Observational Articles provide crucial insights into real-time consumer and brand trends. While each individual article reveals a narrow cultural snapshot, the accumulation of these insights can highlight key macro trends over time.
- Recently Fox News and Ted Cruz have rallied behind a New York Post article calling for Gen X to take a stand against Millennials and stop cancel culture in its tracks. The article implores Gen X to fight against censorship today like they did in the 80s and harkens back to the thankfulness and understanding Americans had of free speech in the context of the Cold War.
- Though some Gen Xers may have been moved, many others took to Twitter to point out why standing up to cancel culture is the OPPOSITE of what should be expected of the generation. Finally (and briefly) in the limelight, #GenX trended on Twitter as Gen Xers tweeted memes about how laughable them helping with cancel culture seems. Memes touched on themes like cancelling things during their own youth and generally having a strong desire to be left alone.
- Gen X lies between the 2 largest, loudest, and most talked about generations in American history. Sometimes Gen X is mistakenly lumped together with Boomers, but they are a distinct, if quiet group. Perhaps at some point they will engage in the intergenerational conflict we see with Millennials and Boomers, but for now they would like to be left out of it.
Source: CHRON, “Fox News wants Gen X to stop ‘cancel culture’ and the responses are hilarious.” March 16, 2021.
