MAGA-ism is a deeply weird final act for a lot of Boomers, who experienced massive change in the 60s (many of them embracing that change) only to embrace Reaganism, and finally—MAGA. Always searching for an answer. Often in very wrong places. The result? We all pay the price. - ThreadSky

jpmendelson.bsky.social • 32 days ago

MAGA-ism is a deeply weird final act for a lot of Boomers, who experienced massive change in the 60s (many of them embracing that change) only to embrace Reaganism, and finally—MAGA.

Always searching for an answer. Often in very wrong places. The result? We all pay the price.

Reposted from Aaron Rupar

it's a cult

(Jim Watson/AFP via Getty)

Comments

the-a-bomb94.bsky.social•32 days ago

This post reads like the beginning of a very interesting article, and I was kind of disappointed there wasn’t a link to click to read more

jpmendelson.bsky.social•32 days ago

Thanks! Maybe I’ll start putting something a bit longer together. Stay tuned!

macmalix.bsky.social•32 days ago

That guy wants the paperback

mitycheese.bsky.social•32 days ago

notfascist.bsky.social•32 days ago

They take that hate into their vanes like it's heroine.

aerathome.bsky.social•31 days ago

Veins

lvnvrcd.bsky.social•32 days ago

rubleybeecher.bsky.social•32 days ago

Not this Boomer! 💙✌️

jon-richardson.bsky.social•32 days ago

Typecasting people by generation is brainless twaddle.

makemineblue.bsky.social•32 days ago

The influence of the MAGA cult over the GOP remains formidable, creating a dynamic where significant adversity may be required before its followers reconsider their allegiance to the leader. Regrettably, the consequences of this leadership and its oligarchs will inevitably impact everyone.

worldlywise.bsky.social•32 days ago

Jane Fonda in a Red Hat is an image I'm not ready for

jpmendelson.bsky.social•32 days ago

Jane Fonda kicks ass and was also born in 1937! Crazy at it seems—not a Boomer!

listentoshaft.bsky.social•32 days ago

There is something very disturbing about these boomer non-college educated whites. They create their on belief system and are subject to conspiracies. They are easy prey for MAGA world.

krustyjuggler.bsky.social•32 days ago

Boomers didn't all embrace social change in the 1960s, many rejected it. I think you'd find that boomers who did find themselves in MAGA are mostly those ones. MAGA itself is the rejection (or fear of) a changing world and changing values.

colorado-al.bsky.social•32 days ago

What about Gen x? WTF happened to my generation? Seriously so many Gen X are firmly MAGA. Ferris would never have voted for Trump

tande432.bsky.social•32 days ago

My wife and I are gen x. We supported Harris and Biden before that. Maga are basically angry racist people.

kaybee71.bsky.social•32 days ago

And it's destroyed the extended families ties of us Gen X kids and our Zoomer kids. If you're 75 and voted for the Orange Menace 3 times over a decade as my mom has, your family gives up on you and no longer calls. It's literally making a choice of politics over ALL family, for the rest of your life

xx-shyty-xx.bsky.social•32 days ago

Republican Baby Boomers, not Democrats. Granted, I live in a blue state, but every senior citizen I know hates Trump with a fiery passion I can't even match. Most of the MAGAs in my state seem to be 18-50, white, and male.

blueskyer124.bsky.social•32 days ago

I don't mean to be funny, but I have to humor myself - Roseanne Barr looks like shit in that photo. But seriously, WTF?

nestverchgruffydd.bsky.social•32 days ago

“Step outside, you Nazi cow”.

However did they get so lost?

daror.bsky.social•32 days ago

Also I was at the Boston protest April 5th. My God all I could see were senior citizens.People in walkers, wheelchairs and gray hair everywhere. There may be MAGA seniors but we are out there too!

daror.bsky.social•32 days ago

Don’t know about them but I am 70 and the older I get the more left I become!

chopperholic.bsky.social•32 days ago

Will somebody help me here. I'm 62. I lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis + the criminality of the Nixon era. At no point up until this guy's presidencies did I feel unsafe because the guy at the top of the free world was self obsessed or batshit crazy. I've never felt less safe.. Am I alone?

varholy.bsky.social•32 days ago

The worst generation ever.

hahnyock.bsky.social•32 days ago

Is your ass sore from pulling that take out if it?

thediggler.bsky.social•32 days ago

I like to call them the TV Evangelist crowd because they’re the 'true believers' grifters love, and these people latch on and ride it to the bitter end. Many of us Dems knew that once religion took control of the GOP, it would come to this. True believers in politics = fascism.

karmaispatient.bsky.social•32 days ago

Well this boomer here has voted Democrat since 1982

jameslp.bsky.social•32 days ago

I despise my generation. The world will be a better place when the last of us has departed.

dave-miner.bsky.social•32 days ago

It’s all consistent if you look at it as the selfish generation

bseadeer.bsky.social•32 days ago

Boomers aren’t a monolith!!!

atrisk.bsky.social•32 days ago

No, but at least a third of them are assholes.

bseadeer.bsky.social•32 days ago

Touché!

marysdinflight.bsky.social•32 days ago

Many boomers do not support him. Out on the picket lines are many boomers - tired but still speaking out against facism

wender16.bsky.social•32 days ago

Mostly boomers

20thmaine.bsky.social•27 days ago

I mean - data shows they do but go off.

antikerbal.bsky.social•32 days ago

Silver lining: they will all be dead soon.

charlottebanks.bsky.social•32 days ago

The thread that's 1 comment from you and 1 from Aaron?

What percentage of Boomers embrace Reaganism? Were they the only ones allowed to vote in that election? Why isn't Gen Z taking responsibility for electing trump?

White men elected trump and continue to vote for destruction.

Your fault.

charlottebanks.bsky.social•32 days ago

The majority of Boomers voted for Kamala

tenseven.bsky.social•32 days ago

NOT all boomers. Not by a LONG shot. Never Reagan. Never Bush I. Never Bush II. Never ever ever Trump.

moodscrolln.bsky.social•32 days ago

Lead really did a number on their brains.

ggab1129.bsky.social•32 days ago

a lot of them make up his base, but many of us boomers have common sense and can't stand him

michaelrbaier.bsky.social•32 days ago

Maybe - just maybe … 😂

purrrr13.bsky.social•32 days ago

Interestingly, in Canada yesterday, Boomers tended to vote Liberal and Gen X, my group, much to my chagrin, leaned Conservative

leftyfarmer.bsky.social•32 days ago

Just the opposite for many of us boomers.

randygicker.bsky.social•32 days ago

The majority of us Boomers are Republican. It's embarrassing. Growing up in the 60's, I expected to die young fighting fascism. Now here we are.

minnsylvanian.bsky.social•32 days ago

Not this Boomer—-and plenty of us feel the same.

babarob.bsky.social•32 days ago

You are incorrect. The MAGA supporters today were the pro-war boomer generation supporting Nixon's policies in Southeast Asia including continuing the war for a Nixon victory. Anti-war boomers are anti-Trump boomers.

charlottebanks.bsky.social•32 days ago

I wonder how historians will characterize, who were ostentatiously anti-war bc of Biden's "two wars," but haven't said a word about trump himself killing hundreds every time he bombs Yemen

raultoblerone.bsky.social•32 days ago

Boomers weren't especially out of the ordinary in support for Trump 2024.

Why not call out white men who voted Trump 60% to 38% Harris. Maybe a majority of white men are toxic.

tweetiepie-71.bsky.social•31 days ago

Not me!

jazzyute.bsky.social•32 days ago

Don't worry. Gen X is right behind 'em to keep it alive (they actually support Trump in higher numbers than Boomers).

geneseedreams.bsky.social•32 days ago

It’s discouraging.

tash150.bsky.social•32 days ago

Speaking for myself and the other Boomers I'm still in contact with, the only reason we would get on board the MAGA train would be to run it off a cliff.

marcmcd.bsky.social•32 days ago

Is that Roseann Barr?

markhaase.bsky.social•32 days ago

Indeed, looking for love/security in all the wrong places. Like the great social psychologist, Erich Fromm, pointed out about Germany in the 1930s, many will give up their autonomy for the mirage of security offered by the one who can purportedly fix it all.

ericferguson.bsky.social•32 days ago

Abbie Hoffman and all the cool ones died to soon (Jim, Jimi, Janis, Cass et al).

laricelu.bsky.social•32 days ago

Not this Boomer. No fu€king way. I also knew Reagan was the beginning of the end of democracy literally and became physically ill for 3 days when he won against Carter.

diane-m.bsky.social•32 days ago

Not this boomer. I was too upset to sleep on election night. This is not how I wanted to spend my retirement years; watching the deliberate destruction of our country and worried for the future of my children.

jidge.bsky.social•32 days ago

It’s not a Boomer thing, it’s a stupidity thing. There are plenty of MAGAs in all generations, the common denominator is lack of critical thinking.

xxriotgrrrrrlxx.bsky.social•32 days ago

The boomers took everything into the attic and pulled up the ladder. They are a deeply selfish and spoiled generation. The appeal of a cult which is entirely based on selfishness to the point of self destruction is not surprising in the least. In fact, it should have been expected.

atrisk.bsky.social•32 days ago

charlottebanks.bsky.social•32 days ago

I'm so selfish I'm still paying my kids' college loans and maintaining a house I'm too old for so they inherit it. Sorry your parents were assholes.

I feel so guilty.

beto.betoworks.com•32 days ago

The generation that truly, absolutely had it all, only to set everything on fire on their way out. Sure, “not all”, etc. But plenty of them, for sure.

charlottebanks.bsky.social•32 days ago

I guess all my age peers who marched against Vietnam and sent our kids to college are just selfish oafs.

How many wars have you ended cupcake?

Every single generation ever has had plenty of assholes, because the year you're born doesn't determine your character or morals.

leiao.bsky.social•32 days ago

Totally inaccurate.

charlottebanks.bsky.social•32 days ago

Fascinating. Every single person born in a 15-year period has the exact same traits.

This is better than astrology!

(Pretending everyone a certain age is identical is bullshit. Also ageist. Gen X supported trump; Boomers did not.)

jpmendelson.bsky.social•32 days ago

Read the whole thread.

tande432.bsky.social•32 days ago

Not every boomer. Read the comments on here.

johnliny.bsky.social•32 days ago

Nice generalizing there, skippy. Why don’t you come out of the attic (or off your high horse) and see the world as it really is. Lots of Boomers saw through the lies while too many of the Gen Xs and younger were worried about the price of eggs.

ratatouillecat.bsky.social•32 days ago

They are dying. The money that is left behind will control who goes to the White House in the future as it has always been done, and Gen Z does not think the current direction of the country is correct.

chillipeppers.bsky.social•32 days ago

Whilst I don't like to generalise, I must say the majority of MAGATS are plain stupid!! I shouldn't generalise!!

ckstevenson.bsky.social•32 days ago

And a massive % will claim to be Christians, even though they clearly never have Christ as their priority. Just driftless, soulless people devoid of real meaning in their lives.

tande432.bsky.social•32 days ago

They will die angry bitter soulless people

drincon55.bsky.social•32 days ago

A bunch of idiots

pottersville.bsky.social•32 days ago

That woman was never a hippie.
She's still angry that Nixon resigned.

jpmendelson.bsky.social•32 days ago

Totally possible, but you’d be surprised. Truly. A whole bunch of hippies cut their, embraced the “me, myself, and I,” found religion, Reaganism, and capitalism. But she coulda been on this train from jump street!

kraft.im•32 days ago

That's an interesting thought to explore. That massive change in the 60s destroyed many people's foundation for grounding themselves (social, religious, civic structures, etc). That is, they lost the foundation and, perhaps, often built on top of rubble instead of laying a new foundation.

1gregtodd.bsky.social•32 days ago

Not all of us boomers are MAGA. I voted for the Black lady with the laugh.

leiao.bsky.social•32 days ago

Have never found a republican worth supporting - been voting since 1980.

jpgr1964.bsky.social•32 days ago

As did I.

cuppajoe.bsky.social•32 days ago

63% of white males under the age of 30 voted for Trump 2024.

49% of over 65 voted for Trump 2024. [Boomers were born in cohorts that were 75% white]

jpmendelson.bsky.social•32 days ago

Yep. You should’ve read the rest of my short thread! This isn’t specifically a Boomer problem (though, we could argue whether it began as one in 2015-16) and I address this. My initial post was more about the picture and a consideration of the past 60 years of American politics.

mellowno25.bsky.social•32 days ago

Eew! Not me. But you did write “a lot” of us. Are ya hoping it’s our final act? Or are you postulating?
I speculate that a large number of the Flower Children (I feel they were a cult) were conservative to begin with.

newday24.bsky.social•32 days ago

Don’t blame this crap on boomers! We know better!

tobynski.bsky.social•32 days ago

It’s bad enough we have to face tyranny, do really need to perpetuate ageism?
MAGA is a cult of HATE, no matter which age group our culture pigeon holds us to.
Quick creating divides.
We the People need to unite to defeat the cult of hate.

marina2025.bsky.social•32 days ago

Mommie Dearest

marina2025.bsky.social•32 days ago

Many Boomers fought for rights and freedoms that are now either lost or soon to be lost. And many have been fighting since 2016. MAGA is not about change, it's about feeling entitled and privilege. Just like the crowds that cheered on Bull Conner's water cannon and German Shepherd attacks in 1963.

seatown4me.bsky.social•32 days ago

When you found your signature look in 1965 -

mmorgan24.bsky.social•32 days ago

... Including our parents.

thomasbanacek.bsky.social•32 days ago

These are the anti-establishment hippies of the late 60s early 70s!

grippeminaud.bsky.social•32 days ago

they grew up watching Gilligan's island ... but somehow forgot that even on Gilligan's island they listened to the Professor, not the millionaire and his wife

spaghettibeaver.bsky.social•32 days ago

Many, but not most. A LOT of reactionaries in there. They’ve stayed true to their roots.

docmcdoom.bsky.social•32 days ago

They've always bent culture to their desires. Maybe that isn't unusual except to say that they've had an outsized impact for many decades.

I will say the local pro-democracy group that I help with is disproportionately 60+.

jpmendelson.bsky.social•32 days ago

Yep. When you’re that big, you’re bound to impact all sides. Like I said in a follow-up post, I’m not generalizing—no generation is immune to this cult. More of a reaction to the picture.

neecy74.bsky.social•32 days ago

Which was totally unnecessary. You’re always stepping in it, dude.

reedeeda.bsky.social•32 days ago

Don't think it's the boomers to blame this time around. Looks like Gen X decided to carry the torch. Pretty tired of the generational takes on this phenomenon, plenty of blame to go around for every age group.

sorocchungus.bsky.social•32 days ago

They literally could go to therapy and touch grass. They’re retired. They have time.

jpmendelson.bsky.social•32 days ago

You’d be surprised how many of these folks probably voted for Obama twice. They’re searching for a singular answer to existential questions, challenges, and crises. What comes next? No one can say for sure. The only way out is through.

gregburton.bsky.social•32 days ago

Given that a greater percentage of that cohort appear to have voted for Romney (against Obama) than voted for Trump, you're right - I would be very very surprised. And the rest of this is pure projection.

jpmendelson.bsky.social•32 days ago

Of course, MAGA is not something unique to the Boomers. Every generation has its MAGA devotees—some more than others. This is not a generalization of a very big, complex, and aging generation. More of reaction to the picture featured in Aaron’s post.

paulinto47.bsky.social•32 days ago

This whole business of blaming boomers for Trump‘s election is just a cop out. If some actually believe that boomers rallied behind Trump then maybe some of the younger generations should’ve got off their asses and voted for the Dems. But that concept never seems to come up in conversation.

eulerwastaken.bsky.social•32 days ago

I agreed with your first paragraph, being the tail end of the baby boom I've always been baffled by hard right turn my elders took less than 10 years after Watergate.

But your last statement, "We all pay the price" seems to lay MAGA squarely at our feet. But younger voters gave us Trump in 2024.

veritableplethora.bsky.social•32 days ago

Women 65+ and over as a percentage were the largest demographic that voted for Harris. Next was younger women 18-44. Men of all age groups voted for Trump. If you're going to go after a particular group, start there. That's why project 2025 goes after women so hard.

nmblondewino.bsky.social•32 days ago

It seems GenX is the trumpiest of generation according to many articles online. But, I believe it is NOT a generational group think, but more -- education, gender, issues of origin, religion....that matter more than when you are born.

mmorgenschoen.bsky.social•32 days ago

and a dumb one

ginger1800.bsky.social•32 days ago

Yep!

deliawilson.bsky.social•32 days ago

Never! I’ve voted Democrat my whole life starting with Shirley Chisholm. All my friends from my high school are staunchly liberal & that’s north Georgia! Most of my neighbors here in small town Maine are also liberal. I’ve experienced a lot of change in my life (including

jpmendelson.bsky.social•32 days ago

Plenty of great boomers out there! My folks among them! They’re hanging on the best they can in an extremely red part of the country. Bless their hearts.

deliawilson.bsky.social•32 days ago

Moved to Maine 7 years ago! Liberal small town in a quite normal liberalish state. Wish I had moved here decades ago. I don’t feel alone anymore!

nmblondewino.bsky.social•32 days ago

What do you mean by 'a lot?' I see 'a lot' of boomers in the last protests from photos across the country. Still many old hippies who have scars from nixon fighting the battle.

jonathanblack87.bsky.social•32 days ago

The solution is always a solid prayer regime. America needs an exorcism

elkgrovenews.bsky.social•32 days ago

As Johnny Lee sang of many in my Baby Boomer cohort, "Lookin' for love" in all the wrong places!
https://youtu.be/8mxIHL6d-RM?si=Xfm9SBDnmm8Tn7Ma

tankgirl11.bsky.social•32 days ago

Doesn’t she look like Susan Collins?

darkwatchertoo.bsky.social•32 days ago

This boomer thinks you are playing a nearsighted blame game.

rafaelsolece.bsky.social•32 days ago

The truth of the matter is during those boomer years a lot of yt folks got swept up in cultism. Looking for a savior. they've finally found one in DJT and they are actually willing to follow him to their own death. They've already drank the coolaid and now waiting for that death to come

workingclassdem.bsky.social•32 days ago

If their finality could get here a little quicker, that would be great.

jaymarose.bsky.social•32 days ago

The ME generation grew up, took over Madison Ave and rebranded as Baby Boomers. But their lifes goal remained the same, rationalizing their every whim and behavior.

daytontalk.bsky.social•31 days ago

Weird, as a boomer I've gotten more liberal at every stage of my life as I've grown and become more empathetic.

jpmendelson.bsky.social•31 days ago

Right--if you read my post, you'll see that I wasn't making generalizations. I didn't say every Boomer, nor did I claim it was unique. But for some, this is their final act. Have a good one!

sionxxii.bsky.social•32 days ago

"And it's not surprising then they get bitter, and they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

Obama was right and MAGA mooks are lost souls.

tryingagain2.bsky.social•32 days ago

So ashamed to be a boomer, a white male, a southerner and a Christian! The GOP have ruined everything!

beyondcapitaln.bsky.social•32 days ago

Yeah, their pivot stems from a loss of cultural dominance and economic security. Boomers cling to a romanticized past, rejecting societal evolution. It’s their driven nostalgia that fuels conspiracy theories and authoritarian impulses, blinding them to reality and harming future generations.

twitch-nayr.bsky.social•32 days ago

Leather skinned freaks.

agentia-primus-xix.bsky.social•32 days ago

Lost my parents to the tea party bs, which slid them seamlessly into Obama era racism and birtherism started by tRump himself, then directly to worshipping the deranged old orange man. I have hacked them, my sister, and my brother from me like a dead limb. Sucks, but I'll limp on.

coshise.bsky.social•32 days ago

I'm sorry, man. That must have been a painful process, but kudos for living true to your principles. The world needs more people like you.

kristenarden.bsky.social•32 days ago

Trying to put such large groups of people into one box does not describe anything. The DOGE boys are often under 25, so I am not sure why Boomers are your target. I am gen x, and we have tons of right wing assholes too.

johnliny.bsky.social•32 days ago

I’m a Boomer and I voted for Clinton, Biden, and Harris. As did my wife, also a Boomer. As did most of our friends and family. I’m tired of Boomers being blamed for Trump. He wouldn’t have been elected if a whole lot of “young’uns” hadn’t voted for him.

revkat.bsky.social•32 days ago

And yet I keep hearing how the anti-Trump protests are full of old people. A lot of Boomers are there. Maybe there are just a lot of Boomers.

canadianduckie.bsky.social•32 days ago

Technically I am considered a baby boomer. For the life of me I can't figure out cults. Their complete obsession with this orange turd makes my brain hurt.

jakey762.bsky.social•32 days ago

Many people love to believe in and follow simplistic ideas and solutions. They are keeping their lives uncomplicated through a lack of deep thinking!

viet52.bsky.social•32 days ago

Stop lumping people together based on age. It’s just lazy.

pattibk.bsky.social•32 days ago

I would just like to mention that a larger % of Gen X voted for DT than boomers. And just anecdotal, but the protests I have been at have been like 80% boomers. And as a white college educated woman, my demographic voted D at a higher % than any other white folks. Just sayin. 💁🏻‍♀️

listengal.bsky.social•32 days ago

Not well thought out, my friend. MAGA-ism exists in all age groups, races, sexes, gays, straights … should I go on? There are far more nonMAGAs in every age and class and education levels. MAGA has existed under many different guises and throughout our history, so blaming Boomers is thoughtless.

brooklynwatch.bsky.social•32 days ago

Please, please do not generalize.
It serves no one.
In my personal, mostly family circle, I know more MAGAts under 50 than over 70.
Mostly suburban Long Island and Staten Island relatives and/or acquaintances. A lot more than age going on here. My Brooklyn nabe, diverse in age, very different.

agwim.bsky.social•32 days ago

Liberal Boomers changed world Culture forever. The amount of social change generated by that cohort is astonishing. Womens rights, civil rights, LBGQ rights, anti-war movements, rock n roll, sexual revolution, the tech revolution.
Gen X gave us Obama and #MeToo. Trump is the backlash.

sammiller1.bsky.social•32 days ago

And many of so absolutely disappointed to be here again. I did not want my final chapter to be this way.

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