Why do I feel so guilty, Slackers?
In a recent podcast, Tom Morello and Billy Corgan discussed a number of topics, but when Billy talked about "Gen X not having a second act” and Tom said he had “Punk Rock Guilt”, this really struck a chord with me.
Growing up in the ‘80s and ‘90s—amid economic flux, cultural cynicism, and punk’s rebirth via hardcore and grunge — gave us a somewhat strange worldview. In 1989 Family Ties ended while Seinfeld just started to air. We went from wholesome to cynical in the blink of an eye.
Morello talked about the uneasy feeling of raging against the system only to end up part of it - is that just an inevitable part of growing up or have we somehow let our younger, more idealistic selves down?
As a parent I often wrestle with whether I have done the right things for my kids. And I certainly lament my restless, rudderless youth. This episode is a reflection on my own personal (and Gen X’s) struggle to reconcile our hedonistic, yet oddly idealistic, youth with the quiet regrets of middle age.
