Fox News tried to enlist Generation X into its manufactured “cancel culture” war on Monday.
It didn’t go well.
Over the weekend, author Matthew Hennessey wrote a column in the New York Post calling on Generation X “to fight the cancel culture” that has become a constant right-wing talking point, especially on Fox News.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) shared a link to the story, and naturally Fox News picked up the cause with a direct appeal to Gen X:
Fox News correspondent Gillian Turner: "Cancel culture is spreading like wildfire. There is a call for Generation X to lead the charge to save America from the social media mob. Can they do it?" pic.twitter.com/zxmxkppQ3i
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) March 15, 2021
Many Gen Xers were quick to point out that the prime Fox News demographic today were the “adults” of the 1970s and ’80s who attempted to restrict or ban everything from rap and heavy metal music to video games to Dungeons and Dragons.
That, combined with the generation’s proud indifference, led to a swift reply on social media suggesting that Gen X is sending the Fox News call straight to voicemail:
Gen X is trending because Fox News thinks we are the ones who can kill cancel culture.
— monique, who is openly Black (@thejournalista) March 15, 2021
*laughs in 2 Live Crew, NWA and Sinead O'Connor*
The Gen X discourse on here is so lame. We do not want to be talked about. I hate myself for even writing this tweet. Please leave us alone.
— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) March 16, 2021
Throw me the health care, I’ll throw you the Mr. Potato Head. https://t.co/BQBId6N7Lt
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) March 15, 2021
If there’s one thing Gen X loves, it’s being told who they are and what they should do
— Mara “Get Rid of the Nazis” Wilson (@MaraWilson) March 15, 2021
Hilarious notion that Gen X would assist the scolds that told us what to watch, read and listen to. Blow on the cartridge, boomers. pic.twitter.com/vnzrL2a9sL
— Gerry Duggan (@GerryDuggan) March 15, 2021
The War on Drugs? Mostly took out Gen X. We were sacrificed on a few fronts. Those of us that made it? Borderline feral. And some of the Boomers circled back to demand we support them while we paid off college debt & raised kids. We're exhausted & most of us won't live to retire
— Openly Black Mikki Kendall (@Karnythia) March 15, 2021
The gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally fill, all the vermin will drown.
— Brianna Wu (@BriannaWu) March 15, 2021
All the white supremacists and sexual predators will look up and shout 'SAVE US!'...and Gen X will look down and whisper “No.” https://t.co/jzDT2KNUaU pic.twitter.com/PNtVLfowU8
Boomers: Gen X can save us! Gen X, please tell the kids to stop cancelling things, they're ruining YOUR childhoods too!
— Angela ☠ 📜 (@bitchyhistory) March 15, 2021
Gen X: pic.twitter.com/fiokLRYqpP
Sorry but generation x grew up listening to our stepdads rail against political correctness while calling Sinead O’Connor a bitch and trying to ban rap so we’re kinda over this shit https://t.co/8oRBd1uOSN
— Lauren Hough (@laurenthehough) March 15, 2021
Boomers asking Gen X to save them from cancellation pic.twitter.com/JKtgEglGMr
— Jimmy D (@Jimmystardust79) March 15, 2021
Hi, Gen X'er here. I'm still a little pissed at what Tipper Gore did to my CD covers and how the religious right told parents to boycott blue jeans who supported the Boys Scouts for hiring gay leaders. https://t.co/9sc0X76iJl
— Book Jockey (@AngelaLovesNY) March 15, 2021
GenX here. Never has a quote less understood the actual GenX vibe. We literally can't be bothered. https://t.co/Jd5YLSjI9W
— Scott Johnson (@scottjohnson) March 15, 2021
Gen X is old enough to know that boomers created all they now decry. https://t.co/z9Mimb3dTc
— Will McAvoy (@WillMcAvoyACN) March 15, 2021
Fox News: "GEN X NEEDS TO STEP IN AND STOP CANCEL CULTURE!!!!"
— Corey Richardson (@vexedinthecity) March 15, 2021
Gen X: "Remember when y'all tried to cancel Bart Simpson and Murphy Brown tho?"
As a Gen X who grew up poor under Reagan I know the real "cancel culture" is conservative. I've seen them try to cancel food stamps, unions, social security, Medicare... heavy metal, hiphop, Dungeons and Dragons, video games and even french fries (!) Kiss my Gen X ass. https://t.co/FFHwNm8JFc
— Clayton Cubitt (@claytoncubitt) March 15, 2021
Hi, Boomers:
— Mike Dunford (@questauthority) March 15, 2021
During my latchkey teenage years, I listened to heavy metal, Madonna, and Sinead O'Connor. I played a lot of Dungeons & Dragons.
Please don't talk to me about "cancel culture."
Respectfully yours,
Gen X https://t.co/j59ZdEHHCX
I don’t know much, but I know Gen X does not care about this shit. https://t.co/BVCZCyOgsK
— StaceyC.inKS (@StaceyCKs1) March 15, 2021
Listen. Gen X was born canceled.
— Amanda Quraishi (@ImTheQ) March 15, 2021
No pity, motherfuckers.
As a Gen Xer: lololol, no. I'm not going to save America from a fictional panic the right keeps peddling because they want to say bigoted things without consequence. https://t.co/uhtcX6QIvZ
— Elizabeth Spiers (@espiers) March 15, 2021
Gosh, I'd sure like to, but my brain is still too poisoned by all that heavy metal music and D&D devilry in the 80s to make anything I do be very effective. https://t.co/HRbpBWCJrl
— Wm. Brett Hill (@magisternihil) March 15, 2021
I never do this but...Dungeons and Dragons. Horror movies. Twisted Sister. The entire genre of rap. Boomers tried to "cancel" a shit ton of stuff when I was a kid. Why...as a self-respecting Gen Xer, should I care what you think about Cancel Culture? https://t.co/UXWc2rcnuZ
— Drew Edwards (@halloweenmancom) March 15, 2021
CALLING ALL GEN X!!!!!!! https://t.co/5OsJQSu4F0 pic.twitter.com/zDomflJZ6e
— James Austin Johnson (@shrimpJAJ) March 15, 2021
Sorry. I can't speak for the rest of Gen X, but I myself missed your call. I have my phone in "do not disturb me with your whiney bullshit" mode. https://t.co/tKxtkqaPLJ
— Chris Randall (@Chris_Randall) March 16, 2021
If you expect my fellow Gen Xers to do anything but mock this culture warrior dipshittery we've been suffering through our entire life, you haven't been paying attention. https://t.co/EUHfr8Kq0w
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) March 15, 2021
No one:
— Texarchivist (@Texarchivist) March 15, 2021
Gen X: pic.twitter.com/3pPFWvtvDX
Calling out Gen X? Ha ha ha, hang on, I have a special mix-tape for that! pic.twitter.com/Fw2s5yrsRh
— Super Rockin' Magic Moff! (@MoffCrux) March 15, 2021
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