On The Serious Side... To The Younger Generations

[WillyT]

I'm about to turn 60 this November...

And there have been generational fights on this board for years, a board that is generally tilted to the older voters in some ways, and one of the accusations is that our current political stagnation and bullshit is the Baby Boomers fault. You May be partially correct.

If, from current literature, the Baby Boomers came about at the end of WWII...

I would propose, with many a caveat... that those born from 1945 to 1954, could be somewhat different from those born from 1955 to 1965 in some ways.

The first group would be 10 years old from 1955 to 1965, the second from 1965 to 1975.

The shit that was going down in those formative years were very different. One was informed by the era of McCarty and the Red Scare, the other by JFK, MLK, RFL, Ceasar Chavez and Woodstock, Vietnam, etc, etc, etc.

Now all demographics contain elements of all sorts of political phylosophy... yet some are stronger than others.

Yet... when one is in their late teens, 20'3, 30's... there are many motivating factors as to how one conducts themselves politically, and in life.

To me it's always seemed... Fad vs. Philosophy.

If it's Fad... it's momentary/passing...

In almost every generation, people of a younger age are motivated to be part of the "in" group. Too be cool, to be taken seriously... and let's face it... to get laid.

Or at least find someone to love.

If it's Philosophy it's more or less permanent and a part of who you are.

So I say to you...

You are partially right... we may not have been aware of the game being played, yet we are definitely at fault if we know and continue to play it.

But you need to know there are many here on your side...

Who never got to see the revolution you are fighting for...

Who will put whatever is needed to see it happen in your lifetime, and hopefully ours...

You are the future... hell... you are our children and grandchildren writ large.

So please... let's do this... together.

[Blue_In_AK]

1. Happy early birthday, WillyT. :)

I'm going to be 69 (good number ) on Wednesday, so I'm a first-wave boomer. I think there really is a significant difference between early and late boomers, but I agree that we all want to see the revolution succeed. I've been working toward that goal for 50 years now, and I'm tired. So I'm happy to turn the reins over to the youngsters.

[WillyT]

2. :)

Thanks Blue... It's gonna be their planet after all.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Young wolves, show us your teeth. John Steinbeck

[appalachiablue]

7. K & R. That's a good one by Steinbeck.~ Nice, deep Op Willy T, thanks.

~ If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace. ~ Thomas Paine.

[hootinholler]

4. It's not too late to join us

Together we can make the world a better place.

[jwirr]

5. That was beautiful Willy T and so right. It is our children,

grandchildren and even great grandchildren that count here and now. Lead on children - we will walk with you. In my case my dreams are in the past - I want to help with your dreams.

I am not a boomer but I will be 74 on the first of October.

[WillyT]

8. :BigHug:

[aidbo]

6. We in the sandwich generation..

..grew up latchkey kids. Out in the suburbs, where town was somewhere you went to. Maybe unintentionally, but we got the feeling it was dangerous.

I was just becoming a thinking human when Ronnie was going through Iran/Contra and Nancy told us not to do drugs and yet consulting psychics on the sly. I watched the wall come down. I got to vote for Billy's 2nd term, and got to watch W steal it from Al. We all know what followed.

Happy birthday Willy!, thanks for the perspective. Have an 80's song from this gen-xer.

[WillyT]

9. Thanks aidbo !!!

I was in college when Ronnie was elected.

My English professor at the time looked at me after that election and asked if I was going to be Ok...

I guess I wore my politics on my sleeve from an early age.

[Bucky]

10. Read this on Generation Jones

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Jones

you have no idea how on-target you are

[WillyT]

11. Interesting... Thank You For That !!!

[hifiguy]

12. I was very precocious, politically and in every other way.

My first hero that didn't wear a baseball uniform was RFK, and I was around 12 when he was killed. I was crushed and heartbroken.

When I was 16 I made my first political contribution - $5 of my allowance money to George McGovern.

I have been a steadfast lefty/liberal/democratic socialist all my life.

No fads here, Willy!

[WillyT]

13. Me Neither hifiguy...

I came home from the 3rd Grade to find my mom sobbing on the couch... JFK had just been assassinated...

We had a riot in my Junior High when MLK was assassinated...

And I watched live the California Primary speech by RFK right before he was gunned down...

And then there was the Chicago Dem Convention of 1968.

One wonders about 2016...

[Uncle Joe]

14. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, WillyT.