Pre-Boomer Musings

During WWII the country was wildly patriotic.  The USA was fighting a war on two fronts.  We were the Calvary called in to rescue Europe and the defender of honor and pride in the Pacific Theatre.  People here cheered our successes, respectfully mourned those lost in battle and the topic of conversation was usually centered on war news.  No wonder pre-boomers grew up with the firm belief that this was the greatest country on earth – something most of us still feel.

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The events that took place over the next several decades didn’t disillusion the generation born between 1930 and 1945.  We were too busy with our careers and raising a family to get involved in many social issues; but our younger brothers and sisters, the baby boomers, jumped in with both feet.  While many believe the pre-boomers set the table for change, it was the boomers who participated in the feast.  Civil rights, women’s rights and the anti-war movement were too appetizing for them not to partake. 

Along the way to standing up for the rights of others and fighting everyone and everything for the causes they believed in, boomers came to expect the same entitlements for them as well.  This is understandable, since they have been known for years as “the me generation.”  This attitude does not necessarily translate to working to make their dreams come true.  Often it meant wishing for things rather than working for them, since buying happiness is a big part of living in the dream world of instant gratification.

This criticism of the most vocal generation in our nation’s history is not meant to diminish any contributions made by individual boomers.  However, it does suggest if it weren’t for their sheer numbers, which translates to big spending power and big voting power, the boomers might not be deemed as remarkable as their own self-promotion heralds.  How they work through the current circumstances the country faces, deal with the changes Washington is mandating, and then transition into retirement will be telling. 

What was once a nation of savers has became one of spenders.  The United States turned into the divided states with personal interests coming ahead of what was best for us all.  Where once people pitched in to help others, we moved to the sidelines to watch rather than participate or, worse, show no interest in the events affecting ones life.  Such attitudes caused us to ignore, over the past decade, the warning signs of the dangers that lay ahead both outside and inside the country.  This attitude also resulted in a willingness to let the government – federal, state and local – enact laws, reduce services and increase taxes so long as individuals could do pretty much as they pleased.

The day of reckoning has arrived.  Our world is not the same as it was.  We can’t trust our elected representatives to act in our best interest.  There is no where to turn accept to each other and start talking about the future and what it means to us collectively.  Pre-boomers are starting to do this, and maybe their commitment will serve as an example to others.  Because the combination of community, civility and connectivity could help the country come together and brings us back to living in the real world, again. 

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