasn't controlled by the dumbest, most selfish, greedy, narcissistic people on the planet.

We were worried about things like the giant fucking hole in ozone layer... and smart people got together and solved the fucking problem... It gave us hope, it promised a better tomorrow.

Now we remember that... and look at what's been done... and we mourn the loss of that hope, that promise... that future.

6 Replies

9 Boosts

David Chisnall (*Now with 50% more sarcasm!*)

@david_chisnall@infosec.exchange 10 hr. ago

@Anomnomnomaly

I’ve said for a while that this is why people are nostalgic for the ‘50s and ‘60s. It’s not because things were better then: racism and misogyny were entrenched and systemic to an even greater degree than today. It’s because things were improving rapidly. Universal suffrage, the civil rights movement, decriminalisation of homosexuality, universal healthcare, and so on all were all happening in the cluster of countries that viewed themselves as ‘the West’. High taxes in the top tax brackets were preventing the worst growth of wealth inequality and productivity increases were funding a growing middle class, rather than being siphoned off by a handful of families. The Cold War was driving an investment in technology that came with a lot of civilian benefits.

People aren’t nostalgic for the state, they’re nostalgic for the trajectory. MLK’s Arc of History.

And that’s what political movements need to capitalise on: the hopeful feeling when the direction of change is the right direction.

Aaron Mahler

@halfpress@mastodon.halfpress.com 52 min. ago

@david_chisnall @Anomnomnomaly I think this is a very interesting perspective that has a lot of merit. I often call BS on this common nostalgia for the "simpler" 50s and 60s, recognizing all the entrenched problems it had. I often also associate this attitude with right wing adherents that probably want a lot of those attitudes and norms back in place (and, in some cases, seem to be making horrifyingly regressive "progress" in that regard).

But the promise aspect is one I hadn't considered.

Lino BAFTA

@anominominominous@polyglot.city yesterday

@Anomnomnomaly we early zoomers are PISSED.

Imagine studying for a future that just didn't get to exist. Imagine learning about environment protection, recycling, respecting other cultures and minorities, learning that you should not rely on shortcuts and the most important thing is putting sincere effort, learning how to really use a personal computer yet writing your assignments on paper....

then this wretched decade happens, and suddenly we're all "woke libtards".

A-Ho-Ho-Ho-aly BSC SSC

@Anomnomnomaly@beige.party yesterday

@anominominominous

So the only ones who aren't pissed... are the fucking entitled boomers and whatever the current generation is being called... because I've heard gen alpha... and I refuse to acknowledge that there's a bunch of kidlets running around calling themselves alphas.... because their parents are probably doing that already. 🤔 😆

JackMex

@JackMexa4@mastodon.social 21 hr. ago

@Anomnomnomaly @anominominominous

The sad truth is: there are racists, religious fanatics, and bigots in every generation.

Good news is there are also antiracists, spiritual people, ethical atheists, and nice people in every generation too.

Mastodon Migration

@mastodonmigration@mastodon.online 14 hr. ago

@JackMexa4 @Anomnomnomaly @anominominominous

Agreed. Feel like it is a mistake to make these age demographic generalizations. Some of the hardest working progressives are elderly, and some real shitbird fascists are young and vica versa. Good folks fighting for a better kinder future just need to link arms across age, gender and racial lines. We are all stronger together.

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