Being one of the first Boomers, born in February of 1946, I do tend to bristle a bit at the critiques of my generation. Like how we don’t get white privilege, we’ve let climate change destroy the planet, we’re complicit in huge economic disparity, etc. etc.
Well, OK, that’s all true. But look at the world we came of age in–nobody had to explain white privilege, blacks were getting lynched, couldn’t ride on buses, had to pee in the one filthy ‘colored’ rest room at the back of the gas station, women couldn’t hold a fraction of the jobs they can now, and when they did at a fraction of the salary, you couldn’t breath the air around cities, you couldn’t swim in the rivers or drink the water, and American imperialism was at its worst.
The Boomers ended the Viet Nam war (which was started by a Democrat, by the way), started Earth Day and the EPA (put in during a Republican administration — these issues have nothing to do with the two-party system), got Civil Rights legislation passed, integrated our society, and started the Feminist movement.
(On a personal note, I used to bike to work in Boston, and when I started doing that I could hardly breath when I got there. Just a few years after the EPA, the air was clear on my commute.)
But, was it the Boomers? I don’t think so. It was young people. We were in our 20s, we saw the world our complacent and clueless parent’s generation was trying to tell us was just fine. And it wasn’t. And they didn’t get it. So we rose up and became the change we wanted.
Our rallying cry: “Don’t trust anyone over 30.”
But wait, our parent’s generation? Weren’t they “The Greatest Generation?” How could this be? They were the ones who saw a world under threat of dictatorial fascism, coming at us from both our East and our West. They were the ones who survived the Great Depression brought on them by Capitalism run amok. Them? The problem?
It wasn’t actually the generation label that was key. It was their age. They were 20 year olds. 20 years olds who saw the world was in trouble, who lied about their age to get into the War, who if not fighting made rivets to support the War, who risked their lives so no one had to submit to the tyrannical rulers literally trying to take over the world.
And then they came home, and enjoyed the economic benefits, and got complacent in their life styles, and turned blind eyes to the injustices around them. And had kids who, well, that goes back to the beginning of this essay.
I look at the world today, and so much is wrong with it. But I’m OK, I’ve got my house, my retirement, health insurance (Medicare)… yes, complacent. Yet I see and hear the Millennials, and how angry they are, how they can’t own a house, can’t get a job, can’t get health insurance, to say nothing of watching the environment go to hell and politicians continue to support the 1%.
I say go for it. The world desperately needs a dose of fired up young people. They’ve changed the world before and I believe they’re going to do it again. I for one am kind of excited.
The times, they are a-changing. (our music was better)(Dylan was 23 when he wrote that song)
General note on generational differences.
