In defense of the “Boomers”
Boomer. What exactly does this word mean? It could be someone who makes loud booming noises, or a person born in the years just after World War II. This was known as the Baby Boom, as those that had grown up during the Great Depression and survived the war were looking forward to a brighter future and having children to share that future with.
Lately there have been commenters who post in response to news articles or on social media who seem to think there is something about this generation that make them not worth listening to or of any value to today’s society. An example can be found in comments to another Sun writer’s column of April 1, on the subject of this generation. “Narcissistic boomers go away.”
Based on our age, most of us will indeed go away in the next 10 to 20 years. But, I am wondering just how much those younger than us “Boomers” really know about our life and times.
We are the children of those who lived through the Great Depression and World War II. Our parents gave us a glimpse of an almost apocalypse. My mother’s family wealth disappeared overnight, leaving her extended Sicilian family to take lodgers in their large Victorian house in Brooklyn, New York and bringing home piece work from garment factories, so that they would not lose their home. My father was shaped by spending his childhood in the Minnesota State Home for Abandoned and Neglected Children and as a teenager as an indentured servant on a farm. Then he was a combat medic in Algeria, in Italy, and on hospital ships being pursued by German U boats.
My parents reminded me constantly that I should be thankful for what I had, even though we were always broke and there was no safety net. When my father had a heart attack at the age of 52, the State of Minnesota paid the mortgage or we would have lost our house.
As I came of age, it was a time of change. Progressive high school teachers had the freedom to give us a wide world view. I became aware of and active in the women’s and civil rights movements. Then the war in Vietnam began. My classmates in our blue collar, working class neighborhood were being drafted. No college deferments, when you do not have the money to pay for college.
So much for being narcissistic or privileged, as some seem to think everyone from our generation is. At demonstrations, I was dragged, tear gassed, and thrown in jail a few times. Some of my friends went to Vietnam, some died, and some came back horribly damaged, physically or mentally.
We were shaped by our times and that is why many of us are adamant about all human rights, protecting our planet, and knowing that wars only bring death and suffering. As we learned from our parents, maybe it is time to learn from the “Boomers.”
3 thoughts on “In defense of the “Boomers””
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Ok, BOOMER. Narcissist much? Look at the world before and after your special generation. The younger generations will be working for generations to undo the damage your generation caused politically, financially, and mostly of all culturally. Grama boomer never lost her house! Hooray. We are supposed to feel bad for you? Few from younger generations can afford a house after the boomer generation inflated the money for their whole lives and drove all asset prices to the moon giving boomers a huge advantage to buy low and sell high on all assets including housing. That’s why grandma boomer is so rich. It’s not because she is so smart. The spoiled boomers got the best American dream of all time and then they suffocated the next generations with their debt and cultural decay. But, because these boomers have so much money they think they are geniuses. Do you remember grandparents from before the boomers? They were sweet, quiet, humble folks who we would take care of while they grew old. Now, since the boomers stole the next 10 generations of wealth with their (((moneypress))) they are aggressive, vocal, old folks with all the money. They have all the houses and businesses. The younger generations have given up besides the illegals looking for a better life at our literal expense. Thanks grama. I’m sure the parties with the loose (morally) women in the 60s was a good time. Spare us the details, GROSS. The boomer sold this country to the (((banks))) and we are all living in a boomer-dystopia nightmare.
You said it all with the comment “I’m sure the parties with the loose (morally) women in the 60’s was a good time” It appears your criticism of a generation is based on your dislike of liberated and equal women, more than anything else. You have been trashing people from your right wing, Republican, anti equality point of view. When some one believes equality is cultural decay and longs for the good old days, it says it all. And please do tell me what you are doing to improve the lives of others, the environment, and our community? Actually you are the problem, you are our collective nightmare.
Such a narrow-minded, flawed viewpoint from someone with a hateful axe to grind. It’s ironic that persona “Billie Miller” links back to a website that is a bastion of liberal fare like The Thom Hartmann, Stephanie Miller, and Democracy Now! shows.
Fake persona’s making outrageous comments are very simple to suss out. Falsehood is cowardice, truth is courage.