Mx. Luna Corbden<p>I'm old enough to remember when "downsizing" was a corporate euphemism to improve optics and soften the previously shocking concept of "mass layoffs." It was originally met with sarcasm and distrust, but at some point, did its job and now we all say it with straight faces and take it for granted as totally normal, business as usual.</p><p>Dear reader, it once was NOT business as usual. It was uncommon and made headlines news every time it happened.</p><p>This in many ways explains why <a href="https://defcon.social/tags/GenX" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>GenX</span></a> is the way we are. We grew up watching this and many other changes to American culture which we instinctively knew signaled the end of social contracts that our parents, Silents and Boomers, took for granted. We knew those promises would not be kept to us, and we were right.</p><p>They ignored us then like they ignore us now. But we're the only generation that fully saw the world before (Millennials saw some of it) while also (as a generation) embracing and even promoting new values in reaction to these changes that younger generations now take for granted. We are historical witnesses from a distinct vantage that is extremely important for understanding where we were, how we got here, and how it could be.</p><p>(And we borrowed heavily from 60s counterculture, so to the Weirdo Boomers, thank you.)</p><p>We need all perspectives.</p>