Who is driving the populist insurgency? It’s not grumpy pensioners or vulnerable teenagers – it’s my generation, Generation X. Once seen as the mild-mannered peacekeepers of the culture wars, many in their 50s are now radicalised by internet bile and venting extreme views in public.
A recent encounter at an Aldi checkout illustrates this shift. A man calmly suggested political assassination as a solution to government policies, shocking other customers. This behaviour mirrors the casual extremism found online, where inhibitions have dissolved.
Health secretary Wes Streeting has warned that racism is becoming socially acceptable again, with ethnic minority NHS staff facing a tide of abuse. This reflects a broader breakdown of social norms, seen in conversations about chemtrails or vaccine conspiracies at bus stops and school gates.
Middle-aged radicalisation stems from a fear of being left behind in a changing world. Gen Xers worry about redundancy, divorce, and outdated views, seeking outlets for bottled-up rage. While only 19% of British 50-somethings voted Reform UK at the last election, a third of those aged 50-64 would back populist parties.
The internet has normalised extreme rhetoric, and now it spills into real life. As one observer noted, this is 'sauna politics' – conspiracy-laden chatter that once stayed private is now voiced aloud, with Generation X leading the charge.
