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I can relate to the allegation that baby boomers like to 'keep millennials down' - I truly cannot stand aspects of family renunions with aunts, uncles, even my

I can relate to the allegation that baby boomers like to 'keep millennials down' - I truly cannot stand aspects of family renunions with aunts, uncles, even my parents who casually dismiss the majority of things I stand for or aspire to as 'a phase' or as 'nerdy'... meanwhile they swear by Fox News, pedal oversimplified, uncompromising viewpoints, and are more interested in talking to me about how I find time to party than the projects I work on ("Work hard, party hard, Orthoganol"). I sit at my grandfather's table when I can, maybe it's just an effect of old age, but I feel like his generation better understands the important things.

WalterBright 11y ago
> 'a phase' If you aren't a liberal by age 20, you don't have a heart. If you aren't a conservative by age 35, you don't have a brain. http://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/02/24/heart-head/ http://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/02/24/heart-head/ My generation blamed the previous one, as well. "Don't trust anyone over 30", "Hope I die before I get old", etc.
- orthoganol 11y ago
  I think it's too simple to say "this is how all generations think of the previous one." I think baby boomers, admirably, set out to create a new identity - coming of age at the height of the 60s, time of prosperity meaning more independence, with Vietnam and the civil rights movements probably casting doubts about the prior generation's values (rightfully so). A clean break of sorts. I think the problem is they threw out the old, but failed to actually assert something substantial that could raise the next generation. Vague values and sentiments, really. Millennials get told to just be ourselves, find our passions, and are encouraged to party, drink, have sex... don't work too hard. Partying is treated almost as importantly if not more, as working hard to make something out of yourself and your life. Nerd culture is despised, maybe because they all watched a ton of jock 80s movies. I don't doubt a correlation between being raised on those values and the depression and mental illness rates we see today among young people... you can surely overcome it eventually, but you're raised on it by default. I'm painting with a broad stroke, but I think the baby boomers represent a sort of 'break' with the generations before them, and it didn't set up the next generation so well. My grandfather's generation, while they weren't socially progressive by any means, seems more grounded overall - they at least have access to the wisdom of many generations before.
spangry 11y ago
It's interesting that you relate better to your grandfather's generation. Assuming you're a Gen Y, and he's part of the 'G.I. Generation', then you're both of the same generational archetype (see Strauss-Howe generational theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss%E2%80%93Howe_generational_theory#Archetypes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss%E2%80%93Howe_generatio...). Of the 4 generational archetypes, Gen Y and the G.I. Generation are both of the 'Hero' type: "Hero generations are born after an Awakening, during an Unraveling, a time of individual pragmatism, self-reliance, and laissez faire. Heroes grow up as increasingly protected post-Awakening children, come of age as team-oriented young optimists during a Crisis, emerge as energetic, overly-confident midlifers, and age into politically powerful elders attacked by another Awakening." In contrast, the Baby Boomers fall in to the 'Prophet' archetype: "Prophet generations are born near the end of a Crisis, during a time of rejuvenated community life and consensus around a new societal order. Prophets grow up as the increasingly indulged children of this post-Crisis era, come of age as self-absorbed young crusaders of an Awakening, focus on morals and principles in midlife, and emerge as elders guiding another Crisis."

WalterBright 11y ago

> 'a phase' If you aren't a liberal by age 20, you don't have a heart. If you aren't a conservative by age 35, you don't have a brain. http://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/02/24/heart-head/ http://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/02/24/heart-head/ My generation blamed the previous one, as well. "Don't trust anyone over 30", "Hope I die before I get old", etc.

orthoganol 11y ago
I think it's too simple to say "this is how all generations think of the previous one." I think baby boomers, admirably, set out to create a new identity - coming of age at the height of the 60s, time of prosperity meaning more independence, with Vietnam and the civil rights movements probably casting doubts about the prior generation's values (rightfully so). A clean break of sorts. I think the problem is they threw out the old, but failed to actually assert something substantial that could raise the next generation. Vague values and sentiments, really. Millennials get told to just be ourselves, find our passions, and are encouraged to party, drink, have sex... don't work too hard. Partying is treated almost as importantly if not more, as working hard to make something out of yourself and your life. Nerd culture is despised, maybe because they all watched a ton of jock 80s movies. I don't doubt a correlation between being raised on those values and the depression and mental illness rates we see today among young people... you can surely overcome it eventually, but you're raised on it by default. I'm painting with a broad stroke, but I think the baby boomers represent a sort of 'break' with the generations before them, and it didn't set up the next generation so well. My grandfather's generation, while they weren't socially progressive by any means, seems more grounded overall - they at least have access to the wisdom of many generations before.

spangry 11y ago

It's interesting that you relate better to your grandfather's generation. Assuming you're a Gen Y, and he's part of the 'G.I. Generation', then you're both of the same generational archetype (see Strauss-Howe generational theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss%E2%80%93Howe_generational_theory#Archetypes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss%E2%80%93Howe_generatio...). Of the 4 generational archetypes, Gen Y and the G.I. Generation are both of the 'Hero' type: "Hero generations are born after an Awakening, during an Unraveling, a time of individual pragmatism, self-reliance, and laissez faire. Heroes grow up as increasingly protected post-Awakening children, come of age as team-oriented young optimists during a Crisis, emerge as energetic, overly-confident midlifers, and age into politically powerful elders attacked by another Awakening." In contrast, the Baby Boomers fall in to the 'Prophet' archetype: "Prophet generations are born near the end of a Crisis, during a time of rejuvenated community life and consensus around a new societal order. Prophets grow up as the increasingly indulged children of this post-Crisis era, come of age as self-absorbed young crusaders of an Awakening, focus on morals and principles in midlife, and emerge as elders guiding another Crisis."