I am a parent. My parents were Silent Generation. I am GenX.

[Taverner]

I have spent my LIFE trying to find out what my parents wanted.

When I found out it was simply "peace of mind" I was floored.

There are MANY times I could have given them that. If only I knew.

So I have been studying my parent's generation to find out what was right, what was BS and what was "sometimes a great notion" as Kesey put it.

And so far, after a lifetime of research, I have found...nothing.

Shit, this generation DID NOT TALK.

They did not enumerate their problems.

They just suppressed them.

The Silent Gen, aka Don Draper, was not about showing ANYTHING.

Poker Face all the way.

So after all this research, I am exhausted, and I still need to know what made them tick.

[seabeyond]

1. Seriously? Well I guess we knew different people of this generation if you find nothing...

To praise. On an iPhone and one finger typing so will leave it at that.

[RevStPatrick]

2. Yep, that's why they were "Silent."

I'm the same - early GenX with Silent parents.

I think the children of the Depression, who had loved ones killed in WWII just wanted quiet stability.
And they got it, for the most part.

Plus - I don't care what anyone says, I think the Millennials are pretty terrific.
And, they're totally screwed and know it.
They're going to save the world, if we let them...

[Taverner]

3. Millennials are our hope

And they will rock

[Arugula Latte]

4. I'm the same demo and I agree -- I love the whippersnappers!

I wish I belonged to the generation born in the 80s. They rock.

[Taverner]

6. I still wish I was born 10 years earlier

Get to experience the 70s - graduate in 1978 - Quaaludes, key parties and Led Zeppelin!!!

[Arugula Latte]

8. You coulda rocked the cords, the wide belt, the comb in the back pocket, and the suede low boots

[HappyMe]

10. Chukka boots.

[Kaleva]

5. My parents were the "I'll give you something to cry about" generation

[laundry_queen]

13. Oh dear god. That's all I heard as a kid.

I rarely got spanked for misbehaving, but got whacked often for crying or sniffling (trying not to cry).

My parents were boomers and I'm Gen X (and I have some kids who are 'millennials').

[RebelOne]

14. Yes, I was one of those parents.

I am from the pre-boomer generation.

[MicaelS]

7. My parents grew up during the Depression.

My mother had to quit school in 8th grade to get a job. Her father died, and her family needed money. She made ten cents an hour running a sewing machine. Imagine that today. Plus this was the period of the Dust Bowl, which affected the entire country. Then WWII comes along.

So this generation gets hammered by three catastrophes, and you wonder why they have a stiff upper lip, and all they wanted was peace and quiet?

[HappyMe]

9. Agreed.

Instead of whining, people did what they could to help one another. Including the kids.
I think they deserve some peace and quiet.

[Taverner]

11. I'm not criticizing what they wanted. I'm just wishing they TOLD ME!!!!

I guess they did in their own Silent Gen ways...

But you gotta admit, Silent Gen can be an enigma

You've got John McCain AND John Lennon

Look, you hit a point in your life where you start wondering how life looked at through your parents' eyes when they were your age.

That's where I am.

[steve2470]

16. your mother was a very strong woman, you are fortunate :) nt

[lastlib]

12. Pleased to meet you, I'm PathoGen.......

[steve2470]

15. my parents were Great Depression, I'm boomer, son is Millenial (I think)

My parents were technically old enough to be my grandparents (deceased now), and I'm technically old enough to be my son's grandfather (I was 37 when he was born).

I'm sure my parents were totally bewildered by my brother and I, and I'm totally bewildered at times by my son.

I'm glad you're getting insight.

[pintobean]

17. Someday, you'll understand.