it's got to be something related to watching cable TV as well. I'm convinced of that. I know this isn't a material analysis or whatever, but anecdotally every boomer family member I have who sits in front of cable news has become rabid. Their particular cultural grievances have started consuming their every waking hour and it's only gotten worse. My boomer family who aren't into TV are pretty normal, they're spending their autumn years learning to whittle sculptures or building koi ponds in their backyards or whatever.

And it extends to both my liberal and chud family, they're both lockstep with whatever their chosen TV man tells them.