Age of dissent
BERATING Baby Boomers is not new. Recently, though, it’s become a sport.
The 1946-64 generation (today’s 55 to 73-year-olds) are now being blamed for everything that’s wrong with the world, from wrecking the environment to causing the 2008 global financial crisis to completely failing the rest of the human race.
If that wasn’t soul destroying enough, the more rabid critics are labelling Boomers greedy, racist and sexist and fully expecting those less fortunate to pay for them as they hobble towards their 90s.
Those pointing the finger even claim — horror of horrors — BBs support Donald Trump! Good grief! The accusers are badly mistaken, however, for the good ol’ US President is 73 and belongs to The Silent Generation (1928-1945). This group apparently avoids making a fuss and are so quiet most don’t even know they exist. The Donald reserved and retiring? I think not!
Boomers (yes, myself included) are particularly brutal towards Millennials (the 22 to 37-year-olds), according to people who think they know. It seems we subscribe to Time magazine’s description of them as the Me Me Me generation. I would have thought that epithet covers everyone alive.
The Bible, according to Google, tells us that Millennials are viewed by most of the population as lazy, pampered by doting parents and totally self-obsessed. This narcissism may stem from the fact Millennials’ lives revolve around their mobiles, which have become permanent appendages and, in return, have given much joy through selfies.
While they may be constantly distracted by social media, you won’t find oldies channelling their inner thoughts or connecting on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp or Snapchat. And you certainly won’t find them sexting or trawling Tinder for hot onenight stands.
It’s an understatement to declare Boomers are not tech-savvy. In fact, most don’t care two hoots, although research tells us there is an increasing number jumping online. Probably to watch YouTube videos of the very best 10 car crashes, a subject about which they have a close affinity.
One commentator recently went so far as to say Millennials are the victims of a sick society created by “middle-aged white folk who run the world’’.
I don’t know where the leaders of China, Japan, the Middle East and a host of other nations fit into this scenario, or if that critic really believes oldies are the sole cause of climate change, species extinction and poverty. From a rational perspective, I would have thought every age group should share the blame, as they should share responsibility for finding solutions.
In defence of senior citizens, Boomers arrived in the aftermath of the Second World War when their parents were doing it tough. They too fought in or fought against war, in Vietnam, endured financial crisis after crisis and watched, stunned, as the world was turned on its head by year-on-year of monumental change.
Each generation possesses admirable qualities. Baby Boomers especially rate highly for their strong work ethic, but that characteristic only applies if they haven’t been squeezed out of the workforce by a “restructure”.
Boomers are also goal-centric, self-assured, resourceful and disciplined. And, contrary to some people’s way of thinking, they do care about the environment. Fact is they were eco-friendly long before our current throwaway society emerged.
They recycled clothes, recycled materials, holidayed at home rather than jumped on a global-warming jet bound for distant shores, drank water out of taps not plastic bottles, spawned enviro groups such as Landcare and managed without the myriad of energysucking appliances and gadgets that support life as we know it today!
Boomers have paid their way; up to 50 years and more in taxes, in fact. So, some sagely advice to the out-of-touch inhabitants of Canberra. A proposed government review of Australia’s retirement income system has set off alarm bells among the elderly.
Politicians — federal and state — who only seem to agree when their salaries, super and perks are involved, would do well to remember there are an estimated two million voters, predominantly Boomers, on age pensions.
They are not cruising around in luxury cars, flitting from their home to beach house while counting the returns on their blue-chip share portfolio. Many — too many — are struggling, unable to pay their bills and cutting back on food to make ends meet. It’s a national disgrace. Much like what’s happening in the aged care industry.