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Generations X and Y suffer boomer-angst
The Washington Times ^ | 12-12-05 | Martha Irvine

Posted on 12/12/2005 11:32:10 AM PST by JZelle

CHICAGO -- Abby Lovett's friends would die laughing if they heard her. Here she is in her office at a Chicago advertising agency, the place she spends many a night and weekend, loudly proclaiming that people in her generation need to work less than their baby-boomer parents have. Sure, she's putting in more than 50 hours a week to establish her career. But in her heart, Miss Lovett knows she'll end up miserable if she doesn't eventually find a little balance. To her and many other young adults, "having it all" quickly is becoming a myth, not the mantra it was for boomers who left behind their protest signs and tie-dye to climb the corporate ladder. "No one is happy. Everyone is overworked, overstressed. No one's spending the kind of time that they want with their kids or their spouses or partners. And I think part of that can be attributed to the boomers," says Miss Lovett, 27. You could call it "boomer backlash," or just high anxiety. But as the first of the baby boomers turn 60 next year, it's one of many ways that young adults are feeling conflicted about their graying elders. They both love boomers and love to hate them. They see a talented, successful and outspoken generation that also can be hopelessly dismissive and self-absorbed.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: babyboomers; boomerbacklash; generationx; generationy; genx; workplace
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To: JZelle

I guess you have to blame someone.


21 posted on 12/12/2005 4:22:38 PM PST by dljordan
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To: qam1
are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.

Don't worry, Generation Z, Alpha or Beta will pay for it...

22 posted on 12/12/2005 4:23:15 PM PST by dakine
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To: KellyAdmirer

"Oh, THAT'S never been the case before."

Yes, it's an entirely new concept invented every generation.


23 posted on 12/12/2005 4:23:49 PM PST by dljordan
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To: BunnySlippers
No, some of us simply don't feel like having to pick up the tab for boomers and their government entitlements. Who's paying for their drug benefits? Not the boomers but the generations coming after them and the self-absorbed lot of them could care less.
24 posted on 12/12/2005 4:24:52 PM PST by misterrob
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To: JZelle
I think that materialism is our generation's problem (Xer here..12.28.74 birthday FWIW). We were the first generation raised really on the designer label-- we all had to have Guess jeans and that stupid horse on our shirts and grew up idolizing "Friends". Life is not a Friends episode. It's hard-and it's a wake up call to realize that you have to work hard for what you have and it's not all going to be given to you.

The one thing that I also see is wealthy boomers leaving it all to our generation--this generation sees that and combined with our expensive taste and few of us are doing much saving I think.

25 posted on 12/12/2005 4:26:23 PM PST by lawgirl ("You can try to wipe the memories aside, but it's you that you erase..." Honestly- Billy Corgan)
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To: qam1

Wrong Qam. Most people don't dislike people because of their age.


26 posted on 12/12/2005 4:27:12 PM PST by Melas (What!? Read or learn something? Why would anyone do that, when they can just go on being stupid)
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To: lawgirl

The 20s' had their must wear clothes, 50s/60s also, etc...

Every generation believes they have discovered something new...


27 posted on 12/12/2005 4:35:03 PM PST by dakine
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To: misterrob

Cheese with that whine? You're talking to conservative boomers who have made sure they're taking care of themselves.

Go cry in your double latte and pick this thread up on DU.


28 posted on 12/12/2005 4:37:54 PM PST by BunnySlippers
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To: Tax-chick
Everyone is overworked, overstressed. No one's spending the kind of time that they want with their kids or their spouses or partners. And I think part of that can be attributed to the boomers," says Miss Lovett, 27.

So let me get this straight. She complains that people her age are all stressed out, and blames it on people her parents' age? Typical self-absorbed twentysomething that doesn't want to have to take responsibility for anything. Perhaps she should have some better time management, and a better perspective on what is important in life.

29 posted on 12/12/2005 4:42:04 PM PST by The Phantom FReeper (Have you hugged your soldier today?)
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To: lawgirl
I think that materialism is our generation's problem (Xer here..12.28.74 birthday FWIW).

From what I've seen (I'm an Xer, too [1/10/1971]) Xer's had more pressure put on them to achieve more in a shorter amount of time than previous generations. Materialism may have been a cause of that. (Most Xers I know have Boomer parents. They left their parent's home and immediately felt it necessary to have the latest and greatest because that's what they left. It was "necessary" to have the 46" TV, the DVD player, the higher end furniture, higher end car, etc.) Most Xer homes I visit are decorated better than my parents. (And my parents were the "in between" Generation. They were born during WWII, so they were pre-boomer, but post-depression.)

It's no surprise that if you visit mental hospitals today, a good portion of the clientele are Xers. Burned out at 30. Most are trying to live life like a 45-50 year old, at 25-30.

And Generation Y is even worse. My best friend's brother is 22. He's in grad school (bio engineering) and holding down two jobs, so he can afford better computer equipment than his dad. He already drives a Cadillac. And he's quite the clothes horse -- designer everything. He'll be in therapy before he's 30, too, I bet.
30 posted on 12/12/2005 4:56:24 PM PST by birbear (Admit it. you clicked on the "I have already previewed" button without actually previewing the post.)
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To: The Phantom FReeper

Yes, that was a new level of blame-shifting, in my experience. It's certainly not unusual for young-ish people to be unhappy about this or that - iirc, I wasn't too thrilled at 27 that my husband hadn't finished college yet :-) - but holding the baby-boom generation responsible is a novel approach.


31 posted on 12/12/2005 4:56:54 PM PST by Tax-chick ("You don't HAVE to be a fat pervert to speak out about eating too much and lack of morals." ~ LG)
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To: RadioAstronomer

As long as the batteries last.


32 posted on 12/12/2005 5:08:11 PM PST by bvw
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To: BunnySlippers
don't suck the life out of us with your entitlement needs or come wining when you spent all your money on lottery and bingo and nobody will get hurt.(smiles)
33 posted on 12/12/2005 5:09:50 PM PST by postaldave (i've given up on being mad in exchange for bitter sarcasm.)
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To: postaldave

Dont' bother to (smile).

I work with quite a number of Xs and Ys in my field. We are friends and share emails about politics. The Gen Xs & Ys I meet in real life are terrific. The ones I meet on this site are cry babies.

And I'm beginning to see that there is a segment of your generation that just complains ...


34 posted on 12/12/2005 5:16:28 PM PST by BunnySlippers
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To: birbear

Oh I TOTALLY agree with you about Gen Y as well!!! They are completely obsessed with celebrity culture - it is completely alarming. My brother (born 8/31/82) is on his second Ipod in a year and the girls that work with me are completely absurd--mostly living with their parents, spending all their money on going out, new $200 Coach purses and $85 Tshirts and makeup from Sephora. They all want to be Paris Hilton and are really serious about trying to live that lifestyle.

The interesting thing about it is the way that women's lib seems to have backfired with these girls in that the way they see getting all these things they want is by marrying someone with money or the potential for money- they are not interested in getting an education and working hard- they want it NOW and how to get it now is by marrying rich.


35 posted on 12/12/2005 6:43:29 PM PST by lawgirl ("You can try to wipe the memories aside, but it's you that you erase..." Honestly- Billy Corgan)
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To: JZelle
...loudly proclaiming that people in her generation need to work less...

Could always move to France ....
36 posted on 12/12/2005 6:57:15 PM PST by stylin19a (you can leed Freepers to spelchek, but you can't make 'em use it.)
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To: lawgirl
We were the first generation raised really on the designer label-- we all had to have Guess jeans and that stupid horse on our shirts....

We are NOT the first generation with "designer" clothes. Although we might be the first generation to make neon a fashion statement.

37 posted on 12/12/2005 7:48:49 PM PST by Tamar1973 (There's NOTHING I need at 5 a.m., except more sleep!!!!!)
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To: lawgirl
new $200 Coach purses...

Maybe at a consignment store. Most of the Coach purses I've seen have been in the $300 to $400 range. It's crazy to have a purse worth more than the items in it, but that's a rant for another thread.

38 posted on 12/12/2005 7:52:20 PM PST by Tamar1973 (There's NOTHING I need at 5 a.m., except more sleep!!!!!)
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To: qam1

My mom was born in 45. I was born in 64. I guess that makes me a "BOOM BOOMER".

:)


39 posted on 12/12/2005 7:52:48 PM PST by ColdSteelTalon
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To: ColdSteelTalon
I was born in 64. I guess that makes me a "BOOM BOOMER".

Actually, you're probably "Generation Jones".

40 posted on 12/12/2005 7:55:49 PM PST by Tamar1973 (There's NOTHING I need at 5 a.m., except more sleep!!!!!)
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