The Cold War Generation versus The Internet Generation

[gyroscope]

Not to generalize too much, but that's what this election cycle seems to have come down to in a sense.

A generation of low information voters who grew up all their lives under 24/7 McCarthyism and Reagan Red Scare mongering versus the high information internet generation. Generation X was exposed to Cold War propaganda as well but to a lesser extent. Trying to scare young people - who grew up well after the end of the Cold War - with the socialist/communist boogeyman doesn't work, they'll just look at you like you're some kind of nut from another planet. Which is why they are not afraid to embrace the ideas of Bernie Sanders, ideas which they will judge on merits with an open mind because they haven't been conditioned to be afraid of their own shadow as their grandparents were.

Hey boomers, it's not the 1950s anymore the Cold War is over so get over it.

--Sincerely, Gen Xer parent of millenials

[valerief]

1. What boomers are you addressing? I've contributed to Bernie's senator run as well

as multiple times to his presidential run. I've been for Bernie from the get-go. I'm very much a boomer, too. So, Gen Xers, watch who you insult. Boomers aren't all alike. Get over it.

[gyroscope]

5. Don't take it personally

I acknowledged their are exceptions and thank you for being one.

[1monster]

21. I take it personally every time someone tries to divide us generationally.

We have plenty of divisions in this country already. We don't need made up garbage like this again... Yeah, the boomers did the stupid "generation gap" mistake too. But by the time we'd reached the age that Gen Xers are now, we'd grown up enough to see how ridiculous it was.

There are a hell of a lot of us "exceptions" and I for one find this post incredibly condesending and insulting.

[anotherproletariat]

2. I’m also the parent of three millennials, all of whom are pro-Bernie…

but a large number of their friends are not all that educated, and think it’s fun to vote for the guy who looks like he just got out of bed and wants to give them free college. Even assuming you are right, the majority of voters in the general election are older. I'm still on the fence about his electability.

[VulgarPoet]

3. Like I've said before, if voters still want to wear their Cold War blinders and jump at redbaiting

then they deserve everything that will happen for the next four years.

[RobertEarl]

4. Reality

It is all about image.

Bernie has a great image and he shines with integrity and honesty. People see it.

I like this cold war - new age conflict scenario because it is intelligent. But what it comes down to is that the image Bernie projects is what inspires the masses. Then, THEN, they hear us explain WTF is going down and they sign up and vote.

[gyroscope]

7. Sadly many are still very much blinded by ideology

and seem to be beyond hope

[RobertEarl]

11. There are those

Who we have not yet reached. And there are some we never will. All we need to make progress is 60% of the voters to hang with us and the sky is the limit.

[gyroscope]

15. Bernie will surely convince more of them

as he goes around the country. He seems to have that power.

[napi21]

6. I suspect most of that is true, however, Many older voters recognize

that Bernie is in no way like the "socialist" from the Cold War Days. I'm 72 and I've supported Bernie BEFORE he even declared his candidacy. Back when I listened to him every Friday on Thom Hartmann's show. He received thousands of calls saying "Bernie, you HAVE TO RUN!" I think it took a while to educate voters who didn't know him, maybe never even heard of him AND never heard of a Democratic Socialist! I think there's still a lot of teaching to do, but when people of ANY AGE actually listen to Bernie's message, they like it.

[Ferd Berfel]

8. THe Corporatist Oligarchs vs The People

[Dragonfli]

9. It's not even fair as Bernie is a Capitalist that simply believes in a few social programs

He is not red, he is a variation of an FDR Democrat and anybody that understands such things knows that.

He is simply a center left Capitalist that refers to himself in a way that identifies with a few Capitalist parties that are successful in other countries where they are not afraid of investing some capital in the health and educational welfare of it's citizens in a way that helps with wealth inequality and the happiness of their people.

It is really a shame how low information our electorate actually is.
Bernie is not a Socialist, period.

[Le Taz Hot]

10. Actually,

both generations (and those in between) are working side by side to elect Bernie. The number from New Hampshire should tell you all you need to know: Hillary wins with the 65 and over crowd and with people making over $200,000 and that's it. Bernie either beats her handily or ties with her in other groups including with people of color, with men, with women, with gun owners and non-gun owners.

[gyroscope]

17. Very true

Bernie seems to have a gift of rhetoric that seems to resonate with old and young alike.
Just as important is the likability factor. When people like you they are more willing to hear what you have to say and you begin to break through ideological barriers.

[winter is coming]

12. Actually, I think the divide comes down to who trusts their television.

Older voters (aka "Cold War generation&quot are more likely to trust TV news. I'm a young Boomer and can remember when network news and newspapers actually committed journalism on a regular basis. Then the Fairness Doctrine went away and the notion that it was okay, even laudable, for network news departments to run in the red disappeared. Now we have News to Keep You Stupid, and unless you're plugged into the internet and willing to double-check what you've been told, you won't encounter much truth outside of late night comedy shows.

So the divide isn't purely aged-based, but it is related to age. The younger you are, the more likely you are to get news from "unconventional" sources and be wary of propaganda.

[in_cog_ni_to]

13. Boomer here, you young whippersnapper!

PEACE
LOVE
BERNIE

[gyroscope]

18. Hey there

thanks for dropping by!

[Bread and Circus]

14. I wanna give you props because I think that is probably a huge part of all of this.

People on the net are generally just more likely to have more information available to them.

[flamingdem]

16. IF millenials have a clue it's because

their parents are boomers! Like Bernie

[cherokeeprogressive]

19. My teacher would yell "DROP!" and we'd dive underneath our desks, curl up on knees and elbows...

our hands over the backs of our necks. We'd wait til she walked around the room and positioned everyone just so.

Then she'd call us out from under our desks and we'd continue the lesson, whatever it was.

This Cold War Kid is ALL IN for Bernie Sanders.

[Blue_In_AK]

20. Hey, guess what?

We boomers also know how to use the Internet. Enough with the generational division crap.

[Tom Rinaldo]

22. So what generation is Bernie in? n/t