The Second Silent Generation
Life, Truth, and Beauty in a World Without God
The "Silent Generation" refers to those born between 1928 and 1945. They were known for their conformity and quiet loyalty to societal norms, avoiding confrontation and upheaval, focusing instead on stability and survival. Gen-X has probably earned the title of the Second Silent Generation. Unlike the original Silent Generation, our silence is not born of external hardship but of self-interest and apathy. The original silent generation bequeathed the baby boomers the founding stones of democracy - free speech, a free media and respectful debate. But since then we failed to defend the moral and spiritual framework that gave those freedoms meaning.
My last essay, reflecting on the Baby Boomers, sparked a backlash from readers who took the critique personally. There are nearly 200 comments. The negative ones were all from Boomers (many who declared themselves atheists) and were focused on their own lives rather than the impact of their generation on society (which sort of supported my point). Some claimed the rot started earlier. Some wanted to blame external malign forces for the changes. Either way, surely, we should be able to discuss how we as a society have reached the point where the legalisation of doctors killing their patients is being discussed - something unthinkable 50 or 100 years ago (no matter what external forces might have wanted). I wonder whether Gen-X-ers will react similarly or, true to form, will just remain silent.
Boomers Were Heard
The Boomers were far from silent. They made their voices heard across movements and industries, achieving significant milestones. Their activism brought about the Equal Pay Act, global human rights campaigns through Amnesty International, and pivotal support for the Anti-Apartheid Movement. Women protested nuclear weapons at Greenham Common, while striking miners resisted economic policies that threatened their communities. These voices “boomed,” challenging injustices and reshaping society in profound ways.
One commenter said, “Maybe we have just seen too many relatives die of cancer or dementia and do now want to go through the same dreadful death ourselves. At 70 death is getting closer, naturally. I would like a choice.” This is exactly the point I was making. The desire for personal choice cannot be allowed once again to shape society. The demand from people who fear death cannot be given precedent over the risks to the vulnerable and the huge objections from the doctors and judges who are the ones being asked to carry this out. Enough!
Of course, individuals can push back against societal trends, but they alone cannot halt the tides of cultural drift. The entire point of that essay - and this one - is to say that human hubris is the problem. A society that believes it can function without God is inherently unstable. This critique is not about blaming individuals but about inspiring reflection on how each generation has contributed to a fractured and directionless society and calling for a return to putting God at the centre of our lives not ourselves.
Absent Gen-X
In contrast, the Gen-X moniker, “X,” is anonymous and undefined. “X” represents the unknown in algebra and the anonymity of a ballot box. It represents a lack of identity and purpose. We are a generation adrift, rejecting tradition but offering no clear alternative. The Gen-X-ers began the acceleration towards isolation, with many swapping human connection for XXX pornography or X-boxes. Even the term “Xmas,” though historically rooted in Christian symbolism, has come to reflect our secularization of the sacred. What began as a shorthand for “Christ” in early Greek has, in modern usage, become a convenient way to strip away its spiritual heart. “X” has become a symbol of absence: of truth, of meaning, of God.
The Boomers grew up in a society where Christian rituals were central to life. Two thirds were baptised in 1950s, half in the 1970s but only one in eight in 2010. In 1950, roughly 28% of the population could expect to be confirmed in their lifetime but by 2009, this figure had fallen to 2.4%.
Figure 1: Number of Christian confirmations per year over time
This decline in religious participation marks a fundamental cultural change. Moral guidance and purpose is no longer sought through faith but through personal autonomy. People put their faith in themselves and in institutions and government - it couldn’t have been more misplaced.
As someone who grew up amid this transition, I remember feeling too clever to believe in a God. Like many of my generation, I prioritized education, career, and independence, believing they were the path to fulfillment. Faith seemed outdated - a relic of a stricter, less enlightened time. It was only very recently, as I watched the fragmentation of our values, that I began to see the cost of abandoning the sacred. My attitude will absolutely have contributed to the societal rot we face. Individuals are like molecules in the air. Each only moves a tiny amount but when they all move together they can create a storm.
Life
For Gen-X, belief in eternity gave way to the creed of “You only live once.” While often associated with Millennials, this mentality finds its roots in Gen-X’s rejection of eternal purpose in favor of personal autonomy. Without the perspective of an afterlife, life became a pursuit of personal experiences and short-term gratification. Why wouldn’t it? This hedonistic worldview encouraged selfishness and left little room for lasting purpose or responsibility.
Abortion rates have reached unprecedented levels. In the England and Wales, there is now one abortion for every 2.4 live births. What began as a response to complex, painful situations, with “plenty of safeguards” has become routine. Some even advocate abortion on demand up to 40 weeks. Of course women should have choice and of course unplanned pregnancies can profoundly disrupt a woman’s life. What women are told less often is the shared love between a mother and child brings longer term benefits including a sense or purpose and motivation, resilience as well as unexpected joy. There is a pitiful lack of research into how mothers feel about unexpected or unwanted pregnancies once there is a child in their life rather than a baby. While abortion is framed as a choice, it often feels like the only choice. Our society leaves women isolated and with inadequate resources and prioritizes productivity and autonomy over the nurturing of life. Addressing these societal pressures would not only reduce abortion rates but also reaffirm the sacred value of motherhood.
Women today still express a desire for families as large as their grandparents’ - yet they often fail to achieve them. This isn’t due to biology but culture. In a society grappling with a birth crisis, we must ask: Why are women choosing not to have their babies? And what can be done - culturally, individually, and societally - to make motherhood a hopeful choice? Marriage, family and respect for life as a gift from God have to be a part of that.
Our rejection of God also reshaped how we view death. Euthanasia is presented as compassion, but it exposes the vulnerable to immense risk. Many Gen-X-ers fail to see how it exposes the vulnerable to coercion and neglect. Institutions - so trusted by Gen-X - are not moral arbiters, and such policies can quickly be weaponized for convenience or cost-cutting.
Beauty
In art, the rejection of classical ideals - once rooted in the divine - has given way to works that glorify imperfection, disorder, and even despair. This shift mirrors a deeper rebellion against the sacred itself. When beauty is no longer seen as an act of worship, it becomes untethered, serving no higher purpose and often reflecting humanity's darkest impulses instead of its aspirations.
Rejecting sacred beauty has led to a culture that often celebrates the grotesque, the chaotic, and the nihilistic. Films like Fight Club, Pulp Fiction, The Joker and more revel in antiheroes, violence, chaos, and rebellion, offering no one to admire. While these films can be interpreted as critiques of societal flaws, their glorification of rebellion and ambiguity reflects a cultural shift toward celebrating chaos over virtue. In music and fashion, rebellion against God and nihilism are woven into lyrics and trends. Mocking God became a hallmark of Gen-X culture. Blasphemy wasn’t confined to niche subcultures; it became mainstream. How often do you hear “Jesus F***ing Christ” in a film these days? This rejection of the sacred left us bereft of beauty that could uplift and inspire, reflecting a society that has abandoned the concept of absolute truth and goodness.
We pioneered the digital revolution, bringing critical tools that democratized information and connected the world. These innovations empowered people, giving them access to knowledge and amplifying marginalized voices. But technology also eroded human dignity. The gig economy reduced workers to productivity metrics, stripped of their inherent value. Cashless systems are enabling governments and corporations to monitor and silence dissent. Remote work and digital interactions weakened real-world relationships, leaving younger generations disconnected from mentorship and community. We built tools that empowered the world but robbed it of its soul. I know many want to blame outside forces again but what has Gen-X done to push back?
Truth
While Boomers uncovered scandals like Watergate, Tukseegee and Iran-Contra, Gen-X presided over the erosion of transparency. Inconvenient truths weren’t just suppressed - they stopped being collected altogether. We will be remembered as the generation that tried to control speech, prioritizing stability over honesty and conformity over courage.
Our generation put immense faith in institutions. Instead of questioning authority, we replaced God with a ‘High Priest’ system of experts who cannot be questioned. In this system, only those with the right credentials could speak the truth. Open debate was silenced, and dissenting voices were dismissed. Lies flourished under this system, protected by authority rather than exposed by inquiry.
Covid revealed Gen-X’s tendency to protect career, even over ethics. Many stayed silent despite fully understanding inconvenient truth for fear of jeopardizing their careers or financial stability. This silence, allowed dangerous narratives to flourish unchallenged and ethical red lines to be crossed.
J.D. Unwin was an atheist who deeply studied 86 civilizations and published, in 1934, that sexual freedom consistently preceded cultural collapse. Within three generations, societies that abandoned chastity fell into decline. His findings were startlingly consistent - there were no exceptions within the civilizations he studied. Unwin, an atheist, offered no remedy. But his work underscores the importance of moral restraint for societal stability. Without God or discipline, societies drift toward fragmentation and decay.
The Remedy Lies Within Our Grasp
Gen-X rejected God and embraced autonomy, leaving society morally adrift. Our silence - born of self-interest and apathy - has allowed harm to flourish. Unwin might argue there is no solution, but I believe the remedy lies within our grasp. If Gen-X can rediscover the sacred truths we abandoned, we may yet leave behind a legacy of hope and renewal.
To do this, we must turn back to God, the source of all life, beauty, and truth. Reclaiming life begins with seeing it as a sacred gift from God, not something to be defined or controlled. This means cherishing life in all its forms. When we value life as God intended, we rediscover its purpose and meaning.
We must also reclaim beauty, not as mere aesthetics, but as an act of worship. Beauty that honors God lifts us beyond ourselves and reconnects us with the sacred.
Finally, we must seek truth - not as something malleable to our desires, but as something revealed through God. All we can do is seek it, and that must be a collective enterprise. Truth requires open, respectful debate and challenge - a willingness to listen, question, and refine our understanding together. It demands humility and courage, calling us to look beyond human hubris and return to the divine order that gives life meaning.
Life, beauty, and truth are not about us. They are about something greater. They are gifts from God, and it is time we found our way back to Him.
Very interesting article.
Referring back to my objection yesterday regarding Boomers, it was more about my resentment that people are put in boxes on the basis of their birth year.
As to God, I still believe, but the Church, in my case the Roman Catholic Church, has gone contrary to some of my beliefs. Condoning the inhumanity over the Covid years and now the NetZero bandwagon feels wrong and political.
We had a new priest in our parish in 2022 and he told me that he thought that the church would go back to house churches, small groups getting together to pray. An interesting thought.
“We will be remembered as the generation that tried to control speech, prioritizing stability over honesty and conformity over courage.”
I couldn’t agree more with that statement.
‘That’ just sums it up, Clare.
The appalling virtue signalling and worshipping of false gods like “climate change”; “net zero”; “lockdowns”; “vaccine passports”;”misinformation and disinformation” bills etc……
All of these ideas are false idols and should be smashed on the altars of the fake temples at which they are worshipped by my generation: ‘x’; and others. We must turn back to the Sacred.