The snowflake generation exists only in context of the rise of conservatism
The power of the term is characterized by its alleged stark opposite, the modern conservative.
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The Argument
While the joke of calling an individual a “special snowflake” extends all the way back to the 1996 novel Fight Club, it is only in the rise of conservatism did it consolidate its power in the English vernacular.[1] The term “Snowflake Generation” became popularized by Claire Fox’s 2016 book, I Find That Offensive! which describes the Christakis fiasco at Yale University in 2015 as an example of an overdramatic, hysterical reaction by young people.[2] This, paired with the referendum to support Brexit and the election of Donald Trump created a snowball effect regarding the term “snowflake.” The power of the term is characterized by its alleged stark opposite, the modern conservative. Without a platform, these two warring bodies would never have clashed, nor would the term have between popularized. The mutual antagonism became conservatives and snowflakes gives the term its wings.[3]
Counter arguments
The snowflakes existed far before the 2016 conservative international swoop. The Christakis fiasco described in the argument happened in 2015, long before the guarantee of Brexit and back when Hillary Clinton had a majority of support in the polls. The snowflake generation is characterized by how they were raised, not their current existence. As such, one needs to reflect on the decade previous to the current one as the context in which these young liberals were created.[4] Perhaps the resurgence of conservatism worked to fan the flames, but the fire was already burning.
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Premises
Rejecting the premises
References
- https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/the-less-lovely-side-of-snowflake
- https://issuu.com/danieyoshan/docs/i-find-that-offensive--provocations
- https://www.oxfordstudent.com/2019/06/09/who-is-the-snowflake-generation-and-why-are-they-fun-to-hate/
- https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2018/03/01/the-generation-gap-in-american-politics/