Do Baby Boomers Ever Die?

Dec. 11, 2005, 11:19AM

Young Adults Admire Boomers - Sometimes
By MARTHA IRVINE AP National Writer
© 2005 The Associated Press


..snip..

"A lot of people are disappointed with big corporate America and just how ineffective it is and the fact that the decision-makers _ a lot of them are baby boomers who can't even get you a raise that's going to match inflation these days," says Geoff Persell, a 26-year-old construction manager in Tampa, Fla.

He and others his age are ready to revamp the system, to create a new workplace that embraces both flexible hours and new technology _ improving efficiency and giving workers more time for life off the job.

That restlessness isn't limited to the corporate world.

Young adults also are ready to wrestle away their piece of the pie from boomer politicians, from "helicopter parents" who hover over their adult kids, and even from aging rockers who have yet to give up the stage.

The question is: will boomers let them _ and recognize they can't rule forever?

"I feel like that whole generation is coming into that space where you'd think that they would be getting ready to give up. But it doesn't feel that way at all," says Marcos Najera, a 33-year-old former teacher in Phoenix who now works as station manager and host for the city's youth and education cable television network...cont'd

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/3517315.html



EDITOR'S NOTE _ Martha Irvine is a national writer specializing in coverage of people in their 20s and younger.

"And I think part of that can be attributed to the boomers," says Lovett, who's 27. "I wish they would've paid more attention to our lifestyles."

What does she mean by this statement?

I feel as if I've just hit my prime. What the heck? I still have a parent who thinks she is still in control and these "kids" want me to give it up before I've come in to my own? :) lol

The former youth culture doesn't know HOW to grow old.

That doesn't mean any of their music post-1975 was any good, but still...

but then we'll come back as Boomer Zombies

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except that 15 years ago when the last batch of under-30s bitched about the boomer stranglehold we were dismissed as lazy and directionless...

which, I admit, some did. But many did not.

I just hate all-encompassing labels.

Especially the move over or move out part at work! In my late 20's and into my 30's I couldn't understand why those "old" execs just kept hanging on. Why didn't they retire (first of all, they weren't even old enough!) and why couldn't they see they were out of the loop as far as new technology?

We said we were going to have it all, too, by creating flex hours and more family appreciation and benefits. So how dare 20-somethings claim THAT. We were the ones who started that movement in corporate America before the trade agreements started enticing management to send our jobs overseas and stripping American workers of power or rights.

I guess what I'm saying is, this is typical idealism of that chronological age and they still have things to learn.

On the other hand, I'm SO ready for the next generation to become more hippie-like (although I'm sure there will be some grand new word for it) and get politically motivated and start speaking out about real community/people issues again. Man, I PRAY for that!

Peace.

Our generation said a lot of the same things about the prior generation. One thing I do wish however, is that more baby boomers had followed their parent's examples in such areas as saving, living within their means and not giving kids everything they wanted. Not saying everyone, but it seems a lot of people in my generation are like this.

Not really 'conservative' as the article suggests. They WILL define themselves and have the best and the worst of their parent's experiences to work off of. I understand that the Boomers are a hard act to follow, but I have high hopes that this new generation will offer up innovative solutions that either completely eluded their elders or were merely a glimmer in their eyes.

That'll really amaze them....

OK, it's official: I sound like my mother ;)

edit: typo

I can't believe my kids are rolling their eyes at me and saying there's no way I can understand what's happening today ... just the way I did to my parents.

Sigh...some things will never change I guess. No matter how hip we thought we were.

that came of age when there was the pill available but there was no AIDS, no association of sex and death.

The only one. The last one?

Death and birth are one thing, death and sex just shouldn't be associated.

And it wasn't as we were starting out on our sexual journey.

Sex had both an openness and innocence for many baby boomers.

So...we invented S-E-X.

;)

to come, when the Boomers reach their pensive silver years, and they begin to have more in common with the young generation who wants to protect the environment for the future.

youngsters will be able to tear themselves away from cell phones, Ipods, video games and television to "get it" before it's too late.

The corporations have done a great job of distracting youth culture from caring.

edit: typo

It sort of reignited some old and forgotten part of us and caused us all to re-examine our lives in many ways. Of course the Bushies also brought the old and new generations together in a mutual cause. Boomers and their kids have been side by side in many cases, protesting and fighting the current regime and its values (or lack thereof). That's not something that many boomers were able to experience with their parents.

but we're coming back. Don't think you can get rid of us.

BOOMERS RULE!

That's the reason why the status quo has remained the same. It's Daddy Bush's generation who has been hogging up the reigns of power. And THEY never die. Look at Jim Baker, Kissinger and the religious right white heads.

Clinton-Gore was the closest the generation came to leaving an imprint of the 60's, but it was under constant bombardment from conservatives.

Riiiight. His vast life experience and broad comprehension of people has qualified him to direct the activities of others. Uh-huh.

Bullshit.

...the "Greatest Generation", and the generation that are kids now will say it of the Gen-Xers in a few years. And so on.

fucking good, so I say yes.

But then decided, no. I had come to realize that my Special Purpose* was obviously to tick off as many people as possible, and I hadn't achieved anywhere near that goal yet. Therefore, I remain.


* Not to be confused with Steve Martin's Special Purpose in "The Jerk," naturally. Dammit.

"Tune In; Turn On; Drop Out"

I know I am, and hell my father a boomer is envious of other boomers. He is in his late 50s and almost all of his highschool class has retired back at 55 or earlier from union jobs. They go on cruises etc, have fun my dad didn't hit that same streak.

My generation(I'm 28 so is that an X-er) we look at those who are boomers and at least for myself think damn the doors are closing. They got to play with a set of rules I wish I had, union jobs, decent wages, compaines that actually provided pensions. Social Security will probably be there for them, medicare etc.

For me I work in an area with a lot of offshoring going on.. it gets really REALLY Annoying to hear my 50+ year old coworkers say "Hell I wish they would offshore us! I can get a buy out and retire since I will be doing that anyways soon". That is annoying to someone will a toddler and a mortgage still etc.

All I can think of is, those things almost gone now will be long gone when I'm 55/60/65. For my kids who knows what they will inherit.

and skipping from job to job more frequently, I think about what those people learned from the 80s. Watching parents get shafted by the corporate employers they worked loyally for many years had to have an impact on the Gen X ers.

Have heard lots of corporate head hunters complain about luke-warm receptions at job fairs on campuses. They haven't got a clue as to why. They haven't got a clue period.

My daughter is in her early 30s and she talks about her sadness and concern when she looks at kids now and wonders about their futures.

Any time your boomer envy gets bad, give me a shout and I will tell you about pain and old age ;)

Good luck out there in the world. Many of us feel for you.