dispatches from the new world of work

Boomer Debunking

The romanticized stereotype of Baby Boomers is that we were all conceived when daddy came home from WWII, were raised by June Cleaver and then embarked on lives of free love and war protests. Certainly anyone who really thinks about it knows that can't all be true, but as businesses and governments are figuring out how to deal with us in our old age, it would be a good idea to get over the myths and understand the real facts. A few examples:
-While the oldest boomers are approaching 60, the youngest are barely 40.
-Even in the '60s, we weren't all political radicals. One-third of the early boomers served in Vietnam and the majority of southern youth resisted integration just as fiercely as their parents did.
-Despite the civil rights movement and women's lib, the disparity of education and income levels between boomers of different races and genders is still huge.

A study of baby boomers at midlife by researchers at Duke University highlights the differences within the various ethnic, economic and age groups of the generation. Elizabeth Hughes, one of the authors of the study, believes that the country's current divisiveness is a result of the enormous diversity of the life experiences of the boomers. Co-author Angela O'Rand warns, "If we are worried about the future as the boomers age, we need to be prepared for a very, very heterogeneous group of people."

Amen, sister.

Linda Fatherree posted this on 01/13/05.

Comments

Hughes is off base on the "country's current divisiveness". That opinion doesn't hold water, like the "values" media spin during the last election.

The USA has always been divisive - and we need more of it - to get back to the roots of our REVOLUTION and the brilliance of the Constitution as a founding product for this republic. Radical revolution is where it is at, Linda, et. al.

Posted by John at January 13, 2005 12:45 PM

Interesting Article in the Vanguard Investment Newsletter; of the 70 million baby boomers: 1/3 are in debt with no positive networth, 1/3 have a zero base networth (assets = liabilities), and 1/3 have sufficient funds to retire in the coming retirement years.

Posted by RTodd at January 13, 2005 1:06 PM

Interesting read, the Baby Boomer article. The Baby Boomers--as such a large group of the overall population--do drive a lot of what goes on in the USA. However, in the vein of John's suggestion, divisiveness is, to a great extent, what this country (USA) was built on. Read the Isaacson biography of Benjamin Franklin (or even BF's autobiography) and you'll see that whatever divisiveness is present today is likely an outcry/growth of the ideals and circumstances on which the USA was based.

Still, the Boomers did (and will, as we know from Tom's rants) have enormous impact on everything. One generation's expectations and ideals trickle down--in one way or another--to the next generation (i.e. RTodd's post and implications for GenX, GenY, etc.)...

Posted by Lee H. Igel at January 13, 2005 1:43 PM

the actual babybommer gen Y, is not in this sphere of the globe , rather in Asia !! The segment for cellphones, gizmodo's etc etc is a huge markert in china and india and infusion of cash and equity resides in that playing field !!

Posted by /pd at January 13, 2005 2:28 PM

What fascinates me at the moment is how the media will handle the aging Boomers. Ignore them? Play to the reminiscence of their youth? Aging in the U.S. has been an (almost) taboo subject. Now the Boomers are facing these issues with their parents, causing them to wonder what to make of the retirement communities, assisted living, etc. I hope to see a redefining of aging in this country. Perhaps the Boomers might pull it off.

Posted by Mary Rose Maguire at January 13, 2005 7:38 PM