Is being a boomer really that bad?

[Chris...]

Have we really ruined life for future generations?

[BuffJim]

3 minutes ago, Chris... said:

Have we really ruined life for future generations?

We’re at the tail end. Not our fault. 

[Chris...]

Just now, BuffJim said:

We’re at the tail end. Not our fault. 

The damage was already done

[Chris...]

[maddmaxx ★]

You'd be ok if you'd just die off quickly so the kids can have your stuff.

[Longjohn ★]

 

[Dirtyhip]

Humankind seems to be an invasive species, IMHO. 

We are too smart, and too adaptable. 

My generation seems to be a lost generation.  No one cares.  No one talks about us. Thankfully I missed the boomer label by a few short years though.

What happens after Generation Z?  Will there even be Alphas?

[Dirtyhip]

The greatest generation seems to have done some significant damage.  My Grandfather helped build the AK pipeline.  My other Grandfather was a welder on a shipyard and his Father chopped down the old growth in the PNW.  

My family has been busy in their destruction.

[Dirtyhip]

I don't see that many younger people riding bikes to work, or school.  I don't see them scrambling around with mason jars in the grocery store getting things labeled for tag weight.  I don't see them using old cell phones for years and years, to prevent excess tech footprint.  Cell phones have an enormous footprint.  

I see young people flying all over the world taking fantastic selfies, and in corresponding posts, they tear down boomers.  I do think there needs to be change, but have we already jumped the shark.  Can we really go back?  The train is steaming ahead on coal. 

[Razors Edge ★]

1 hour ago, Chris... said:

Have we really ruined life for future generations?

I don't know. I imagine, for some, their thin skin might be an issue. Maybe some are overly passive-aggressive, too? Some may also suffer from a bit of false equivalency?

So, Boomers might have their issues, but it isn't ALL of them, and it certainly would be a stretch for the reasonable Boomers to be bothered being called or considered a "Boomer".

[dinneR ★]

55 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

I don't see that many younger people riding bikes to work, or school.  I don't see them scrambling around with mason jars in the grocery store getting things labeled for tag weight.  I don't see them using old cell phones for years and years, to prevent excess tech footprint.  Cell phones have an enormous footprint.  

I see young people flying all over the world taking fantastic selfies, and in corresponding posts, they tear down boomers.  I do think there needs to be change, but have we already jumped the shark.  Can we really go back?  The train is steaming ahead on coal. 

Millennials use libraries at a higher rate than the rest of us. They drive less. The ones I work with do ride their bikes to work. They seem to care about the environment more than previous generations.

[Razors Edge ★]

5 minutes ago, dennis said:

Millennials use libraries at a higher rate than the rest of us. They drive less. The ones I work with do ride their bikes to work. They seem to care about the environment more than previous generations.

So which is a bigger insult? "Millennial" or "Boomer"?  Isn't that the crux of the post?

[Kzoo]

2 minutes ago, dennis said:

Millennials use libraries at a higher rate than the rest of us. They drive less. The ones I work with do ride their bikes to work. They seem to care about the environment more than previous generations.

They didn’t stop the Vietnam war, or burn their bras or get the ERA passed or stop acid rain or get the Civil Rights Amendment passed or get to the moon or save the bald eagle ? or ..... please stop me.

 

[dinneR ★]

2 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

So which is a bigger insult? "Millennial" or "Boomer"?  Isn't that the crux of the post?

Neither. We all suck, but who sucks the least?

[dinneR ★]

2 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

They didn’t stop the Vietnam war, or burn their bras or get the ERA passed or stop acid rain or get the Civil Rights Amendment passed or get to the moon or save the bald eagle ? or ..... please stop me.

 

ERA has not been ratified. I think it is still a few states short.

[shootingstar]

21 minutes ago, dennis said:

Millennials use libraries at a higher rate than the rest of us. They drive less. The ones I work with do ride their bikes to work. They seem to care about the environment more than previous generations.

I haven't checked the data (and there is) that the libraries have on millennials vs. other generations, as users, but wouldn't be hard.

For the past few years, I certainly heard enough people of different generations tearing down verbally about libraries. I gave up trying to defend libraries and instead more fruitful to engage in conversations with people about how to determine/check information sources, 

I want to believe that millennials and younger generations drive less.  That probably depends where they live and if transit is also available near by, if they were smart enough to choose home abode in the right location.  I actually get the impression a lot of those in the city learn to use transit much later in their life or bike solo to do stuff....because they were schlepped/chauffeured so much initially by car as children by....boomer and generation X parents.  

It may be true some may drive less, not because of less environmental footprint, but because they prefer to spend their money on technology, higher student debt after college/university, etc.

[Razors Edge ★]

2 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

They didn’t stop the Vietnam war, or burn their bras or get the ERA passed or stop acid rain or get the Civil Rights Amendment passed or get to the moon or save the bald eagle ? or ..... please stop me.

True DAT! Boomers DID! Or, I guess, the one before them did, but the Boomers pressured those oldsters to up their game.

Sad to see all that rolled back in their lives, though? Or is there life in them yet? Or maybe, it will be the Millennials that re-do it all again? Fix the wars, find some degree of true equality, reform the environmental regulations,  and save some habitat for eagles?

[Wilbur ★]

2 hours ago, Chris... said:

Have we really ruined life for future generations?

[Wilbur ★]

1 hour ago, Dirtyhip said:

The greatest generation seems to have done some significant damage.  My Grandfather helped build the AK pipeline.  My other Grandfather was a welder on a shipyard and his Father chopped down the old growth in the PNW.  

My family has been busy in their destruction.

You can thank them for literally everything ever produced.  

[shootingstar]

8 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

They didn’t stop the Vietnam war, or burn their bras or get the ERA passed or stop acid rain or get the Civil Rights Amendment passed or get to the moon or save the bald eagle ? or ..... please stop me.

 

There are some younger generation women who do dimly understand some of the struggles that older women who paved the way for them.  Until the same generation of women move up into corporate ranks, they don't understand how difficult....it still can be.

The entitlements we might hear of....work life balance is desired by all generations.  And most generations resent over stretching email communication into weekends/evenings on a frequent basis (meaning all the time every wk.) if it wasn't normally part of the job

[Dirtyhip]

16 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

So which is a bigger insult? "Millennial" or "Boomer"?  Isn't that the crux of the post?

Gen X backs slowly out of this.  

[MickinMD ★]

2 hours ago, Chris... said:

Have we really ruined life for future generations?

I read an article yesterday that said younger generations want Boomers to retire because they're keeping them from advancing to higher paying jobs.

I placed a comment that said that not answering cell phone calls during job interviews, showing up on time for work, and doing the job were more likely reasons the Boomers were in those jobs.  I have a distant cousin that owns 4 McDonald's and 1/3 of the Altoona (PA) Curve AA Baseball Team and its stadium. She told me at a family reunion that she preferentially hires older people because she can count on them showing up on time and doing the work.

In the early 2000's, I was hired by my countywide school system in the summers to study how well its high school grads were prepared to go directly into the workforce. I spent time with restaurants, United Airlines operation at BWI Airport, a sun deck construction company, auto repairers, etc.  The consistent problem was showing up on time and working once there.

One printing company gave workers one 1/2 day off with pay if they simply showed up on time every day for a month!

[shootingstar]

in my family 3 of us are boomers and 3 youngest are generation X.

I sense no divide.  I never have. My generation x siblings still don't have their own facebook account, Instagram ,etc. 

It's abit more noticeable with millennials and younger.  And these people are nice people, not rude jerks.  They come on time, when they are asked.

[Kzoo]

40 minutes ago, dennis said:

ERA has not been ratified. I think it is still a few states short.

You’re letting facts get in the way again.

#goodpoint

 

[Prophet Zacharia]

I don’t have an issue with either generation. Some funny hair cuts, beards and lots of flannel in the millennial group, but I don’t really care. I don’t understand the gauges, but I don’t have to.

[dinneR ★]

2 hours ago, Kzoo said:

You’re letting facts get in the way again.

#goodpoint

 

we shouldn't let the facts get in the way of a good argument. 

#getoutofmyyard

 

[dinneR ★]

33 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

I don’t have an issue with either generation. Some funny hair cuts, beards and lots of flannel in the millennial group, but I don’t really care. I don’t understand the gauges, but I don’t have to.

I wear flannel to work all fall, winter, and spring. It's kind of my uniform.

[dinneR ★]

2 hours ago, shootingstar said:

I haven't checked the data (and there is) that the libraries have on millennials vs. other generations, as users, but wouldn't be hard.

For the past few years, I certainly heard enough people of different generations tearing down verbally about libraries. I gave up trying to defend libraries and instead more fruitful to engage in conversations with people about how to determine/check information sources, 

I want to believe that millennials and younger generations drive less.  That probably depends where they live and if transit is also available near by, if they were smart enough to choose home abode in the right location.  I actually get the impression a lot of those in the city learn to use transit much later in their life or bike solo to do stuff....because they were schlepped/chauffeured so much initially by car as children by....boomer and generation X parents.  

It may be true some may drive less, not because of less environmental footprint, but because they prefer to spend their money on technology, higher student debt after college/university, etc.

From Pew. It looks like millennials and gen x are pretty close in library usage. I've seen more recent stats, but cant't find them.

[Prophet Zacharia]

35 minutes ago, dennis said:

I wear flannel to work all fall, winter, and spring. It's kind of my uniform.

Wears Flannel, bikes to work, goes to the library.... 

Do you eat avocado toast?  My son says that’s a defining characteristic of a millennial.

[shootingstar]

36 minutes ago, dennis said:

From Pew. It looks like millennials and gen x are pretty close in library usage. I've seen more recent stats, but cant't find them.

Same source:

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/06/21/millennials-are-the-most-likely-generation-of-americans-to-use-public-libraries/

Greta, the teenage speaker on climate change etc. from Sweden, did come to our city.  I didn't really follow up on what she said or did.  She came at time, when our municipality was and still is in the throes of reworking the budget to cut services....

I'm sure as a boomer it sounds on the surface I don't care...unless I tell them I haven't owned or driven a car for past 40 yrs.  I get the impression that some complaining millennials haven't met any or hardly any boomers who faithfully have lived for many years an alternate, lower consumerist lifestyle, participated for several years on the ground, work in the areas of social justice, equity and human rights in their local communities.  

Not all millennials and younger generation are like that...but it does require parents to teach empathy, self-discipline and personal accountability.  It's hard to teach that...for lst 20 yrs. of life.

[Prophet Zacharia]

24 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

I get the impression that some complaining millennials haven't met any or hardly any boomers who faithfully have lived for many years an alternate, lower consumerist lifestyle, participated for several years on the ground, work in the areas of social justice, equity and human rights in their local communities.

They call them “hippies”.

[shootingstar]

5 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

They call them “hippies”.

Clearly hippies come in different shapes and forms.  Challenging the "establishment"/authority/corruption isn't just about protest and chanting. Even harder is working in organizations and getting certain people to change their mindset/behaviour.

 

[BuffJim]

6 hours ago, Chris... said:

The damage was already done

When I made my comment I thought I was responding to ChrisL, who I think is close to my age. I was born in 1963, and my wife in 1964. We don’t feel like hard core boomers, but not GenX either. 

[ChrisL]

These discussions crack me up.  Are Boomers that bad, yes. Are Gen X‘RS that bad. Yes. Hell the Great Generation got trashed by their parents.  
Thousands of years ago old cave men sat around a fire & lamented on the youth. Our people are doomed... The young cave men thought the elders were idiots... 

[shootingstar]

20 minutes ago, BuffJim said:

When I made my comment I thought I was responding to ChrisL, who I think is close to my age. I was born in 1963, and my wife in 1964. We don’t feel like hard core boomers, but not GenX either. 

So you were born in '63?  The black haired women in family photo (only shows 40% of family), are boomers, generation X, millennials and generation Z.  

The black-haired woman sitting next to white-haired woman is a sister. She is just 1 yr. younger than you, BuffJim. 

The millennials are good in our family.  Maybe they whisper behind our backs that boomers wrecked their world.  I dunno….I know niece talks to her father daily on phone....Her boomer father is facing the camera...he's one of the white guys.

 

[dinneR ★]

6 hours ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

Wears Flannel, bikes to work, goes to the library.... 

Do you eat avocado toast?  My son says that’s a defining characteristic of a millennial.

Never had avocado toast, but I work with a woman who eats it almost every day. She's in her 60s though. She also makes butter mochi for the staff. I'm not sure if that is a millennial thing, but everyone should be eating this stuff. It's fucking delicious. 

[dinneR ★]

5 hours ago, ChrisL said:

These discussions crack me up.  Are Boomers that bad, yes. Are Gen X‘RS that bad. Yes. Hell the Great Generation got trashed by their parents.  
Thousands of years ago old cave men sat around a fire & lamented on the youth. Our people are doomed... The young cave men thought the elders were idiots... 

Captain Caveman was the first superhero. Now get out of my yard. 

 

[ChrisL]

7 hours ago, BuffJim said:

When I made my comment I thought I was responding to ChrisL, who I think is close to my age. I was born in 1963, and my wife in 1964. We don’t feel like hard core boomers, but not GenX either. 

Yeah I was born in  65 which by some calendars is gen ex, others I’m a Boomer.  I’m the child of parents from the great generation but align more with a gen x.

[KrAzY]

14 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

Gen X backs slowly out of this.  

I am Gen X.. I take blame for nothing.. we were just drugged out ravers

[Ralphie ★]

It’s snot nice to eff with Mother Nature. We need to eliminate work as we know it. We have a shitload of work to do though. Definitely an uphill battle. 

[MoseySusan]

6 hours ago, KrAzY said:

I am Gen X.. I take blame for nothing.. we were just drugged out ravers

At night, yes. 

During the day, we worked to validate and normalize civil rights won during the previous generation. We went  DIY. We questioned authority. We spoke truth to power. And we got smacked with economic recession and factory closures, oil spills, mid-east wars, and family values. 

Boomers tied our hands with personal devices and game controllers. We confuse motion for action, entertainment for living, and stuff for wealth. Our vision turned inward and our focus shrank to the size of television screens, Gameboy, a PS2. Individually wrapped became our mode.

[KrAzY]

3 hours ago, roadsue said:

At night, yes. 

During the day, we worked to validate and normalize civil rights won during the previous generation. We went  DIY. We questioned authority. We spoke truth to power. And we got smacked with economic recession and factory closures, oil spills, mid-east wars, and family values. 

Boomers tied our hands with personal devices and game controllers. We confuse motion for action, entertainment for living, and stuff for wealth. Our vision turned inward and our focus shrank to the size of television screens, Gameboy, a PS2. Individually wrapped became our mode.

Nicely said, but don't forget we also spread the way of PLUR. ?

We were taught to work hard and play nice with everyone.