Latest news with #GenX-ers
Forbes
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Forbes
A Great Nation Or What? Poll Responses Over Time
In 1955, the Gallup Organization asked Americans to suppose they were talking in a general way about the United States and other countries. The organization then asked which of three statements came closer to the respondent's point of view. Two-thirds chose the response that the United States was the 'greatest country in the world, better than all other countries in every possible way.' Thirty-one percent believed the US was 'a great country but so are certain other countries.' And finally, 1% said that in many other respects, certain other countries were better than the US. A version of this question has been asked occasionally by pollsters ever since. A 1998 survey of parents done for Public Agenda found 84% believed the United States was 'a unique country that stands for something special in the world,' while 13% said the US is 'just another country whose system is no better or worse than other countries.' In 2011, the Pew Research Center began asking another version. That year, 38% responded that 'the U.S. stands above all other countries in the world,' while 53% said the U.S. was 'one of the greatest countries in the world, along with some others.' Eight percent said there were other countries that were better than the U.S. The 38% response has been trending downward unevenly, and in 2024, using a different methodology, 20% said the US stands above, while 55% said there were other countries that were also great. Twenty-four percent said there were other countries that were better, three times as many as had given that response in 2011. The Chicago Council for Global Affairs presents a binary choice: 'Some people say the United States has a unique character that makes it the greatest country in the world. Others say that every country is unique, and the United States is no greater than other nations.' In 2012, 70% chose greatest country response, while 29% opted for the 'no greater than other nations.' In 2023, the last time they asked the question, there was a big change in the no greater response: almost as many, 47%, chose it while 52% chose the greatest country. The Chicago Council looked at the responses by generations and found that majorities of the oldest generation, the Baby Boomers, and Gen X-ers all opted for the greatest response. Millennials, born in 1981 and beginning to come of age in the mid-1990s, were different. Just 40% of Millennials chose this response, and 59% opted for the no greater one. Other pollsters show the same generational differences with Millennials and younger generations more skeptical than their elders about the US's role. The Council noted that racial and ethnic differences to the question were small. In 2009 Barack Obama gave an interview in which he was asked whether he subscribed to the view of many of his predecessors that America was uniquely qualified to lead the world, that it was exceptional. He responded that he believed in American exceptionalism 'just as I suspect the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism . . .' He went on to extol America's great accomplishments and strong ideals, concluding that because we have a lot to offer that we should still recognize the values and ideals of other countries. Obama's views are one of many factors that may have influenced members of younger generations. Their own coming of age experiences also have played a role. Exceptionalism did not mean America was better; it meant that we were different, with a different history, some facets of which are unique. One of those unique characteristics is optimism. Even in these deeply polarized times, most Americans still believe America's best days are ahead. Like the exceptionalism question, pollsters ask about optimism in different ways, and in most of them, including a new poll from Quinnipiac released last week, optimism beats pessimism. In the new poll, 53% said America's best days were ahead, and 40% behind. Differences about presidents, policies, and priorities are real, but most Americans still believe the US is a force for good, a great country with problems and potential.
San Francisco Chronicle
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Review: Netflix's ‘The Four Seasons' is overprivileged and out of touch
'The Four Seasons' was a 1981 film about growing old together, not only with one's spouse but also alongside one's dearest friends. Yet, while the new Netflix adaptation brings together a new cast of aging stars, it's not the bodies onscreen that feel dated. Featuring Gen X-ers Tina Fey, Colman Domingo and East Bay's own Will Forte, plus at least on-the-cusp boomer Steve Carell, the series-long expansion of the movie by the same name — written and directed by its original star Alan Alda of 'M*A*S*H' fame — actually regresses the older narrative. Updating the story for 2025 requires a heavy lift, and an acclaimed trio of showrunners — Fey, Lang Fisher (' Never Have I Ever,' ' Brooklyn Nine-Nine ') and Tracey Wigfield ('30 Rock,' ' The Mindy Project ') — certainly make an effort. Unfortunately, it turns out that these three very successful TV writers don't exactly live on the cutting edge of storytelling for the streaming era. The original film's premise is that three middle-class couples of mostly white people navigate love's changing nature through middle age over the course of four seasonal vacations within one year, all to the tune of Vivaldi's famous violin concerto. Here, over the course of eight episodes, we see some beat-for-beat repeats: On the first vacation in spring, everyone jumps impishly from their leisure boat into the water, fully clothed! On a later vacation in summer, one of the wives is replaced awkwardly by a younger blond who sports a fetching white bikini! Yes, there is, once again, so. Much. Vivaldi! The remake gets a small diversity update by casting one of the couples as San Francisco theater veteran Domingo and Marco Calvani, a pair of gay men — although the former is forced unfairly into a 'two-fer' role as the sole person of color. (In the original, that place went to the great Rita Moreno, the East Bay's beloved EGOT.) Gone is a critical confrontation when the younger blond would have stood up for herself against the withering disdain of her partner's older friends. Such a scene would have added much-needed dimension to the role of Ginny (Erika Henningsen), but there's not much to her here beyond the pejorative label 'Yoga Barbie' that another character assigns to her. And rather than keeping the couples middle class, they're rewritten as much wealthier. Carell's Nick is referred to as 'king of the hedge fund,' while Domingo's Danny appears to be a jet-setting interior designer. The other characters are so thinly written in this update, that unlike the original, work rarely enters their banal conversations that drip with privilege and not much else. Particularly grating is when the two — beautiful — middle-aged actors, Fey and Kerri Kenney ('Reno 911!') crack fatphobic jokes, especially at their own expense. It's not funny, and it's not believable in the least, especially when, in one scene, Kenney is a vision clad in a sleeveless, backless gown. Love and the dilemmas of aging are both meaty subjects, as audiences have seen recently in far edgier, envelope-pushing narratives like ' Babygirl ' and ' The Substance.' I'm not at their protagonists' age bracket yet, but those stories dared to stir up dreams of what my menopause era could look like, even if they were fantasies that starred impossibly well-toned, rich white women. Despite all the undeniable talent involved in 'The Four Seasons,' its real failure is one of untapped imagination.
Straits Times
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Forum: Gen X needs fair chance to continue to mentor, innovate and serve
I agree with the points raised in the Opinion piece 'Spare a thought for X – the 'forgotten' generation'' (May 11) and Forum letter 'Improve livelihood of Gen X-ers before they become a lost generation' (May 13). Gen X-ers were born in an era of transition, raised to be resilient, taught to follow rules, and quietly shoulder responsibilities. Many of us built our lives on the belief that hard work, loyalty and patience would be rewarded with dignity and security in our later years. Yet, many of us today find ourselves displaced, overlooked, and struggling to remain relevant. We entered the workforce before the digital age, adapted along the way, and stayed employed through discipline and hard work. Yet now, at a time when we should be at the peak of our professional contribution, many of us find ourselves sidelined – too old to be seen as agile, too young to retire, and quietly left to navigate this red dot alone. During job interviews, I have faced age bias, despite decades of experience, willingness to take on new challenges, upskilling, adjusting expectations, and offering flexibility. I know I am not alone. Many of my peers have quietly resorted to part-time jobs and freelance gigs, or volunteering, just to stay active and feel useful. Singapore cannot afford to waste this valuable human capital, especially in today's climate of economic uncertainty and global disruption. Are we under-utilising a generation that still has so much to offer? How will policy direction ensure that we are not left behind economically, professionally and socially? While much has been said about empowering the young and supporting seniors, Gen X remains under-represented in discourse and support schemes. We remain eager to contribute, mentor, innovate and serve, but we need a fair chance to do so. Ho See Ling More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Forum: Improve livelihood of Gen X-ers before they become a lost generation
Forum: Improve livelihood of Gen X-ers before they become a lost generation I refer to the Opinion piece 'Spare a thought for X – the 'forgotten' generation' (May 11). It raised many salient points about the members of Generation X, such as the career ceiling they face due to leadership posts occupied by baby boomers, the endless race in keeping up with the latest technological changes, as well as the challenges of caregiving, being the 'sandwiched generation'. Anecdotally, this has led to a palpable sense of angst among peers I know. Dealing with the rising costs of living while facing limited career progression and perhaps even retrenchment, many Gen X-ers are struggling. Now that the 2025 General Election has concluded, I believe Singapore's fourth-generation leadership can do more to improve the livelihood of Gen X-ers and the opportunities available to them, lest they become a lost and forgotten generation who continue to struggle into retirement. Ivan Phang More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gen Z men are more likely to attend religious services than millennials, study finds
Gen Z-ers — especially Gen Z men — are actually more likely to attend weekly religious services than millennials and even some younger Gen X-ers, according to a new survey. The New York Times' Ruth Graham joins Morning Joe to discuss.
