Somebody Has to Keep the Lights On

Gen-X isn't clinging to power. We're clinging to the breaker panel.

I keep seeing this new idea floating around that people my age and older need to "step aside" so the next generation can take the reins.

Alright. Let's talk about that.

First off ... the idea that Gen-X has been running the world is adorable. That's not how this worked. For most of our adult lives, the leadership positions in government, corporations, universities, and media were held by Boomers who simply never retired. They hung onto those positions the way old mainframes cling to life in a bank's basement.

Gen-X wasn't running the place. We were the guys keeping the mainframe alive.

I've worked in tech long enough to recognize this pattern instantly. There are always two types of people in any system. The ones designing the grand vision ... and the ones quietly making sure the damn thing doesn't crash at 3:00 AM.

Guess which group gets blamed when the server goes down.

Yeah.

The same dynamic exists across society. Gen-X has spent decades occupying this weird middle layer where we aren't the architects and we aren't the interns either. We're the people who get the phone call when something breaks.

Which is why I laugh when people say older generations are "clinging to power." Most of the people I know in my age bracket would happily hand the keys over tomorrow.

Seriously. Take them.

But there's a catch.

Running things is not the same as criticizing things. This seems to surprise people. It turns out that making systems work day after day is mostly about persistence, patience, and a tolerance for boring problems that repeat forever.

Civilization runs on the unglamorous stuff. Wastewater plants. Electrical grids. Logistics networks. Database backups. Things that do not care about your ideology or your vibes. They just have to function. Every day. Forever.

And historically speaking, the moment societies forget that ... things get weird fast.

The French Revolution is a good example. They were fantastic at identifying injustices in the existing system. Less fantastic at feeding Paris once the old systems stopped functioning. Turns out bread distribution is harder than slogans.

Who knew.

I'm not saying younger generations are incapable of leadership. Of course they're capable. Every generation eventually figures it out because they have no choice. Responsibility tends to grow people up real quick.

What I am saying is that running the machine requires a different mindset than tearing it apart on social media. Maintenance isn't glamorous. Maintenance doesn't trend. Maintenance looks like a tired person solving the same stupid problem for the fiftieth time because it still needs to be solved.

And that's the thing people miss. The world isn't held together by visionaries. It's held together by stubborn people who keep showing up and fixing problems long after the novelty wore off. That's Gen-x!

If someone wants that job ... fantastic. We will happily step aside. I mean that sincerely.

Because the truth is, most of us aren't chasing authority. We're chasing stability. A little quiet. Maybe a decent night of sleep. (Which I haven't gotten in years.)

But until someone proves they're ready to run the machinery instead of just explaining why the machinery is flawed ... well. Somebody has to keep the lights on.

And right now, a lot of us are still standing next to the control panel simply because walking away would be irresponsible.

Not heroic. Just practical.

But it's going to happen, and soon. We are all aging out, and that's going to be an interesting time.