http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/05/all_about_me.html
I was born in 1950…a baby boomer… and unfortunately I see a lot of truth in this viewpoint…
This is NOT meant to offend… I am a baby boomer!!! so in a way, I am criticizing myself!!
harsh
hmm - I’m a Gen Xer and I get it too. I agree with a lot of what the author states, but then again the article is kind of cynical and my generation is supposed to be one of the most cynical so I guess it fits. I believe whole heartedly in environmental concerns and worry about he world I will leave for my children - the Gen Yers. I don’t believe oil can sustain us much longer so I see the argument to drill drill drill as futile and self destructive in the long run (more Gen X cynicism 
) I concede that for the time being we must still heavily depend on oil because, as you know, I believe that many of our current “alternative energy” ideas are not viable. I guess I am also an optimist though, because I have hope that we will develop a better plan. I think that we have developed plans and created remarkable things in relatively short periods of time before and now we do much more hand wringing than anything. however, I know that much of the speedy development that came from generations before me created devastation to many environments so I suggest some balance between the hand wringing and conscientious action. You see, the reason us Gen Xers are so cynical and cautious about the environment, etc is because we lived with the consequences of the hasty choices of a previous generation’s post war boom.
Yep, pretty much true.
Hmmmm, interesting article . But I don’t agree that it’s a “baby boomer” problem. As a baby boomer myself I would go so far as to say most of those issues have “become” issues as the Gen X’ers come of age. No offense intended to the younguns but my generation grew up with the gas rationing of the 70’s, I’ve always been careful about conserving energy. If you watch the news, it’s the younger families (who can least afford it) who are being roped into the mortgages they cannot afford by lenders pushing products that simply make no sense. It isn’t people my age (50’s & 60’s) who are suffering through foreclosure (for the most part) it’s the younger families.
If you watch the news reports the Gen X’ers are the coroporate executives who are pushing the products and selling the homes and creating the “me want it now” mentality that seems to pervade our society.
I don’t see Gen Xer’s as cautious at all but to me it seems they have grown up in a disposable world and don’t even begin to comprehend the impact that lifestyle choices have on the environment. WHo, after all, are the drivers of the Hummers and the gas guzzling SUV’s? Very seldom do I see a gray haired driver behind the wheel.
Well - I agree that some people of my generation haven’t given a rats ***; however, its possible that my exposure to the area where I work might give me a skewed opinion about who is driving most of the SUVs. I work in Brentwood - in Los Angeles. Many doctors and lawyers and such of the baby boomer generation (and the Gen X). however, I see many many many boomers on a daily basis in Hummers, BMW and Mercedes SUV’s, Cadillacs and the like. Hell, my own boss (born in 1946 so one of the first boomers) drives one. he waxes nostalgic about the good ol days of the 60s and we’ve had many discussions about the problems of today, but quite often his response is “Sorry for your kids, but I’m glad I won’t be around.”. It always bugs me when he says that.
However, I also see a bunch of Gen Xers in Mazzarattis and Jaguars though. And don’t even get me started on the Gen Y kids we have here who drop thousands of their baby boomer parents dollars at the local boutiques where a cotton t-shirt costs $200 (or more). Oi Vai!
Maybe I’m just cynical period :roflhard: Baby Boomer, Gen Xer,Gen Y - I think we all have problems and I think its come time to face them lest everything be gone for the next generation. Sad but true. I point the finger of blame on no one individual or group. I think we are all on the same boat called earth so what’s the point. Lets just fix things!!!
BTW - the baby boomer generation is described as children born between 1946 to 1964. That means the youngest of this generation are only 44. The gray haired people I know are actually mostly from the generation previous to the boomers, but perhaps that’s just because as I get older the bar of what I consider “old age” tends to get higher 
Exactly. I liked the article, not because it pointed a finger at any one group but because it said what people don’t want to hear.
It’s interesting. I’m not sure what I think of it, but it has some points. I’m not sure it’s entirely a generational problem. It’s more a mentality, and it can be shared by many generations.
My mom (a baby-boomer) will say things like “your generation (X) wants everything right away”, but what is strange is that she had a lot more at my age than I could ever dream of. I think she still thinks I’m 16 (I’m 32). :teehee:
My mom too!! :teehee: I wonder if I will be like that?
I just left a job in the housing industry, and I don’t know if it’s been the same everywhere but at least in this market, the housing and mortgage industries didn’t have to do much to rope anyone into anything. People were clamoring to get their sub-prime loans because they wanted to get something for “nothing.” The company I worked for’s preferred lender is one of the biggest mortgage companies around and in the heyday they would approve anyone, regardless of credit history… but your interest rate would be horrible, and people were still desperate to get it.
Not trying to offend anyone, just wanted to point out that the big corporations weren’t all to blame for this. They didn’t help anything, but you can’t underestimate the greed of the people.
Did anyone see that 60 minutes episode about “millennials?” for “kids” born in the 80’s and are turning 21 and going into the job market but are still living at home and being picky about what jobs they take cuz they know they can quit and get another one but whats most important is themselves and not their jobs.
This article reminded me a bit of this one. It’s one that I took a lot of offense to because although being part of generation y, I don’t emulate most of those qualities.
I think any article that tries to pigeonhole a generation is a bit silly. It’s like stereotyping and everyone knows that is wrong. Of course there are characteristics of certain generations, but they don’t apply to everyone in that generation.
There are many problems in the world today- are they the fault of a certain generation? No. There are always problems in the world and whose fault are they? Generally they develop over time, maybe even over several generations.
We always feel the need to blame someone for our problems, be it a certain generation, the government, a country etc. Maybe it’s time we start to own some of the problems that are in this world instead of blaming someone.
My mom saw it and told me some of the things the “millennials” do, like having their parents call prospective jobs to complain if they weren’t offered the position… made me sad to be born in the 80’s.
You had to live in the 60’s to understand the incredible “wave” that the baby boomers created in the culture…Maybe it was just me, but it seemed like we all were experiencing things… well… together… the Beatles, the Vietnam War, the “pill”, etc…We had such common experiences, it created a common mindset…Our parents had just been through the war and wanted to make our lives perfect… I don’t know why my daughter’s generation (she is 16) seems more scattered experiencing things in different ways…
OK… is she (my daughter) an "echo - boomer?? What age are the Gen Xers?
I DID see that 60 minutes show…I was pretty shocked!! I was thinking of how the boomers were always “worried” about not getting a job, or not getting into college… there were so many of us, things were very competitive…I just can’t get my mind around being
choosey about a job that early in your career!
I think 16 is part of the “echo boomer” or “Generation Y” or “Millennial” generation. Generation X was roughly from 1965 through about 1983. My DS is 16 and not in the least like the sterotypical Millennial, et al generation. My DD is 18 and in many ways IS the sterotypical Millennial. It makes me wonder how in the world I could have spoiled her. i was a very young mother and a single one at that so we never had much, but yet sometimes I think she thinks she’s a Hilton. I love her to death and she can be the sweetest girl, but I look at my kids - so day and night - and wonder how its possible I raise them both :roflhard: But you know, we all are individuals.
My boss (a Baby Boomer) had the same view of that generation as you have Pat. He said you would walk out the door and there would be nothing but teenagers and everyone seemed to experience things in unison. I wasn’t there though, so I am sure I can’t understand.
One thing I notice missing in my kids generation is going outside. It seems to me you couldn’t keep me inside when I was a kid/teen. Being grounded was the worst thing in the world. It seems like I have to literally push my kids outside. And going out with friends takes planning now. I didn’t make plans when I was growing up. I went outside and chances are I would run into 1 or 2 of my friends within a block and we would figure out something to do.
Is this a phenomenon anyone else has noticed with their Millennial kids? Or is this just because I live in L.A. that I’m experiencing this? Sometimes I feel like the Norman Rockwell America is out there but I am too centered in my city life to see it :roflhard:
We didn’t have cell phones, or hdtv’s, video games, cd, or dvd’s. Certaintly not computers or the internet.
We grew up riding bikes, skating, walking, reading, playing outside, cause our Mom’s told us to go do something or she would find us something to do,.I remember the miles I put on my bike, the tennis shoes I wore out, and laying in the grass watching the clouds.
Life was a bit simplier then, where I lived. I was born in the late 50’s, and grew up w/ 3 channels on tv till I was about 19 or so.
My daughter never knew what it was not to have a Mcdonalds, or other fast food chain near by… or a dozen tv channels or more, shopping was limited in our small town, but wal-marts and other stores are almost everywhere now.
It depends where you were when you were growing up. The tv shows were entertaining, and Marshall Dillion always killed the bad guy. Life is more real now, it isn’t sugar coated the way it use to be,. It is up front and in our faces 24-7.
We had VietNam, now we have another unpopular war. Old things are new, but history repeats itself.
Maybe if we took a step back and learned the value of things, and appreciated more what we have, than what we haven’t and PASS that knowledge on to the younger generations it might work.
We all share a part of the blame, maybe we all can be part of the solution.
*steps off soap box embarrased at the running off of the mouth, and settles into a snow bank…
I appreciate your views and agree. I was born in the 70s but even that seemed simpler. I remember shoes my dad bought a month before school started that were worn out by the first week of school, I remember the community pool, black & white tv, the ice cream truck. But, while waxing nostalgic I have to also take into account the rise of drugs, gangs, pollution, etc at least in my area. I remember a time back in my old neighborhood when if you heard a loud bang you knew it was just a car backfiring, now, in that same neighborhood if you hear a bang you better take cover.
There are so many problems, but there are also so many wonderful things in the world today. You’re right! Appreciation for what we have is important to pass on to the next generation. I really do hope everyone can work together to affect change. It seems we’re at a tipping point. We’ve reached those points in history before and both wonderful and scary things happened as a result. Lets hope the latter occurs most often in the future 
I’m not sad to be born in the '80’s at all. In fact a lot of the things that others have described, like riding bikes, being outside all day, not having internet etc. describes a lot of the '80’s kids as well, or at least the early to mid '80’s. We had a black and white tv with no cable, a rotary phone, a community pool etc. I think it’s mostly the kids in the ‘90’s who have had the cell phones, satellite tv etc. and I feel sorry for them. I don’t feel that I am part of that generation and my friends who were born around the same time don’t either.
My main concern is all of the criticism we take for being part of a certain generation. Parents calling in at work? Okay, I don’t know ANYONE who would let their parents do that let alone ask them to. Our generation is actually praised for our forward thinking and fresh ideas as well as technological know-how.
I guess it doesn’t matter in the end, because we’re going to be taking over the baby boomers’ jobs when they retire anyways.
Indeed the message is harsh but also an eye-opener for a lot of people, the older generation(s) too.
I am a product of the Great Depression: No, I did not think I was poor because everyone we knew was in the same boat. My mother told me our life was just fine until she and my father divorced and we left Dallas for L.A. While they were together she had someone in twice a week doing housework, babysitting Yours Truly and the like. She shopped at Neiman Marcus and any other store she wanted to as all during the Depression my father was gainfully employed in a very good job.
After our arrival in L.A. my mother would seek out any work she was qualified for, sales, telephone operator, receptionist, anything that was honest. My father supported me during all this and often we only had that to live on. We managed. When the “good war” came along in '41 there were many jobs to be filled by people like my mother in the industries supplying necessities for the fighting men. I was still a kid but remember all too well our weekly entertainment (after Mother working six days a week, commuting by street car to Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica, CA) was a movie. So, I can understand why those, say five or ten years my senior, came home from the war and wanted better lives for their children. I saw this with a younger cousin of mine who was afforded way too much for her own good. When things got financially rough for her as an adult it was difficult to accept after such privileges, own car, TV, all the ‘goodies’ of life. Heck, Mother and I did not even have a TV until the mid '50’s. Not certain we missed one thing though.
So, I see excessive behaviour in younger people, true. Things are put out there for them and it is like taking a kid into a candy store. Gotta have it all until you get sick of it. Hey, I’d miss MY cell phone, HDTV, DVD’s, refrigerated a/c, a computer (who would have ever thought an old gal would say that!) and yes, drive a Cadillac that is not that much of a gas guzzler. I’ve considered a Hummer just to show some of the ‘younguns’ out there this one can still put the pedal to the metal and blow their socks off.
No, no advice for anyone. Sounds as though all of you are doing fine in the generation you are presently in. One day you will be in mine - hopefully. Hasn’t this been fun taking a walk down memory lane - no matter what era? 
Just enjoy your lives, most things work out in the long run.
My two cents? More like ten bucks worth. Wanda