As an older boomer (b. 1951), I realize that I and maybe others of my cohort may be partially at fault here. We, especially the females among us, were taught that it wasn't polite to stare. So we expressed disgust, boredom, incredulity, etc., in other ways, like by looking away so no one could see the smirk on our faces. I'm going to work on getting my stare back in working order.
After reading your list of outrages committed by the sitting president, I also intend to "look daggers" at the next Trumper I run into.
While reading your opening 3 paragraphs, my reaction was “Huh!? And this bizarre legacy-media focus reflects . . . what? The fact that we’ve been having slow news days?” But then you swung into your “The sitting president of the United States” observations and nailed it wonderfully. Brava!
Thanks for this Charlotte! As always, your writing is spot on. So distressing and frustrating for our legacy media outlets to do such a lame job of real reporting and neglect to serve their democracy protection role.
Legacy media continues on their path of missing the forest for the trees. One could almost wonder if their intentions were less than honorable? Possibly looking for clicks (read attention) in any foolishness that some social media “influencer” decided to elevate.
Kinda sounds like a "teacher stare" to me, and boy do they have the right to stare at those who let all of the bullsh*t you listed get ignored by mainstream media etc.
Oh Charlotte, thank for your strong, clear, absolutely accurate enumeration of SOME (but certainly not all) of the horrible atrocities our sitting president has committed. And keeps on committing. You bring us - well me anyway- right back to what I need to consider every day: What am I willing to DO today? For starters I’m thanking you.
Seems apropos to share something I read on BlueSky last night, a blurb taken from another Substack, shared by Anne Muntean:
"The tragedy is not that Trump is sick—he may be, or he may simply be old and absurd. The true tragedy is that, in a nation of 330 million, this is what passes for a President of the United States."
Amen. I'd also like to add that three of the pictures included in the headlines are women, while one is a cat (most people think female when they think of cats). I'm 74 years old and I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've been told by complete strangers, mostly men, to smile. Now that I'm old I'm invisible. This is nothing new, and it is old, very old.
Well said! And, if I may, people don't owe anyone a pleasant interaction. For me, this is akin to telling women to smile on the street. Give me something to smile about and I'll do it. Same deal for Gen Z. Lord knows, they've never known a world that's not burning down around them. Give them a reason and maybe they'll react differently. Just a thought....
Yes, 100% on point. Serve that hot cup of perspective! As always, thank you, Ms. Clymer. You and your voice are a bright light!
Charlotte,
Thank you for sharing this. They have a lot to stare at all of us about. I’m a tail end Boomer, and I can understand them. It’s not a mystery.
All the best,
Steve Dundas
Another late boomer here. I looked up “Gen Z stare”and I immediately found some older articles about the “Boomer stare”. 🤷♀️
As an older boomer (b. 1951), I realize that I and maybe others of my cohort may be partially at fault here. We, especially the females among us, were taught that it wasn't polite to stare. So we expressed disgust, boredom, incredulity, etc., in other ways, like by looking away so no one could see the smirk on our faces. I'm going to work on getting my stare back in working order.
After reading your list of outrages committed by the sitting president, I also intend to "look daggers" at the next Trumper I run into.
While reading your opening 3 paragraphs, my reaction was “Huh!? And this bizarre legacy-media focus reflects . . . what? The fact that we’ve been having slow news days?” But then you swung into your “The sitting president of the United States” observations and nailed it wonderfully. Brava!
Thanks for this Charlotte! As always, your writing is spot on. So distressing and frustrating for our legacy media outlets to do such a lame job of real reporting and neglect to serve their democracy protection role.
Sing it sister!!
Legacy media continues on their path of missing the forest for the trees. One could almost wonder if their intentions were less than honorable? Possibly looking for clicks (read attention) in any foolishness that some social media “influencer” decided to elevate.
We are an unserious nation.
Kinda sounds like a "teacher stare" to me, and boy do they have the right to stare at those who let all of the bullsh*t you listed get ignored by mainstream media etc.
Oh Charlotte, thank for your strong, clear, absolutely accurate enumeration of SOME (but certainly not all) of the horrible atrocities our sitting president has committed. And keeps on committing. You bring us - well me anyway- right back to what I need to consider every day: What am I willing to DO today? For starters I’m thanking you.
Seems apropos to share something I read on BlueSky last night, a blurb taken from another Substack, shared by Anne Muntean:
"The tragedy is not that Trump is sick—he may be, or he may simply be old and absurd. The true tragedy is that, in a nation of 330 million, this is what passes for a President of the United States."
(This was taken from the end of this blog: https://www.blueamp.co/p/rouge-on-the-republic-bruised-banana)
Amen. I'd also like to add that three of the pictures included in the headlines are women, while one is a cat (most people think female when they think of cats). I'm 74 years old and I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've been told by complete strangers, mostly men, to smile. Now that I'm old I'm invisible. This is nothing new, and it is old, very old.
Well said! And, if I may, people don't owe anyone a pleasant interaction. For me, this is akin to telling women to smile on the street. Give me something to smile about and I'll do it. Same deal for Gen Z. Lord knows, they've never known a world that's not burning down around them. Give them a reason and maybe they'll react differently. Just a thought....
Exactly. Our democracy is being destroyed and people are wasting time on this trifle? Good lord.
Once again, perfection.
Signed,
A Boomer
Thank you! "Gen Z Stare" is another made-up, superficial "problem" to talk about in order to distract us from our very real constitutional crisis
People need to focus on what is happening to our country, not trashing another generation. 🙄
Atta girl Charlotte! Give’m hell!! 🔥