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OPINION

Gen X vs. the Political Elites

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.
AP Photo/Adam Bettcher

Generation X aka Gen X has officially arrived on the political stage, and we’re here to disrupt the status quo. In the 2024 election, Gen X voted decisively for President-elect Donald Trump, with 53% of our votes—and a notable 54% of Gen X women voting for him. This wasn’t about party loyalty; it was a generational rejection of elites who have abused their authority for far too long.

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Why does Gen X embrace rebellion? Because we were raised to mistrust authority. The exchange in Good Will Hunting sums it up: “Why the wrench?” “Because f*** him, that’s why.” 

You see, we grew up during the Reagan era with Norman Rockwell in our dentist offices, bike parades on the Fourth of July, and a sense of opportunity in our communities. Real wages grew, cities were safe, and hard work was rewarded. But we’ve watched elites strip these things away, trading freedom and prosperity for control and conformity.

Now, as Fight Club so eloquently put it, we’re in our prime, and “we’re very, very pissed off.”

Born between 1965 and 1983, we’re the first generation to straddle the analog and digital worlds. Our childhoods were marked by independence—latchkey kids left to fend for ourselves while both parents worked. This self-reliance made us skeptical of authority and resistant to groupthink. We value individualism, personal responsibility, and freedom.

It’s no coincidence that the Gen X leaders making elites nervous—Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and Matt Gaetz—were born in this era. Our cultural icons, from Elon Musk to Joe Rogan to Megyn Kelly, share the same ethos: tolerate others until your own rights are threatened. Then, fight back.

Gen X is defined by a simple mantra: leave us alone. We’re fine as long as our autonomy is respected, but the last few years have pushed us too far.  

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Related:

2024 ELECTION

The COVID-19 pandemic was the final straw. Small businesses were forced to close just as many of us hit our entrepreneurial peak. We endured virtual weddings, funerals, and graduations. 

Children were masked, even asthmatic toddlers, while dissenting parents were shamed and ostracized. Bureaucracies like the CDC, NIH, and WHO worked with academic journals and media to suppress debate, manipulate data, and push premature vaccines. Doctors prescribing alternatives were silenced, while elites brazenly broke their own rules.

We watched the hypocrisy unfold in real time. Nancy Pelosi visited salons mask-free while mask mandates were in place.

Families were barred from Thanksgiving gatherings, but celebrities held lavish parties. Conservative events were labeled “superspreaders,” while riots were excused as essential for “social justice.”

The elites betrayed us repeatedly, yet expected blind obedience. When they were caught lying, there were no apologies—just more excuses.  

What separates Gen X from Millennials or Boomers is that we remember what was taken from us. We know the value of safety over lawlessness, of capitalism over socialism, and of hard work over victimhood. 

We grew up with gangster rap, grunge, and nu-metal—all of which defied authority and celebrated freedom. It’s no wonder our icons—Musk, Rogan, and even centrist voices like Bill Ackman—are challenging the establishment. They didn’t start out as rebels; the elites pushed them into that role.

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Gen X women like Shelley Luther, the Texas salon owner jailed during COVID, embody our defiance. Luther, now a congresswoman, stood firm when told to close her business. Her landslide election victory proves the hunger for accountability is growing.

The last five years revealed just how little elites care for the public. They shut down businesses, schools, and places of worship, claiming it was for our safety. But they exempted themselves from these rules, undermining their own credibility. 

From COVID mismanagement to riots in 2020 to the rewriting of basic truths, they pushed their agenda without regard for logic or consistency.

We were told boys are girls, that math and science is racist, and that words like “mother” are offensive. We were expected to accept violence as justified if it came from the “right” groups, and to remain silent when traditional values were mocked. The absurdity peaked when the horrors of October 7th in Israel were dismissed with twisted justifications of colonialism and pro-Hamas supporters telling us with a straight face that no women were raped.  

Gen X isn’t having it.  

The elites underestimated us. They assumed we would tolerate their abuses forever, but we’re fighting back. Gen X isn’t just angry; we’re mobilizing. The rise of leaders like Luther, Gaetz, and Gabbard is just the beginning.  

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You might recall that at the end of The Breakfast Club, the school principal laments that one day, the kids in detention will run the country. His colleague replies, “I wouldn’t count on it.” But that’s exactly what’s happening.  

We are reshaping politics, business, and culture. Legacy media, academia, and even Hollywood are losing their influence as independent Gen X voices rise. We know the value of community, capitalism, and common sense. We’ve lived through better times, and we’re determined to restore them.  

The hammer of justice is here. It’s in the hands of Gen X, and we’re ready to wield it.  

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