Dear Baby Boomers
Baby boomers always seem to label my generation as narcissistic, lazy, and self entitled. The Boomers whine and send emails like this, and complain that while we send emails and text messages, they had to write letters and use landlines. I really understand, Baby Boomers. You guys were such hard workers! I mean, I’ve learned about the sixties. You guys were really busy protesting The Man and attending Woodstock. You had big plans to change the world with catchy peace slogans like “make love, not war.”
I also understand that the world was a different place back then. You guys didn’t have Xbox 360’s, TV remotes, or caller ID. I know, so rough! You guys did have cheap energy, even cheaper water, and cradle to grave health care provided by a company that you could actually advance in. You went into the workforce a decade or so after WWII, when the American economy was experiencing unprecedented growth.
Yes, growing up in the “golden age of capitalism” must have been rough. With incredibly low interest mortgages, a plethora of entry-level jobs, and a handful of depression era programs like the Marshall Plan (which created a market in Europe for US made goods), it’s a wonder how you survived!
Back then, a Harvard education cost $1,650 and if someone earned a degree, it actually meant they were more likely to find a job. Now a days, if you don’t have a masters in something… good luck finding a job! Oh, and good luck footing that $100,000 bill for that education that doesn’t necessarily mean anything.
To be clear: I don’t think I’m entitled to anything I didn’t earn, but I find it just a little bothersome that people who started their job with a high school diploma won’t hire me unless I have a masters degree and years of unpaid internship experience. The security of a college degree is now gone, as is the promise of a job that won’t screw you over to save their own paycheck.
I have no idea why my generation was labeled “selfish” and “lazy.” I don’t know if you Boomers have noticed, (I know you guys are busy complaining about your lost pensions) but we’re the ones paying social security despite the fact that we probably won’t be seeing it later in life. We’re also the ones trying to pay off a recession that we didn’t start. We’ve been left with a crippled political system that makes change nearly impossible. Finally, we’re left with a damaged planet that seems to be decaying in front of our eyes, and we’re expected to fix it.
Basically, my generation gets a bad rep and they don’t deserve it. We’re struggling to survive in a terrible economy in a crippled political system. So, Boomers, please stop with all the “get off my lawn, ya whippersnapper!” comments because I simply don’t have time to listen… I’ve got an environment to save, a recession to survive, and a job to find. Thanks.
DISCLAIMER I understand that this is a generalization, and not all baby boomers will fit this description.
Low interest mortgage? My first interest rate in the early eighties was 12.5%. (And, yes, I qualify as a baby boomer). What’s yours?
We had environmental issues too… anybody remember Global Cooling?
Cradle to grave health care turned out to be a recruiting promise that wasn’t delivered on. I haven’t retired yet, but when I do, I’ll have to find my own health care just like everybody else.
You call this a recession? Back in the seventies….
P.S. I noticed this well written and entertaining rant as it just happens that it was my page that you linked to.
Hey! Thanks for the comment! As I said, this rant made some sweeping generalizations and not every boomer would fit the description. I was just really tired of hearing how my generation is lazy, etc. Just so you know, this recession has actually been deemed worse than the recession of the 70′s/80′s. Here’s an article written about the subject: http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/current_recession_on_track_to.html that article is slightly out of date and doesn’t have the most current stats, but the current national unemployment rate is hovering around 10%. Also, I know you had historically high mortgage rates in the 80′s, but I was referring more to the mortgage rates of the early 60′s. And lastly, you guys did have environmental issues in the 70′s. The key difference between the environmental issues of the 70′s and the issues of today are that these issues are actually real… hahaha
I’ll let you in on a little secret: newspapers sensationalize. Wikipedia is a more balanced source. Look at 73-82. Basically a decade of high inflation, high unemployment, and stagnation.
I’m part of the tail of the boomers: born in 1961. Growing up, it felt like we were always in hard economic times.
This recession feels qualitatively different. Inflation is low, so it doesn’t affect everyone. In the nearly three decades since 1982, we’ve only had three recessions, so it is more of a shock.
I like this decade better.