My generation (child of the boomers)

[aeolian]

OK. Boomers, and you so-called "greatest" generation types: sit down and shut up. You've had most of a century to run the world. Now we've got to clean up your collective mess.

"Greatest:" you thought nothing bad would ever happen again. You had the postwar economy and a lovely military industrial complex. No thought for the future, just keep pumping out little boomers 'till the demographics explode. We'll just stuff 'em in the suburbs. Thanks for Korea and Vietnam.

Boomers: had everything handed to you on a platter. You tried to rebel, and all we got were the 70's. Wow...disco, cocaine, and inflation. Nice job. Then you neglected to raise your kids, while complaining about what a, like, pain they are. Thanks for GW Bush.

Now come us cynical brats who are going to have to live through this shitstorm that our parents and grandparents created for us. We've got work to do. So just take your pension and get out of the way. :nuke:

Oh, and I love you all. :)

[MichiganVote]

1. I'm a boomer. I didn't think any of those things. Quit'er cryin'

[aeolian]

3. It was a great big generalization.

And a copycat thread.

Don't take me too seriously. Ever.

[MichiganVote]

19. Me neither. I knew what you were sayin'. Not offended

[LeftHander]

152. Boomeritis...Big thumbs up for the young!

Get out there! GEt Mad! Get in the streets!

Lets see the conservative neocons deal with millions of pissed off 20 somethings...

[idlisambar]

2. LOL.

That about sums it up.:)

[Withywindle]

4. Ooh, memory lane!

This rant could've been written 15 years ago. Oh wait, it was. A lot. :)

So which wave of Boomer child are you? Are you Gen X or Y, I can't keep track.

I'm an original, born to Boomers in '69. There aren't that many of us: lots of Boomers waited til they had gotten ALL their ya-yas out to breed. Not mine.

Frankly, though, the economy now looks a lot like it did in '92 when I graduated college. (Suckiferous). So it makes sense to keep beating this drum, I guess.

[aeolian]

6. Every generation could have written a version of that rant. :)

I'm a 1978 vintage, myself.

I just get sick of "the greatest generation" phrase.

Not a very inspiring thing to tell your kids: "the apex of humanity already happened. It was your grandparents, who now give you socks for christmas. Tough shit, kid."

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

10. LOL.. n/t

[bush_is_wacko]

16. NOT!

Get real boomer's. I am one of your admittedly OLDER children. right on the cusp of boomer/Gen Xer. You're still spouting off to MY children they can have it all if they just work hard enough and are competitive enough. I have seen your younger offspring and raised my children alongside them. They are, quite frankly, the most vile version of humanity to date.

It's NOT their fault mind you. You let them believe they could have EVERY TOY they ever wanted while you sent them off to someone else to raise. You forgot to teach them that EVERY generation owes a debt of gratitude to those that came before them, those that cam WITH them, and those that will follow them. They scare the shit out of me!

They have no manners or societal obligations and are tramping all over anyone that gets in their way! The shit storm they will produce over their inability to attain anything close to what you have attained will be horrendous!

They are unable to recognize the value of a family because they DON'T have one!

Your parents WERE families. They did VALUE family. I know they did because I had the pleasure of their company as a child INSTEAD of my parents company! You have NOT fooled some of us into believing you did the best you could for your children.

Not all of you fit this mold, but take a good hard look at those around you and tell me what percentage of your generation do you think fits that mold? I would venture to say the percentage is MUCH higher than any generation previous to yours. Sadly, my generation is making the same mistakes at an even bigger percentage rate!

[evlbstrd]

159. Not my kids.

I'm vintage '56. I grew up in a large family with nothing. I have two kids, and we still have nothing. They earn what they have.

[ultraist]

36. Generation Xers are already bumping Baby boomers off the stage

It's all about the benjamins.

excerpts:

http://www.detnews.com/2005/editorial/0502/22/A15-94794.htm

Generation Xers were defined as people 21-40. Baby boomers are 41-59.
For years, the culture has been dominated by baby boomers, and being one, I've enjoyed the ride. But I just saw the first sign that Generation X has begun to nudge us offstage. We still have the biggest numbers. There are 80 million baby boomers compared to 60 million Gen Xers. But at age 25 to 40, Gen X is at the prime of life in the eyes of marketers.

Baby boomers are 41 to 59. That doesn't interest advertisers as much. We're said to be more set in our ways when it comes to purchases, so why bother pitching to us?

I used to feel sorry for Gen Xers because they went through their formative years when disco was high culture. They were called slackers, but that was probably an unfair rap given them by baby boomers who felt superior because we once protested. I remember '60s icon Abbie Hoffman dissing Gen X by saying college campuses had become "hotbeds of rest."

I also found an article in the National Law Journal arguing that Gen X is now a dominant part of the jury pool, and should be taken seriously for the following reason: "The oldest among Gen X are ... preparing to take over leadership positions from retiring baby boomers." The article went on to say that yet another "named" generation is about to help push us off. Many have referred to it as "Generation Y," but the more accepted name these days is the "Net Generation," as in "Internet." The Law Journal observed: "The oldest net-gens are graduating from college and entering the work force. At roughly 80 million, the net gen rivals the infamous boomers in number."

[SoCalDem]

38. "retiring Baby Boomers"?? Haaaahhhhhaaaa you make joke

We will drop dead at work, if we are lucky enough to hang onto those jobs :P

[driver8]

136. I am 42 and have NOTHING in common with the "boomers" or

"the gen-Xers." I don't remember Kennedy being assassinated, I never protested the Vietnam war, and I was too young to give a shit about Woodstock. Why is my generation lumped in with the boomers???

[mtnester]

144. You are with me, officially a "Tweener"...

so far at the tale end of boomers and not quite a Gen X.

Hey, I was 15 when Ho Chi Ming City fell. I was 18 when disco finally died. I was 20 when John Lennon died. I was more upset when I was 17 in 1977 when Skynyrd's plane crashed in October.

I remember Bobby Kennedy's funeral as something that pre-empted morning cartoons. I do not relate with the boomer generation at all...they are my PARENTS.

[blogbear]

5. As many in the 'boomer' and other preceding generations I won't

receive a pension and am pretty sure of being 'pushed' out of the way. Oh, BTW, I still love you all too!

[brokensymmetry]

7. I think it's a bigger mess than you realize.

Between the greatest generation and the boomers (I being a boomer...), the world added about 4.5 billion people. Much of this is due to the green revolution, which began in the early 1950's.

It's called population overshoot. And as petroleum goes into short supply, and the globe warms, the underlying mechanics of the green revolution cease to function.

Bottom line - global population will revert to pre-green revolution levels. Over a century or less - possibly a lot less - the 4.5 billion people I mentioned earlier are likely to die.

You have your work cut out for you. You may not love us quite as much in a quarter century or so. :7

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

8. LOL.. I can relate.

My dad (age 56)loves his generation (Baby Boomers) and he seems to think that most people in my generation are lazy slackers (Gen X... I'm 26 btw), although he knows I'm a hard worker. He seems to think I'm a special exception to the rule. I have no idea why this stereotype exists.

[SoCalDem]

17. I feel real angst for my kids.. (I am a '49-er)

At least when I came of age, I could afford to live on my measly wages..

I earned $3hr working at the largest bank in my town..and they made sure i earned every cent of that $3 :)

At least the early boomers had a taste of what it might be like to earn enough to live comfortably... until it all went horribly wrong..

Some things I have been ablt to do that my kids NEVER will..

I have walked in a pristine rainforest...
I have seen flocks of parrots that blocked out the sun
I have climbed (small) mountains in the Rockies and not seen a single sign of civilization on the horizon
I have walked miles of unpolluted EMPTY beaches
I have been able to drink (safely) from mountain streams
I have paid 19.9 cents a gallon for gas
I have had (at times in my life) insurance that was cheap and paid FULLY for lengthy hospital stays
I have had the ability to walk away from a $17hr job to stay home & go to watch high school practice games of my "last baby at home"..
I have been able to write out a check for bills without looking into my checkbook to see if there was enough money
I have been able to buy what we WANTED at the grocery, and not just what we "could afford"..

I fear that my own kids (at least 2 of them) may not be able to do these.. I KNOW it's too late for some of my "have dones"..:(

[aeolian]

24. You're right.

At least half of our angst and cynicism comes from envy of you guys and what you had. :)

Just so you know.

[SoCalDem]

27. It was just that we were born when we were..

and the cynicism is applicable to people before us.. 1993 was the FIRST time that "one of us" had any real power.. Prior to Bill Clinton things have always been run by people 40 years older than we were (at any given age).. and they still are, only as we age, we are getting more "crumbs", but the cookies are mostly gone by now:(

[CBHagman]

157. Oh, DO TELL US WHAT WE HAD.

My, aren't we the informed one! I am dying of curiosity to hear just what it was I had for the last 46 years. Let's see if you can guess and I'll tell you how right you are.

If I have to read one more article, editorial, or post containing ridiculous generalizations about any generation, I will...

Never mind. I'm not going to provide details.

[Warpy]

9. Every generation that's come along has been as bumptious as you are

and every generation that's come along has found the job to be much more than they can handle, and has blamed the preceding generations for their inability to change the world into Utopia.

Those who are ignorant of history really are condemned to repeat it.

Enjoy the ride, child.

[aeolian]

25. Wow, I'm accused of not knowing my history an awful lot lately.

[aeolian]

11. With any luck, there may be another generation someday to bitch about me.

here's hoping. :toast:

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

12. They're already here. They're just not old enough yet

to bitch that much.

[BamaGirl]

137. Lol, I got an 8yo and a 9yo you need to meet if you

believe this lol. God help us all if they ever get a public soapbox. I'm definitely raising them right lol. ;)

[bicentennial_baby]

13. Hehe, I'm with ya

28 here, hoping the world apocalypses before I'm an alpo-eating, neglected senior citizen... Hopefully it'll be like Futurama, and we'll have suicide machines on every corner. :P

[Diane R]

14. We stopped a war.

Read your history. The boomers stopped the war. We marched, we protested, we stopped traffic and shut down colleges. Finally, our parents realized we were right, and the politicians had no choice but to end their profit making war.

I have protested every war since 1969. These days, I look around and mostly see people my age walking with signs and bullhorns. I wonder what will happen to the anti-war movement when we are gone?

Yes. We got stuck with george bush. What a huge embarrassment. He wasn't representative of his generation then, and he isn't now.

I think the pre-boomer generation is the one that has caused problems! LOL. They didn't have to fight in a war (between Korea and Vietnam), and entered the work force during posperity. Their kids came after Vietnam, and before bush. They padded their retirement funds during the Clinton boom years.

Us boomers got hit with Vietnam, and entered the work force during the recession. Started our families during the bad economy in the early 1980's. Now, the money we saved to put our kids through college got decimated by the post 9/11 and bush economy, tuition is rising, and our kids are facing Iraq. And, bush wants to take away Social Security and Medicare for our retirement.

I am embarrassed that so many of the 'peace' generation now seem to vote Republican. I guess that's what happens when you are raised watching television.

[aeolian]

22. Ya see? And we're STILL getting lectured!!!

We go from

"Read your history. The boomers stopped the war. We marched, we protested, we stopped traffic and shut down colleges. Finally, our parents realized we were right, and the politicians had no choice but to end their profit making war."

to

"I am embarrassed that so many of the 'peace' generation now seem to vote Republican. I guess that's what happens when you are raised watching television."


Sounds like grownups lecturing highschoolers about drug use, doesn't it?



:)

PS don't take this personally. You started with "read your history." That friendly jab opens you up to a friendly retort from me. This is just chivlary in action. I'll take us all out for drinks later.

[caledesi]

42. We did stop the insane war in Vietnam....That I am PROUD of

What generation today will stop the total insantity of invading an unarmed country (Iraq) under false pretenses and NO ONE calls * to task on this while our troops are dying daily.

Well, no draft, heh? No problem for your ass!

[aeolian]

44. ...and it only took you ten years.

Your generation is ordering these invasions, and my generation is dying for it.

And I'm STILL being taken seriously!!!

[Diane R]

131. Not even close.

Oh, my generation did plenty of dying. My own brother, for starters. Khe Sahn, Hill 881. Marine medic, 19 years old, two weeks after he left home. I would never minimalize the war in Iraq, in fact that is why I am so vehemently anti-war. But, when it comes to a generation dying in a war, we aren't anywhere close to what happen to the boomers in Vietnam, or to the WWII generation.

[caledesi]

132. Agree. Thank you Diane.

Yes, it was 10 years, but remember, Nixon said he had a "secret plan" to end the war. Hello? He didn't. Lies, all lies. Yes it took a long time, but we were tenacious.

Let's see what happens in Iraq. We will be there forever, until some "generation" protests.

[aeolian]

146. You don't see yourselves turning into your parents here?

You actually believed that he had a secret plan? You're saying that it took ten years because you thought Nixon was going to do it all for you?

Why, oh why, is this thread even taken seriously?

C'mon, drinks on me.

[Pepperbelly]

15. fucking whippersnappers! nt

[aeolian]

20. LOL!

:rofl:

Now THAT deserves a beer. My treat. :toast:

[Pepperbelly]

26. This morning, I laughed aloud when I thought about ...

the kits for trouble-making Bart Simpson always gets ... the Lil' Bastard series. I thought about when I was young and had heard the same expletive first hand --"You lil' bastards! Get outta here before I call the cops!"

It was a tossup which would come out in the referenced post.

:D

[SoCalDem]

21. or "Son of Boomer"

:)

[bobthedrummer]

18. I'm not Skittles, but I'll kick your ass if you badmouth boomers

without sarcasm alerts-we've really been misrepresented and some stereotypes need to be negated, once and for all.
:smoke:

[aeolian]

23. Holy shit! One of my humble threads has passed 20 replies!

It's icon is now on fire.

Amazing how flamebait does that.

[SoCalDem]

29. FIRE!!!!!!! Yay for you !!!!

:)

[Hosnon]

28. I'm with you on that:

No offense to the Greatest Generation but they at least didn't have to toss and turn trying to decide who was the bad guy. Kill Hitler and stop Germany and Japan.

And the Baby Boomers...haha, thanks mom and dad! I think Clinton and Bush perfectly sum up that generation.

And us, whatever we are (1982), who knows...we are gonna get to see the decline of American supremacy and perhaps not be as hard-headed (greatest) or as spoiled (boomers).

But we will have our Great Flaw too - can't wait to start working on my little piece of that puzzle:)

[marions ghost]

151. LOL--if clinton and bush

perfectly sum up the baby boomers, then we boomers should just commit mass suicide right now. GW especially is just an offshoot of his parents generation, more like them than different. The boomers I know have not had it easy either--especially those who are not in the employ of some large corporate entity. All these "generation gaps" are hype, more mythology than truth. Oh sure, there are some common characteristics of generations, but a whole generation is not "spoiled" and responsible for everybody's problems. (It's also a little early to judge the boomers). It's going to take everyone who cares working together to address the world's problems now. Several generations may share the same time span on earth, but it's only a blip on the big timeline.

[Dr Fate]

30. Yeah- but the music & TV shows are still the best.

n/t

[Hardrada]

31. I am a War Child

Born in 1944. I had my formative years in the late 1940's and early 1950's. I have always been appalled by Boomers and wish there were more of my age group but the War kept people very busy overseas.

[SoCalDem]

33. Boomer Generation is almost TOO wide of a time frame..

44-49 ers were NOT a large part of the 80's decadence.. we WERE part of the gas lines, double digit home interest, wage & price freezes, Viet Nam (at its worst), and so much more.. We were mostly trying to raise our kids, and keep jobs in the mid 70's to early 80's.. The "after-shock Boomers were the ones who got into the "bad habits" and decadence of the 80's & early 90's..

When people say Boomers, they encapsulate a LOT of years.. The Boomers born after '55 were Kids during the waning years of Viet Nam, and came of age during the "Gordon Gecko" and "Dynasty" era..; The early Boomers were Leave it to Beaver, Father Knows Best, The Donna Reed Show,Romper Room and Sid Caesar kids..

[Hardrada]

52. Another of the War Child characteristics is that we were also

still radio kids. Until I was 10 we had no television and I enjoyed such things as the Jack Benny Show and exciting shows like Suspense. But another characteristic is that we read a lot and played outside a lot, inventing our own imaginary worlds.

[SoCalDem]

We had no TV until I was about 6 or 7

but we lived in Panama on a base, so when we DID get TV, all we got was re-run after re-run of the 1956 republican convention :eyes:

Not exactly "must-see" tv...

and I Love Lucy..

[aeolian]

34. Wow...the lost generation...

You're right, there aren't many of you, are there?

How'd you like to be an honorary member of Generation X/Y/Z/whatever like me? We'll give you a new birthdate of, oh, say 1975, a new music collection, and an injection that will make you dark, moody, and cynical.

[Hardrada]

51. I am already d, m & c. Thanks for the invite though!

My birthday is symmetrical (11/22/44) so I'll probably keep it. My music is classical so everyone has shared it. Yes, I am a lot closer to you guys in mood and outlook.

[catzies]

153. So were my parents -- so they weren't boomers and neither am I

In my experience, no one born at the very tail-end of the boom (62-64) relates to the real boomers at all, unless they had older brothers and sisters.

[caledesi]

32. Most of all of your post is just plain wrong.

I am a baby-boomer and I can tell u this. Sex,drugs, and rock n roll were hyped big-time. Most of my friends did occasional pot, sex and lots of rock n roll.

BTW, get your facts straight...the so-called "greatest" generation from the book was NOT ours...it was the one before us that got the meme "greatest generation."

As a baby-boomer I am PROUD that we were probably the first generation that questioned the establishment. What a concept for us young people! We were not thinking about new cars, CEO jobs etc., we were concerned about the welfare of most Americans. But, we did have a lot of great accomplishments that have been overlooked. It really slays me when some 20-something female lawyer, doctor etc chides the baby-boomers.

Hey, if it wasn't for us they would not be a law, medical school. Women made up 1/10 of these schools...not its about half. Yeah, we were SO bad wanted "women's lib."

Gays, civil rights...yeah we FOUGHT for it. I was in DC in 1968 during the assassinations of Bobby Kennedy and MLK and the "poor peoples march"...and I can tell you what a scene. We were very aware of what injustice was and we fought.

Vietnam was prob the worst tragedy in history (course, Iraq could trump that). Longest war in history...lost friends.. we were against it and guess what? We were right! It was wrong, based on Gulf of Tonkin lies from Johnson. Oh yes, we were hip to that. Meanwhile, people died for NOTHING. Notice how LBJ didnt run again, bec he got the word. Dems DONT support you. Don't run. He didn't.

Kent State comes to mind. We tried, but the war and the dying just kept goin on. (kinda like today).

I will agree w/ one of your points...parenting. We screwed up big-time w/ that. When the role of the central figure in the family changes (mother) the family changes. Didn't think of that.

Excuse me, but under the Clinton (baby-boomer) admninistration, we were doing pretty well. Aren't u happy the 8 years of PEACE and PROSPERITY are over? Yeah, sounds like you like a bad economy, borrow and spend presidency, war 24/7, no surplus....just debt. Who is the lazy baby-boomer? Try G W Bush. Mr AWOL, Mr "affirmative action" for the rich. Talk about lazy! Spends more time on the pig ranch than in the WH.

Don's ever call the baby-boomer generation lazy. We were anything BUT lazy and this why YOU have the opportunities you have today.

Peace out -

[aeolian]

35. Same lecture, every time.

"Don's ever call the baby-boomer generation lazy. We were anything BUT lazy and this why YOU have the opportunities you have today."

...where have I heard that before...? hmmm...



PS You guys have GOT to stop taking me seriously. It's not good for anyone's blood pressure.

[Pepperbelly]

37. Lil' bastard!

Stop it or I'll call the cops.

[SoCalDem]

39. We'll STOP this car....

:spank:

[aeolian]

40. He started it!

[SoCalDem]

41. reaches right arm over seat.... waves it wildly

:scared:

damned crew-cuts..

[caledesi]

43. You need this "lecture" because it is so salient vis-a-vis today's

war in Iraq and the lies of *. He should be "called to task" like Johnson was.

As an aside, didn't Nixon have a "secret" plan concerning Vietnam? Oh, that's right, he was too concerned about Watergate.

[aeolian]

47. k.

:freak:

[leftofthedial]

45. pension?

what pension?

[aeolian]

46. I dunno. Some greek myth or something.

[mitchum]

48. You do realise that the exhibitionist naval-gazers you are rightly...

catigating are going to get very defensive?
Take heart in the knowledge that they will die before you.

[aeolian]

49. They already have.

I've been accused of not knowing my history at least twice in this thread already. And I've been "called on the carpet" by hippies with mortgages.

It's high school all over again.

Why do people take me seriously?

[tom_paine]

50. You must have bought the "Lil' Bastard Flamefest Start Up Kit"

:evilgrin:

[aeolian]

53. No comment at this time.

:evilgrin:

[Digit]

134. OMG that is too funny of a comeback!

Ya have to hand it to her for sheer nerve.

My daughter is her age and realizes I have no pension, no fallback.
My daughter, luckily, is alot more compassionate of older folks.
Give this poster a break, she just hasn't had contact with boomers who are having difficult times. I would bet if she met you one on one, she wouldn't piss in your Cherrios.
Would YOU???

[aeolian]

141. ...I'm a guy...

*checks penis* Yep, definately a male. :)


And I work in a lab-full of boomers. I know you guys well, and do love you all, believe it or not.

Don't take me too seriously. :toast:

[Digit]

154. Dear Pecker Checker....I stand corrected n/t

[daleo]

54. You'll find out when you reach the top.

You're on the bottom.

[Cleita]

55. I hope you guys take up something.

We're old and tired.

After, stopping the Vietnam war, fighting for civil rights and women's rights, ending the cold war and getting sexual freedom rights out of the Dark Ages, we don't have much fight left.

Yes, it is your turn now.

[SoCalDem]

56. Amen, Cleita...

add to your list, taking care of aging parents/grandparents..while working 2 or 3 jobs so OUR kids would not suffer the loss of income..

We are sandwich people.. Our parents' parents died younger (as a rule), so once they reached adulthood, they had only their own progeny to care for.. My grandparents had both passed away before MY mother was 32. She inherited 4 houses, and never had to pay rent/house payment... EVER... There are many parents today being cared for by CHILDREN in their 60's and 70's.. I am NOT saying that I wish those oldies to "check-out"..just pointing it out...

The excellent medical care they have gotten in the last 20 years will probably not be available to many of US, so our children may be "off the hook"..:(

[aeolian]

57. :)

stopping the Vietnam war (took you ten years): Gulf Wars I and II

civil rights : what is it? a quarter of all black men in prison?

women's rights : women STILL earning $0.80 to a man's $1.00

ending the cold war : a shiny new war on terror

getting sexual freedom rights out of the Dark Ages : pharmacists refusing to fill birth control scripts, sodomy laws, court battles over marraige.





This is fun! I wonder if I can get this thread locked? Maybe I'll get banned!!!

[Pepperbelly]

58. sounds like a job for Superman!

Look, up in the sky ... it's a bird ... it's a plane ...

Show us how it's done sonnie! :eyes:

[aeolian]

59. Touche! LOL

I'm glad most people are taking this in the spirit of silliness in which it was meant.

[Cleita]

64. Well, so nice of you to make fun of what we did accomplish.

But you are going back to the fifties if you don't do something about it. Sure we didn't accomplish all, but back before the feminist movement women made 63 cents to the dollar a man made with less education and fewer skills than a women had to have. No woman got promoted beyond a middle management position. No woman drove for a living or could be a bartender or work in certain fields like construction. Universities like Cal-Tech and MIT did not accept women.

So we did open up a lot of opportunities. This is something young women don't realize. They always thought the opportunities were always there. They weren't. Also, there are those men lurking in the background, who want to go back there and will do it if you guys don't finish the job.

Hey, young ladies you are going to really enjoy wearing a skirt and high heels to work everyday with a girdle and stockings underneath it. It's really comfortable for a day of typing and filing or waiting tables if that is what you do. You are gonna love getting layed off because you are pregnant and if you are single a pregnant, fired.

Sorry, if I'm not laughing right now. Maybe you guys deserve to have everything taken away from you that we accomplished so that you will know what it's like when you don't have them. The way things are going you will. Incidentally, you couldn't get birth control pills unless you were married and you had to ask the pharmacist for condoms.

[SoCalDem]

69. I was asked at a job interview (1971) what kind of birth control we used

It was standard,, The explanation was that they didn't want to "waste" training on someone who would get pregnant and quit :eyes:

[Cleita]

73. Yes, but apparently getting employers not to

ask these questions among many other discriminatory practices is enough for these spoiled brats. We didn't do enough.

Bawawawawa!!!

[SoCalDem]

77. We also had a "sick-in" in order to get "permission" to wear pantsuits

to work.. The separate dress code book (yes there was actually a book with examples of appropriate attire)in 1975...

Unitl then, women had to wear skirts/dresses that covered the knee, stockings, nothing sleeveless or even short-sleeved...No "dangle" earrings, or "extreme" hairdos..

The men's "book"..

slacks, shirts with collars..leather shoes, belts.. ties and coats optional..

[Cleita]

86. I had a big fight with my company over that too.

Can you imagine working in automotive department with a garage in high heels and a skirt, yet I had to, climbing ladders and slipping over greasy floors? I finally got to wear pants and canvas shoes. I was too valuable to let go, but if I hadn't been such skilled worker for what I did, they would have fired me.

[Digit]

135. OMG, I remember High School in the 60's....

Women had to wear skirts or dresses to the KNEE. You had to kneel to make sure your skirt/dress met the floor.
No earrings allowed. You had to wear a thread through your ear if you had pierced ears. I was sent home for this. This was a public high school.
No culottes...I was sent home for wearing some. I was SUCH a rebel!
We fought and fought and fought for women to wear slacks. My senior year in high school, we were able to wear slacks.

If you watched television back then, women were waxing floors in fancy dresses and catering to men.
Things change slowly, but we were able to affect a change.

They wouldn't show Elvis on TV below the waist due to it being too suggestive.

Rape laws? Much better now.
Sexual harassment laws? They was non-existant before...you were on your own.

We affected a helluva lot. You are just too young to realize it. The cogs of the wheel move slowly. You are in charge of keeping the wheel moving.

[SoCalDem]

145. My friend and I made the front page of our paper..(we were rebels)

The Mini skirt was all the "thing" then and schools were fightiing us in the hallways EVERY DAY...so we wore frontier dresses one day..complete with the floppy bonnets..They DID cover our knees:evilgrin:

They wanted to send us home to "change" and we refused to leave.. The school paper took a picture and sent it to the local paper, and there we were/..on the front page/..

I was in the Drama dept (and so was my friend) so we just raided the costume cabinet...

Apparently the statement we made did make a difference, because they no longer "rulered" our skirts after that :)

Of course no pants were allowed at all.. and even the boys could not wear jeans..

The was PUBLIC school too !

[Lydia Leftcoast]

155. And before the 1960s...

WHAT birth control pills?

And before the 1970s...
WHAT abortion rights?

What do you mean, the only jobs in the Help Wanted Women column are for clerical workers, nurses, waitresses, and hotel maids?

[MuseRider]

71. Knowing the spirit in

this thread I would just like to comment, tongue in cheek of course. We are fucking TIRED and OLD. We started all of those things (and that took some doing) but at some point somebody has to finish it for us. I blame you all for sitting on your asses and letting us continue to fight while struggling with our walkers and blood pressure meds. Whippersnappers? I only wish.

Don't get this locked, it is kinda fun and very informative.

[aeolian]

79. Don't worry, I don't really want this locked

Nor did I want the vitriol, really.

But it IS fun to watch people whine when their pride is hurt.

[MuseRider]

89. Gotta tell you,

mine was at first. Seriously, some of us really went out and worked our asses off and have continued to do so. I wish I could claim to be one. I did what I could but it wasn't nearly what some here have done. For me now IS the prime time, my kids are in college and I have the time to really buckle down and fight. Since the rest of my family is dead I don't have to worry about taking care of them anymore so what else do I do with my retirement?

I raised my children well, that I do know. I think most everyone of you from that generation who is here and paying attention were raised well so we are not all bad boomers. In the elections I have worked in locally I have had the pleasure to work with many of your generation and while some of what you all feel and believe goes well over my aging head I can say that I have honestly come to have a lot of respect for you. Not only do you have your hearts and heads in the right place you work yourselves hard but you need to motivate the rest of your generation. What will work? I hope it does not take a draft.

Is it possible we all make mistakes but in our aging can come together and make this work?

Too serious....now go outside and pull some weeds and get off that damned XBox. :pals:

[aeolian]

94. This is a thread full of grand, sweeping generalizations.

Nothing personal is intended by any of my posts. And I meant what I said in my original post: I do love you all.

And we have to come together to make this work. The other side already has. :hide:

You're right. Too serious. But I don't wanna pull weeds today! Can't I do it tomorrow?

[MuseRider]

126. Ahh, never mind

I already did it myself. :)

Love you all too.

[mitchum]

61. But that type of exagerrated and absurd self-congratulation is...

one of the reasons your generation earns the contempt of the original poster. Wow! You guys did ALL of those things? With no self-interest at stake? Amazing how you guys had no hand in ANY of the bad things that have occured during your precious lifetime.
Face it, you were catered to by the media and marketers ONLY because of the vast numbers in your demographic. That is the reason you guys have always been told that the sun shines out of your asses. Nothing more.

[aeolian]

65. Goddamn!

"Face it, you were catered to by the media and marketers ONLY because of the vast numbers in your demographic. That is the reason you guys have always been told that the sun shines out of your asses. Nothing more."

That's cold. Nice. :evilgrin:

[mitchum]

66. It may be cold, but it is the truth

[aeolian]

68. Hence my evil grin smiley.

:evilgrin:

[mitchum]

75. Just wait for religion to get even bigger as they start to get close...

enough to tell the color of the Reaper's eyes. If you think they have already constructed society to their whims and "needs", you ain't seen nothing yet...
It won't be pretty.

[Cleita]

70. I'll bet you were the generation that got catered to.

One nice thing about my generation that you guys don't have was a free education all through university level, yet you let the right wing politicians take that away from you because you voted for the wrong people. Enjoy paying those student loans. All you could see was that tax cut.

:evilgrin:

[mitchum]

82. You've got some freaking nerve, saying that I voted for the wrong people

Somehow I don't think sperm, eggs, children and teenagers voted Reagan and Bush into office. Look amongst your sainted generational peers.
Hope you enjoyed your free college education (you couldn't resist rubbing that in, could you Sunshine?)That's fine. We will bury you. Literally.

[Cleita]

84. Yes, you will because it won't be long for me.

Many of you were old enough to vote just for those very guys, twelve years of those guys. I can guarntee you, it wasn't us. Well, enjoy your world that you made.

[aeolian]

87. Ummm...I was 2 when Regan took office...

[Cleita]

93. Yes, but it;'s not all about you is it?

I know I didn't vote for him, so who did? Oh, all those new eighteen year olds that didn't want to pay taxes.

[aeolian]

98. 'cause 18-year-olds have always voted in record numbers.

[Cleita]

67. That's bull.

I don't understand the contempt, other than they don't understand what we did change for the better. However, future generations stand to lose it all if they don't start working to keep their rights.

Right now my generation is trying to get health care to cover all generations and we don't have to because we have Medicare. But when I read shit like this I wonder why I should bother. Screw all of you and the pampered strollers you rode in on.

When we are gone, you will be on your own and what you don't accomplish will be your fault. No one else's.

[aeolian]

74. Who pampered those strollers?

Jeeeze, you'd think you guys were the only ones who ever did anything.


"Right now my generation is trying to get health care to cover all generations and we don't have to because we have Medicare."

You do realize that the people you're fighting against are also, by and large, of your generation? You know, the generation in power?



"When we are gone, you will be on your own and what you don't accomplish will be your fault. No one else's."

We never expected anything else. Sad, huh?

[Cleita]

78. I don't see you guys doing anything to get

the bad guys out of our government. When I was in my twenties, we were doing protests, sit-ins, having meetings, publishing flyers to reach people. Many got arrested for trying to change things. I and many others got fired from jobs because we did strikes for better wages for women and better opportunities. We finally got the law behind us and laws were passed that you are benefitting from today.

You guys are sitting around blaming us for not doing enough. Get off your butts and do something for yourselves for a change. We've been there and done that.

[aeolian]

80. Oh, man, this might just make it to 100 posts!

Drinks all around if it does!

:toast:

[mitchum]

76. It is not bull, but the truth about marketing, media, and demographics

[Cleita]

81. Oh and like you guys haven't been marketed too?

Newsflash! Bush wouldn't be president today if you guys hadn't been marketed to. They knew our generation was wise to them so they did the whole Faux, blow-dried, lip glossed MTV news for you guys.

And your generation fell for it.

[mitchum]

83. And YOUR generation are the ones doing the marketing

I didn't fall for Faux, but did you fall for Tim Leary? The Maharishi?

[Cleita]

88. I didn't do drugs. Most of us didn't.

The so-called hippies that followed those two guys were spoiled rich kids rebelling against their parents, not society, like we were. They went on to become Republicans. All those marketers that are boomers probably are Republicans. We who were the liberals didn't just drop back into society to emerge as soccer moms and whatever bothers you.

We did get old and tired though so we can't fight the battle anymore.

[mitchum]

99. This may surprise you, but we do agree...

You are absolutely correct about "the so-called hippies" who were merely following "the church of what's happening now" who did become republicans.
I guess that I'm as annoyed by blanket defenses of the boomers, as you are by blanket condemnations. And I do sincerely appreciate the battles fought by the truly committed members of your generation.

peace (and I'm not being arch or sarcastic)

[Pepperbelly]

106. blah-blah-blah ...

I smoked pot. Still do. Hell, virtually everyone I knew in college except for a few did. Some became gops. More did not.

[Cleita]

112. Well, there were those of us who didn't and still don't

Many of us didn't have the money. I barely could afford beer on the weekend. I wasn't into the mind altering experience then anyway. I liked having a clear mind most of the time and I didn't want to be hauled off to jail for possession like many of my peers were. I am making up for it though with the drugs I'm being given for my Shingles and Bells Palsy. So what I missed in those experiences back then, I'm enjoying now. :-)

[Pepperbelly]

114. finally getting in with the "in crowd" ...

:smoke:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

156. Mitchum, the people who are posting on DU

are by and large NOT the ones who screwed up your life.

They may be found at certain other websites or in the Letters column of the Wall Street Journal.

What I've noticed at current poitical events, by the way, is lots of boomers, lots of high schoolers and college students, and almost no GenXers.

[mitchum]

158. Lydia, I am aware of that (see post 99)

And I do appreciate you guys who fought, and continue to fight, the good fight.

[JanMichael]

129. ERA down, Poverty decreases owed to WWII leaders, Cold War ended...

...by the USSR not the US (Does this myth need busting AGAIN???), as for sex y'all turned filth into the norm.

Bravo!

[entanglement]

60. I'm a GenXer myself

and the only virtue of our generation is cynicism, truckloads of it. We have no imagination, very little culture (XBOXes don't count) and are the most selfish bastards e'er to inhabit this earth. We've taken the cult of 'me' to an extreme. Thank you, fellow genXers, for helping complete the process of transforming ladies and gentlemen into bitches and pimps.
:nopity:

[mitchum]

62. And who were your parents who instilled those "values"?

Boomers maybe?

[entanglement]

85. Wait, don't even get me started on Boomers.

:rant:

Boomers think they're the next best thing that happened after sliced bread. Sorry, get over it already. You boomers stuffed yourself full of LSD, humped like bunnies and flashed the middle finger to everyone you met and thought you were cool. Then you grew a bit older, took all of us to Conservative Hell (Reagan / Bush) and saddled us with record deficits. You've now lost the wild look, wear suits and call for 'personal responsibility'. Yeah, right. :sarcasm:

[Pepperbelly]

90. you are dead wrong on every single thing you said except ...

for ony tiny phrase.

"You boomers stuffed yourself full of LSD, humped like bunnies and flashed the middle finger to everyone you met and thought you were cool."

That part is true. Still true as we are very clearly much cooler than you and if we still had the finger icon, I would show it to you.

Every other thing that you said, as for my life and what I've done, is absolutely dead wrong. You seem to be bitter. Tough shit. Buck up and quit sniveling.

Show me that you can do it better. Until then, you're just another mouth-spouting whippersnapper. And who really gives a shit anyway?

[aeolian]

91. LOL!

"That part is true. Still true as we are very clearly much cooler than you and if we still had the finger icon, I would show it to you."

You sure you're not a GenX-er? You've got the attitude. :)

[entanglement]

97. LOL LOL LOL

"mouth-spouting whippersnapper..."

:rofl: :rofl:

I swear I had NOOO intention of offending you (or anyone else), I wrote both my replies because it seemed to me people were taking things WAAYYY too seriously and I wanted to lighten things up by posting stereotypical charges traded by both generations. If you're still angry, may I suggest a :beer: or :beer: :beer:

[aeolian]

101. See? We're never serious about hurting our elders.

We just like to mouth-off. :) We're kooky that way.


EDIT: and I wouldn't worry about Pepperbelly. He's one of those "cool" grown-ups. :evilgrin:

[Pepperbelly]

104. angry?

LOL

Ask anyone who knows me about that one.

[mitchum]

102. Good thing that you guys now have Viagara so that you can...

continue your sex and drugs "cool" combination in your dotage :)

[Pepperbelly]

109. viagra ... i don need no stinkin' viagra!

I don't have enough interest to justify spending the money. :D

[aeolian]

63. Great. Now we're being cynical about ourselves. That'll help.

NOT!


:evilgrin:

[entanglement]

72. See how right I was about the cynicism?

:P

[Mabel Dodge]

92. I've gotta throw my 2 cents in, over population is the problem.

I'm a boomer and unlike most of my contemporaries, my husband and I decided not to have kids. We took a look at the world back in the early 80's and knew it would be a sin to bring more kids into this over populated world.

Over population really is the problem. Each generation now has to make do with less than the generation before it. All generations should have plenty of food, a clean earth, and opportunities, but it won't happen if we keep breeding like rats.

Before you bring a child into this world, make sure you really have the resources mentally, physically and financially to do the job right, otherwise don't do it.

If you do bring a child into this world, stop at one. We don't need more people. It's human nature to not value what we have an excess of. It's criminal not to value children.

[H2O Man]

95. Don't trust anyone

under thirty.

[aeolian]

96. Or over 18.

:hide:

[aeolian]

100. Oh, yeah! 100 baby!

My best thread ever! And all I had to do was start an inter-generational flame war!

Drinks all around! Well done, everyone. And thank you.
:toast:

[SoCalDem]

103. Of course, you know what this makes YOU!!!

or

?vvv because this one's naughty

[aeolian]

105. ROFL!

:rofl:

Best post-whore graphic EVER!

[entanglement]

110. If you want to strart a flame-war and are looking for

someone to bash BOTH sides, I'm the man you're looking for :evilgrin:

[aeolian]

120. The first is "never get involved in a land war in Asia."

But only slightly less well-known is this: "Never go in against a Sicillian when death is on the line!"



I don't know why that made me think of that...

[Daphne08]

107. Hey Kid!

I'm too old and too tired to even reply.

Now where are my granny glasses?

:smoke:

[aeolian]

111. Your glasses?

I sold them for drugs. :)

[Daphne08]

113. Oh Yeah?

Well, I still have my teeth and you can't have them!

:rofl:

[Pepperbelly]

116. fucking whippersnappers!

Always with the smart comments and your bicycle racing.

[aeolian]

118. ...er...bicycle racing?

damn, that stopped me dead in my tracks.

:spray:

[Cleita]

108. I don't really care. The world is your oyster now.

Trash it or make it livable for yourself. The world is the ony home you will ever have, so why not make it into a nice one? Don't expect the maid service to come around and do it for you anymore. Our walkers are getting in the way of the mop.

I'm outta here.

[demodonkey]

115. Hey kid, pull up your pants and make a difference in the world -if you can

The boomers did.

[aeolian]

117. Please read the previous 114 posts.

This has been discussed.

:toast:

[demodonkey]

119. Can't see... my eyes are gone, sonny... eom

[aeolian]

121. LOL

yeah, sorry about that. I've been stealing a lot of glasses out of this thread. Drugs are expensive now-a-days.

[aeolian]

122. Oh, and I wear my pants around my waist, not my ass.

:thumbsup:

[MuseRider]

127. Just you wait son

soon they will be under your armpits too.

[Pepperbelly]

123. I hope you're happy now, Lil' Bastard!

Damned near a hundred and a quarter posts on this shambling beast of as thread and still no one knows shit from shinola.

Amazing.

[aeolian]

124. Well, my work here is done.

It is amazing, isn't it?

[aeolian]

125. And now, true to form for my generation:

I must log off now. The Simpsons are almost on.

:)

[Princess Turandot]

128. Read Nick Kristof's article over the weekend, eh?..

z

[aeolian]

142. who?

No.

[earth mom]

130. I'm a late boomer....

Born in 1960 and I don't feel like I've ever had it made. My DH (born in 1958) and I have struggled and fought to get anywhere and have anything and we are still struggling to hold on to what little we do have. As well, the evil twig (love that one and borrowed it from another DUer!) has decided to take our Social Security away and because neither DH and I are 55 or over-if * has his way we'll be screwed big time.

Sorry to tell ya but most of us are on this sinking ship together. :nopity:

[kineneb]

133. me too...

born 1958, class of 76. Too young to protest Vietnam and missed most of the music scene. Caught the last wave of good public schools in Cal. before Prop. 13 ruined them. Did get to vote at 18.

Now just poor, and lucky to have house in which to live.

[LiveWire]

138. Generation Yers need to come out of the woodwork and represent!

Babyboomers, blah. GenXers, good start. GenYers, probably the best thing to come around since sliced bread (was that a pre-boomer invention?).
Who has the greatest consistant record for voting Democrat? The Youth. If it were up to the youth of the nation, I really believe we wouldnt be in this problem. Kids (and I used the term lightly as I am 21) are a million times more intelligent than their boomer counterparts 50 years ago. And why are they smart? They have to be. In an age of information, Gen Yers have statistically scored higher on adaptability to different situations. For the vast majority of us come from single-parent families where adaptability is crucial for survival. A generation of self-taught highly adaptable computer technicians has developed, and the funny thing is, no one seems to care.

No one from the other generations, that is. Babyboomers are so full of themselves, that they couldnt imagine their own children surpassing "The Greatest Generation". Gen Xers, I will give the credit to finding the cures for cancer and other such diseases to let the boomers suck social security dry. They also write some good poetry. All the bravado and coffee drinking aside, those generations were great prototypes to an even better batch making its way through the college system as we speak.

From generations of Engineers and Teachers now come men and women from more balanced and diversse backgrounds. Global studies, humanities, and computer science have replaced many traditional studies. Gone are the days when we could hide behind our secure borders and vast oceans. More and more of us are becoming bi and even tri-lingual. WE understnad that english is not the most widely used language in the world, nor are we good at spelling it.

Im not saying that we are genetically predisposed to using technology better than you old people, however, our generation will probably do that work too. I have to say however, that I am looking forward to the point where my generation runs through retirement facilities killing the elderly (according teh republicans, this might happen). There are diamonds in teh rough for the boomers, however, one must understand that diamonds are made from coal, the wave of the future as far as energy is concerned.

Dont take this personally, but God are you people (boomers) stupid.

[Jamison]

139. This makes me wonder something...

if generationism will become a new form of discrimination. There seems to be a lot of angst between some generations. It could get as bad as classism here in America it seems.

[Turd Ferguson]

140. What am I?

As an 18 yr old, What is my generation even called? We're a generation that's watched MTV and the Simpsons our whole lives and are setting record levels of obesity. Things don't bode well.

We do have some good qualities, though. We were the last generation to have good cartoons. I grew up on Bugs Bunny, The Jetsons and The Flintstones just like my parents and most of you. TV Cartoons now are absolute crap. We are pretty good with computers and technology in general. The youth vote was strong for Kerry. This administration is turning a lot of young people into liberals, so at least that has come from this mess.

[newportdadde]

143. I'm 28 is that Gen-X?

I actually remember party telephone lines, no cell phones, car phones for the rich life before the internet and a time when NO SUVs roamed the streets looking for parking lot curbs to prey on.

I must seem a dinosaur to a teenager.

[Jose Diablo]

147. Well, I know one kid that wasn't raised to respect parents

"Then you neglected to raise your kids".

But thats OK. In about 20 years you will have your chance to make your mark.

As for a pain, the children, you are right. Children are a pain, but I don't know any other way to get to grandchildren or I for one would have skipped right through the having and raising children part.

As for creating this shitstorm. I personally didn't create this shitstorm, like all generations we got wealthy that are greedy, so do you. Where were the wizkid geeks when they were supposed to be organizing the computer workers. "Oh, we are too smart to be in unions. We don't need unions. Unions are crooked anyway". Tell me again how smart your generation is.

We had our fight AND won. Have you? I see the Iraq war is still on, and a few puny marches, where are you?

I am ready to step aside and let you have it, but you sure you really want it? Pension sounds good to me.

BTW, I hope you don't mind but I am gonna take it all with me, or spend it on the grandkids before you can get your greedy paws on it.

Have a wonderful life.

Edit: On the other hand, I think I will move in with you. After all you sponged-off me for 23+ years. I have three sons, that gets me to through another 69 years. All the money I spent on you, I want it back.

[aeolian]

148. Well, you certainly know everything about me, don't you?

"but I don't know any other way to get to grandchildren or I for one would have skipped right through the having and raising children part."

You feel the love? I'm feelin' it.

[Jose Diablo]

149. Glad to help you feel the love.

Now get busy, I need that money you owe me.

Edit: Besides, you are only dimly aware of what love is. To your generation it's all touchy/feely feelings. Try this, love looks after the interests of others, not its own self-interest. After you have raised your children, come back and talk to me again about love.

[ArkDem]

150. People try to put us d-down

Just because we get around
Things they do look awful c-c-cold
I hope I die before I get old