Originally Posted by JustPassingThrough

This is where Boomerism has a massive blind spot. The bread and circuses enjoyed and sold by the most privileged, spoiled and fortunate generation in history start to not only fade, but anger young people as they wake up to the reality that they and their peers can't find a job or live the kind of life Boomers took for granted. All of the "exciting" left wing nonsense and cultural leftism starts looking pretty bad when it becomes clear that it's a substitute for offering people real hope for a decent life. And that is what's happening. Without question. Xers have been very clear about that since the day they were born. Millenials are slowly waking up to it. With Xers poised to take leadership, Millenials will have the alternative they're looking for.

As for my personal insight, there is one thing that is an ironclad law of reality, that many people are in denial about - a denial so fierce that they will preserve it at all costs, to themselves and others. That is this: social "liberalism" leads to economic ruin. Whether it's a young, poor woman who becomes addicted to drugs, has children out of wedlock and contacts numerous STDs, a young, poor man who winds up in prison, or a Wall Street trader who loses everything due to a corrupt scheme. Those damages have piled up, and the nation as a whole is sinking under them. When ever growing numbers of people are born into those lifestyles over multiple generations, knowing nothing else, there is no anchor to return to. The society is finished. We are right at that point, and perhaps irreversibly past it. Those at the bottom are not being lifted up. Those at the top and in the middle are being dragged down. It is all disintegrating. Once the economic decay and social dissipation has gone far enough, the society is vulnerable to conquest.

If your perspective doesn't distinguish between the Red Boomers and the Blue, you aren't living in the same reality as I am. Agreed, the time of Tax and Spend Liberalism had many advantages over the present unravelling pattern. Still, there are progressives of all generations and conservatives of all generations. The question is whether government has a role in distributing wealth and resources more evenly, or whether most to all government intervention backfires, ultimately making things worse. While the Generation Gap was very real in the 1960s, it has morphed into a political divide rather than a generational divide. So long as you persist in looking at the problem upside down and backwards, you won't have anything constructive to add to the conversation.

Personally, I think the New Deal was a fine idea, though the Great Society took the basic trend too far. I can admire the GI ethos repeated in my signature, a confident bravado, a belief that problems are solvable and ought to be solved. Still, that's the ethos of a 4T or a 2T. Reagan's 3T popping of that aggressive energetic attempt to move ever forward is understandable under turning theory. The GIs had given of themselves in war and peace, sacrificed their lives, and given in taxes. It was time for it to come to an end. Even they eventually wore down.

For a time. We can't get in the habit of leaving problems unsolved indefinitely.

I do see all three currently active generations as contributing to the current political quagmire in their own ways. We Blue Boomers instigated our share of transformation and upheaval. We pushed the Culture Shock. We ran out of gas at the same time as the GIs, stagnating in the National Malaise. The Xers seem too cynical and isolated to participate positively in much of anything constructive. To a great degree they came of age stagnant, never contributing to progress. The Millenials seem to be striving hard fighting their own economic problems but not aware or interested in unifying to change the rules which are currently stacked against them. Our entire society is dysfunctional. No generation is more dysfunctional or less.

All three generations need some sort of metaphorical boot in the rear. It might come in the form of a problem that absolutely must be solved, that cannot be denied, that requires a return of collective values, a fade in greed and blame. These problems are there in embryo, but everyone still still seems more interested in getting a larger piece of the pie than baking pies.

Originally Posted by playwrite

This entire economic shtick is based on your hope that people are going to confuse the tow truck drivers with the drunks that drove the cars into the ditch. It's not going to work, no matter how many times you click your heels. Sorry, but the vast majority of Millennials are not stupid.



The problem with you guys is you think those real problems get solved by tax cuts to the 1%s that will trickle down and make a difference - it doesn't. You think that imposing your religious beliefs on others will stop 'the wild vaginas,' get rid of 'the gay,' solve drug addictions, and all the other 'ills' you see in society' - it won't unless you are going to be as ruthless as ISIS in enforcing your form of Sharia Law.

I suggest that instead of watching zombie movies all the time, that you get out and actually go help somebody who actually is faced with the problems you bring up. I guarantee that you will learn something.

The problem with you guys is that you still believe money solves all problems.

Originally Posted by Taramarie

Herd minds are sometimes needed guys.So we can get things done. That is why there is so much division atm and no way to solve issues because people are too busy bickering over quite often bullshit. Herd minds are granted, dangerous and stagnate over time, but it is so valuable at the time so I do not know why older folk run it down so often. It is necessary for certain things to be solved.

I associate herd mindedness with large groups of people who willingly chug down a cup of grape koolaide mixed with cyanide and commit mass suicide because their leader ordered them to.

Originally Posted by Classic-X'er

I associate herd mindedness with large groups of people who willingly chug down a cup of grape koolaide mixed with cyanide and commit mass suicide because their leader ordered them to.

I also associate herd mindedness as defeating nazis. You do realise when applied to the right cause it does actually make sense to do so to fix an issue correct? If you think of it only in that context you are missing out on the variety.

Originally Posted by Taramarie

I also associate herd mindedness as defeating nazis. You do realise when applied to the right cause it does actually make sense to do so to fix an issue correct? If you think of it only in that context you are missing out on the variety.

I think you need a better word that's not such a pejorative! Instead of "herd mindedness" which brings up a vision of a bunch of cattle or sheep, how about "group consensus?"

Originally Posted by TnT

I think you need a better word that's not such a pejorative! Instead of "herd mindedness" which brings up a vision of a bunch of cattle or sheep, how about "group consensus?"

I would but I am talking to gen xers and they prefer to insult us when it comes to group census so i am talking to them in their lingo so they get it. but they probably won't. :/

Originally Posted by Taramarie

I would but I am talking to gen xers and they prefer to insult us when it comes to group census so i am talking to them in their lingo so they get it. but they probably won't. :/

It doesn't seem that Civics are susceptible to cults, unlike us Boomers. Also, Millennials are a lot more skeptical than some (cough: x-ers: cough) would sometimes believe they are. My fave curmudgeons were GIs and I had the great honor of working with a number of them. They were no bullshit people.

Don't know where else to post this, but a generationally amusing anecdote.

I have a Core Xer work colleague who I've known since he was an undergrad. (Talented, widely published novelist, full professor in his late 30s). He had the typical Xer upbringing with divorced parents. Was in a punk band. Full sleeve tattoos. Married his college girlfriend who is also a professional educator. They have two young kids--aged about 10 and 7. They were extremely conscientious about their children's TV watching--no violence, no scary stuff. He'd rush home from work because when his kids were really little they'd be in bed by 7pm. No shit. Even in summer. A few years back he'd complained about lack of family friendly movies that weren't too stupid and I recommended The Incredibles.

He and his wife are devoted Xer parents. In my view, a little overprotective, but hell, I was a kid in the 1T-early 2T.

So a few weeks ago I asked how Halloween went. His daughter went as one of The Incredibles (yay!), but then he talked about how nobody trick or treats anymore and it's all controlled and the difference in what it was like when he was a kid. (Similar to my experience: hordes of kids, older kids terrorizing little kids. 14-year-olds in crappy masks vandalizing and stealing younger kids' candy, etc.).

Then, the words from this core Xer (laughing), he says: Everything is so sanitized. They're so protected! Maybe they need a little bullying.

I hope I live long enough to see the next Artist generation.

Originally Posted by Classic-X'er

The problem with you guys is that you still believe money solves all problems.

Your problem is that you recognize need as a character flaw instead of bad luck when it is bad luck.

Originally Posted by annla899

It doesn't seem that Civics are susceptible to cults, unlike us Boomers. Also, Millennials are a lot more skeptical than some (cough: x-ers: cough) would sometimes believe they are. My fave curmudgeons were GIs and I had the great honor of working with a number of them. They were no bullshit people.

Well, we are team players, but rational ones. But it certainly does not mean that we blindly follow. We are smarter than some older folk give us credit for and do question things, a lot, hence why some folk call us gen WHY. I see that in my own generation too being a no bs type, including myself. As for cults, well millennials are less religious when in comparison to earlier generations so when in comparison it is less likely as a whole group we would join cults. But of course, there will be morons in every generation.

Originally Posted by annla899

Don't know where else to post this, but a generationally amusing anecdote.

I have a Core Xer work colleague who I've known since he was an undergrad. (Talented, widely published novelist, full professor in his late 30s). He had the typical Xer upbringing with divorced parents. Was in a punk band. Full sleeve tattoos. Married his college girlfriend who is also a professional educator. They have two young kids--aged about 10 and 7. They were extremely conscientious about their children's TV watching--no violence, no scary stuff. He'd rush home from work because when his kids were really little they'd be in bed by 7pm. No shit. Even in summer. A few years back he'd complained about lack of family friendly movies that weren't too stupid and I recommended The Incredibles.

He and his wife are devoted Xer parents. In my view, a little overprotective, but hell, I was a kid in the 1T-early 2T.

So a few weeks ago I asked how Halloween went. His daughter went as one of The Incredibles (yay!), but then he talked about how nobody trick or treats anymore and it's all controlled and the difference in what it was like when he was a kid. (Similar to my experience: hordes of kids, older kids terrorizing little kids. 14-year-olds in crappy masks vandalizing and stealing younger kids' candy, etc.).

Then, the words from this core Xer (laughing), he says: Everything is so sanitized. They're so protected! Maybe they need a little bullying.

I hope I live long enough to see the next Artist generation.

(shudder) my ex when he talked about us having kids wanted them to not watch scary stuff and wanted to overprotect them. He was born 1976. I was not impressed by this, but given that my boomer parents were opinionated to the point they could not see eye to eye I wanted a consensus on what we were to do regarding future kids. I cannot see the reasoning behind not letting them watch scary stuff. I did as a kid and it did not bother me and i enjoyed it. Let them grow and learn and be exposed to some things I think. No good living in a bubble, how will they cope when older? My mother was ahead of her time somewhat and it is cringe worthy the kids now get it even worse than i did. They will not be able to cope when older. I feel bad for them.

Originally Posted by annla899

It doesn't seem that Civics are susceptible to cults, unlike us Boomers. Also, Millennials are a lot more skeptical than some (cough: x-ers: cough) would sometimes believe they are. My fave curmudgeons were GIs and I had the great honor of working with a number of them. They were no bullshit people.

Btw that is an interesting observation you have made. What are your thoughts on why civics are not into cults yet prophets are? I have my own thoughts on this but what do you think?

Originally Posted by Taramarie

Btw that is an interesting observation you have made. What are your thoughts on why civics are not into cults yet prophets are? I have my own thoughts on this but what do you think?

I look at the childhood of both GI and Millennial generations, and I notice that they were not so indulged as their Missionary and Boomer predecessors. The Lost warned GI kids and Generation X told Millennial kids that life was mostly a struggle for material survival. Missionaries and Boomers imposed upon GI and Millennial kids, respectively, the guiding structure that the Idealist youth found could not be cast off without consequences. So hit the books, study dry-but-lucrative courses in science, engineering, accounting, and finance instead of philosophy, art history, and Russian literature, and be prepared for a productive life. (Of course, the 'artsy' and arcane stuff is the essence of a rich life... Millennial youth with middle-income careers might have little better to do with leisure than watching televised sports, golf, or go bowling... but don't we always solve one problem at the expense of others?)

Originally Posted by pbrower2a

I look at the childhood of both GI and Millennial generations, and I notice that they were not so indulged as their Missionary and Boomer predecessors. The Lost warned GI kids and Generation X told Millennial kids that life was mostly a struggle for material survival. Missionaries and Boomers imposed upon GI and Millennial kids, respectively, the guiding structure that the Idealist youth found could not be cast off without consequences. So hit the books, study dry-but-lucrative courses in science, engineering, accounting, and finance instead of philosophy, art history, and Russian literature, and be prepared for a productive life. (Of course, the 'artsy' and arcane stuff is the essence of a rich life... Millennial youth with middle-income careers might have little better to do with leisure than watching televised sports, golf, or go bowling... but don't we always solve one problem at the expense of others?)

Art history was a part of my course, that i actually just finished today in bachelor of multimedia. Us millies are still doing courses in art. I do not agree with xers when they tell us (and i have been told this by them) that life is just for material survival. I do not want to make the same mistake my mother made. She is in a job that does not fulfill her and she is already inwardly dead because of the lack of fulfillment living paycheck to paycheck to pay off things that she never had money for in the first place. She is a slave to the bank and to a job that does not make her happy. So, I ignore xers who tell me this. My mother's life scares me. Leisure to this millie is watching youtube vids and playing video games/computer games and a wee bit of reading. Tv is dying when it comes to the millennial audience.

Picture this mental cartoon image: A ravenous Three headed tiger with a deep hunger for flesh, so much so that it is literally drooling. However it is shacked by giant shackles on its legs. Behind the beast is a grinning man who is holding the chains leading to the shackles with the words "baby boomer establishment" slapped on him. On the tiger is the words "GenX and GenY" are labeled, on the shackles are labeled the words "human rights", "globalism", "pacifism", "individualism" and "Debt Slavery". Boomers are shackling the young by forcing policy to conform to "human rights" and "globalism". The disasters this has wrought I have mentioned several times before, like when the beltway leadership refused to carry out the nuclear bombardment of Military and Civilian targets in the Mideast and North Africa in the aftermath of 9/11. Restorationism on the other hand would bring true freedom and true human endeavors and passion. The reform of American society could begin in earnest; the vassalization of latin America and the pacification of the middle east would be carried out. Particularly in the latter it would be like in the days of Genghis Khan, the troops would be given free reign, Large numbers of Young men and even women would be volunteering to go in order to participate in these pacification operations. It would be glorious and be regarded as such by the participants, the troops and the leaders.

Originally Posted by annla899

Don't know where else to post this, but a generationally amusing anecdote.

I have a Core Xer work colleague who I've known since he was an undergrad. (Talented, widely published novelist, full professor in his late 30s). He had the typical Xer upbringing with divorced parents. Was in a punk band. Full sleeve tattoos. Married his college girlfriend who is also a professional educator. They have two young kids--aged about 10 and 7. They were extremely conscientious about their children's TV watching--no violence, no scary stuff. He'd rush home from work because when his kids were really little they'd be in bed by 7pm. No shit. Even in summer. A few years back he'd complained about lack of family friendly movies that weren't too stupid and I recommended The Incredibles.

He and his wife are devoted Xer parents. In my view, a little overprotective, but hell, I was a kid in the 1T-early 2T.

So a few weeks ago I asked how Halloween went. His daughter went as one of The Incredibles (yay!), but then he talked about how nobody trick or treats anymore and it's all controlled and the difference in what it was like when he was a kid. (Similar to my experience: hordes of kids, older kids terrorizing little kids. 14-year-olds in crappy masks vandalizing and stealing younger kids' candy, etc.).

Then, the words from this core Xer (laughing), he says: Everything is so sanitized. They're so protected! Maybe they need a little bullying.

I hope I live long enough to see the next Artist generation.

The 7 year old is an Artist. The 10 year old may be one.

Originally Posted by Taramarie

I never said we are total followers in everything and that there are no leaders of my generation. They more so than anything do prefer the group than to be the stand out. I know, I go to school with millies and observe this. But we collect on what we think is most important because we know we can fix things faster as a group. On the thought of millie leaders, I will mention how they are organizing this now. It is not so much of being a leader, but creating a company with a group of millies now. Well that is the trend here in NZ. We gave a speech this year on our plans for after we graduate (next year) and many are planning on creating their own companies as a millie group, (recent grads that they are mates with). Some have their own individual plans too, like myself but even I want to create a company of my own someday with recent grads too if my first movie is successful in the chicago film festival.

Perhaps my previous post on this was not clear. I agree with you. What I meant in the previous post was we need not only the sheer numbers of Millies to fill the growing leadership void, we also need their Communitarian spirit in order to start repairing the damage done by Silents, Boomers and the Economic Darwinist faction of Xers.

Originally Posted by annla899

People were excited about Reagan and he was pretty darn old when he ran. I don't think age is a huge factor.

Indeed, I think whether you agree with him or not, it would be hard to deny that Trump is the most "exciting" candidate this time around. As Obama was in 2008.

Originally Posted by JustPassingThrough

Indeed, I think whether you agree with him or not, it would be hard to deny that Trump is the most "exciting" candidate this time around. As Obama was in 2008.

Bernie Sanders? Who draws the most crowds? Which candidate besides Hillary Clinton has the highest poll numbers?

Originally Posted by B Butler

If your perspective doesn't distinguish between the Red Boomers and the Blue, you aren't living in the same reality as I am.

That statement pretty well sums up the problem with the left wing Boomers posting on this forum. Everyone else seems capable of seeing outside their ideological or political boxes. Not the Boomers. If you can't recognize or admit that there are generational traits shared by Boomers regardless of their political persuasion, you actually have no business posting here.

It is also clear that when it comes to politics, the sum of Boomer influence has been decidedly to the left. In the areas where you're blaming "Red" Boomers, Boomers have been the least influential generation in that counterbalance. For example, of the cohorts voting in the 1980s, Boomers were the least supportive of Reagan, himself a GI, the left wing bogeyman they still try to blame everything on 27 years after he left office.

Aside from a few notable individuals like Rush Limbaugh, "Red" Boomers have tended to be soft, cowardly, and passive, accepting the dominance of the Boomer left, trying to compromise with it or get out of the way. They favor feel-good self help and want everyone to like them, and they accept the premises of the left in ways that amount to pre-emptive surrender.

On the "Blue" side of the ledger, you have people epitomized by the Clintons, who vigorously spout what they know will tickle the ears of the left (which they also think makes them "cool" and "hip", even as they collect Social Security), while being the worst hypocrites in existence, particularly when it comes to enriching themselves. Al Gore's global warming industry is a perfect example. He's "saving the world!"...in a way that he just happens to have rigged so that he ends up getting filthy rich from it.

Boomers are selfish. Boomers shrink from reality. Boomers talk a lot, and preach a lot, but most of what they say is phony. I could go on, but the point is that Boomers as a cohort have a personality that they all share. If you don't agree with that, S&H is irrelevant to you, and you shouldn't be posting here.

Originally Posted by Taramarie

Btw that is an interesting observation you have made. What are your thoughts on why civics are not into cults yet prophets are? I have my own thoughts on this but what do you think?

One thing might possibly be true: artists tend to be the cult leaders?:

Marshall Applewhite b.May 17, 1931
Jim Jones b.May 13, 1931

Born close together in this case! Astrological indicators likely. The planets were in the bad aspects that coincided with the peak onset of depression, bank failures in Europe, etc.

Originally Posted by JustPassingThrough

Indeed, I think whether you agree with him or not, it would be hard to deny that Trump is the most "exciting" candidate this time around. As Obama was in 2008.

Entertaining, certainly. Exciting, perhaps. Dangerous, without question.

Originally Posted by Eric the Green

One thing might possibly be true: artists tend to be the cult leaders?:

Marshall Applewhite b.May 17, 1931
Jim Jones b.May 13, 1931

Born close together in this case! Astrological indicators likely. The planets were in the bad aspects that coincided with the peak onset of depression, bank failures in Europe, etc.

But what are your thoughts on why boomers are drawn to cults compared to civic generations? I wonder if those noted silents realized that weakness of the boomers and decided to use it to their advantage or if they legitimately were crazy and just by coincidence found they came at the right time to be noticed and become powerful with their following/or times shaped them to think about spiritualism etc. I have many thoughts on this but interested what others think with a comparison of why prophets are drawn to it and really believe in whatever is told to them within a cult but civics, not so much.

Originally Posted by JustPassingThrough

That statement pretty well sums up the problem with the left wing Boomers posting on this forum. Everyone else seems capable of seeing outside their ideological or political boxes. Not the Boomers. If you can't recognize or admit that there are generational traits shared by Boomers regardless of their political persuasion, you actually have no business posting here.

It's true; Boomers can be of any political persuasion, and in fact are known to be fairly evenly divided between left and right.

It is also clear that when it comes to politics, the sum of Boomer influence has been decidedly to the left. In the areas where you're blaming "Red" Boomers, Boomers have been the least influential generation in that direction. For example, of the cohorts voting on the 1980s, Boomers were the least supportive of Reagan, himself a GI, the left wing bogeyman they still try to blame everything on 27 years after he left office.

Quite true; I often point that out to my delight!

Aside from a few notable individuals like Rush Limbaugh, "Red" Boomers have tended to be soft, cowardly, and passive, accepting the dominance of the Boomer left, trying to compromise with it or get out of the way. They favor feel-good self help and want everyone to like them, and they accept the premises of the left in ways that amount to pre-emotive surrender.

Hmmmm...
Here's another, born close to my birthday: September 10, 1949 Bill O'Reilly


How many of these guys are boomers?
http://townhall.com/columnists/johnh...5737/page/full

I know Karl Rove is; b.1950.

Among politicians whose birthdays I know:
Rick Perry (also on the above list)
Rick Santorum
Newt Gingrich (also on above list, and cited by S&H as the typical boomer)
Herman Cain
Mitt Romney
Michelle Bachman
Jeb Bush, George W. Bush
Mike Huckabee
John Boehner (also on above list)
Peter King
John Kasich
Ben Carson
Rob Portman
Sam Brownback
Mike Pence
Lindsay Graham
Carly Fiorina
Donald Trump
Jim Gilmore (born on my birthday)

Well, it looks like another of your over-generalizations bites the dust. Just passing through!

On the "Blue" side of the ledger, you have people epitomized by the Clintons, who vigorously spout what they know will tickle the ears of the left (which they also think makes them "cool" and "hip", even as they collect Social Security), while being the worst hypocrites in existence, particularly when it comes to enriching themselves. Al Gore's global warming industry is a perfect example. He's "saving the world!"...in a way that just happens to have rigged so that he ends up getting filthy rich from it.

Can't argue with that one. And what's wrong with making money, Mr. Conservative?

Cool Bill:

Boomers are selfish. Boomers shrink from reality. Boomers talk a lot, and preach a lot, but most of what they say is phony. I could go on, but the point is that Boomers as a cohort have a personality that they all share. If you don't agree with that, S&H is irrelevant to you, and you shouldn't be posting here.

And you don't appreciate the positive side of boomers, do you? Is that really in accord with S&H? And who are you to say who should be posting here? Preachy, no? Stubborn, no? Are you sure you're not a Boomer too? My apologies for what to you is an insult.

Originally Posted by Taramarie

But what are your thoughts on why boomers are drawn to cults compared to civic generations? I wonder if those noted silents realized that weakness of the boomers and decided to use it to their advantage or if they legitimately were crazy and just by coincidence found they came at the right time to be noticed and become powerful with their following/or times shaped them to think about spiritualism etc. I have many thoughts on this but interested what others think with a comparison of why prophets are drawn to it and really believe in whatever is told to them within a cult but civics, not so much.

It's tough to pin down, but I would say both are followers, with the difference being that "Prophets" (an idiotic term only Boomers would use) are "rebels", while "Civics" are conformists. So the "rebellion" of the Boomers is the conformity of Millenials. The problem is that conforming to the Boomer mindset means betting your life on things that are at odds with reality.

Like bringing in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees after Paris, and calling anyone who disagrees with you a hard-hearted racist xenophobe. Boomers are willing to sacrifice the lives of their children and grandchildren (but NEVER their own, mind you) on the altar of their ideological dogma.

But I digress. Boomers wanted to be led by those rejecting the status quo. Millenials want to be led by those defending it. The current status quo is left wing Boomerism, because they've been dominating the world for over 20 years now.

As it becomes demonstrably clear that Boomerism equals total ruin for the younger generations, it falls to Xers to fill the void and actually save the world - from Boomers. Whether or not they will succeed in doing so is an open question.