Posted on 05/28/2002 8:58:48 PM PDT by chasio649
LOL! Seriously, I read somewhere that there are 76 million Baby Boomers alive in the United States today, but only 46 million people of Generation X to replace them. Only with immigration, that the economy is able to work.
Look at this, the Baby Boom generation is responsible for leading this country on a slow decline. The country is not vibrant with young people as it should be, and it's a shame. For one thing, a country ceases to exist if elderly people is constantly outnumbering the young.
Back in 1968, today's U.S. parents of teenagers - at least the overwhelming majority who were European-American - were almost guaranteed a standard of living equal to that of the lower Brit landed gentry as soon as they got a bachelor's degree in any subject. They didn't graduate to student loan debt the size of a Mercedes, either - because their parents paid the bill and because college expenses were low before federal student aid. They typically retired to a full pension before "downsizing" even was a word.
But now underemployment is rife among America's best-educated recent college graduates. It's especially rife among the most-educated - those with graduate or law degrees. Student-loan indebtedness is enormous - a reality of the transfer of college responsibilities from parents to kids. To worsen their futures - compared to Hillary's generation, which their parents were part of, still more - "downsizing" is now common.
We saw Dave Matthews the other night, and I'm taking her to see Cheap Trick next month, and the Rolling Stones with Sheryl Crow and No Doubt in November.
But that's all just for fun. The generation gap is still there, as it should be. She still doesn't have pierced ears (mutual agreement, actually), wear spaghetti straps, or show her belly button.
Yup. Sounds about right. Which is why most of the kids lack a parent (usually a father) who prefers fun with a young chickie to being a parent, and either didn't marry mom or ran off with another babe.
LOL! I take it that you are afraid to admit that you are a baby boomer.
I know I would be.
Narcissism has it's price. It's called extinction.
Yes, that is exactly my point. If the next few generations follow Baby Boomers' example, then there is no doubt at all that it is the end of the Western Civilization as we know it.
I have a problem with that since I am not a Baby Boomer, and in fact I am very young compared to other FReepers. I wouldn't like to live in a world that is vastly transformed from today, for worse rather than better.
And a valid point it is. I was born at the beginning of the baby boom, towards the end of WWII, and was a part of the conservative, patriotic minority in college. The Depression bred, World War II fighting generatiion has been called, perhaps too strongly, 'The Greatest Generation'. One thing is clear, the Clinton-loving, narcissistic Baby Boomers are without question 'The Worst Generation'.
They are call Boomers because of the high birth rates post WWII. That implies that the generation before the boomer were also narcissistic because they must have had a lower birth rate.
By this definition, any American who is not married with more than two children is a narcissist.
Ditto here, CL! We've always 'parented' our kids, but also let them have some measure of say about things. That can be done as long as the parents decide what the available choices will be and explain why some choices are NOT available. This is how you teach your kids your values. We are fortunate that our older boys had great friends and did not get into trouble as teenagers. They were usually at our house with their friends, which we (and their friends' parents) loved because we knew where they were and what they were doing. We just always made sure there was lots of food, and the guys were happy to be here! LOL!
We decided last year to homeschool the younger two (12 and 14) and that has been a lot of fun. We've gotten to know them so much more than we did the older two at this age because we're with them more. They're a lot of fun to be with, and they don't mind being with US! They adore their older brothers and love it when they come home from college.
I guess my point is, you don't have to come down like a hammer on your kids in order for them to respect you. You have to make sure that they know the limits, know what the consequences are if they cross the line, and be willing to bring those consequences to bear when necessary!
As far as clothing and music are concerned, I'll do what I like, thank you very much! I'm pushing 50, am still wearing my jeans and t-shirts and I love rock music. I'm not a big fan of some of the more recent music, but there are some groups that my older boys and I like in common, Dave Matthews, for example. And the younger two have listened to more 60s rock than the recent stuff. Neither are into popular music at all, thank goodness, so we mostly listen to what I have on my CD player which is an eclectic combination of classical, folk, rock, and bluegrass!
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