[DesertBear2]

This whole <b>Baby Boomer</b> title is just annoying...after all, it was just concocted by some popular magazine or attention seeking academic. This is just more simple-minded thinking which is the hallmark of our grand new media culture which seems to function on an endless series of manipulative images.

So, exactly how do you put an upper-middleclass white male born in 1946 in Boston and a black female who was born in 1962 in east Los Angeles in the same group? How about the son of a KKKer who was born in 1948 in Selma, Alabama? What about the daughter of a wheat farmer who was born in North Dakota in 1960? Even with extreme regional, cultural, and economic differences, they are all "baby boomers" but otherwise have exactly nothing in common.

The right-wing talk shows have fulfilled their function of building conservative power by setting up intense hatreds between different groups of Americans ie conservatives vs liberals (their definition), gen Xers vs Baby Boomers etc. And a lot of it has to do with the "conservative" campaign to discredit all the values of the 1960s. And the folks who are orchestrating this campaign ie Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Michael Savage happen to be baby boomers. And don't forget George Bush, Bill Frist, and Newt Gingrich are boomers too.

It seems to me that every so-called "generation" of Americans have indulged in the materialistic orgy during the 20th century- WW1 generation, WW2 generation, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y. We have all been part of the Great American Party .....the one fueled by lots and lots of cheap oil.

The Great American Party....soon to run out of gas.

[rwwff]

All good points, but a question lurks in my brain... Why should we care to blame anyone? I mean, really, whats the point?

[RacerJace]

Maybe it's not a question of who's to blame but more like who was/was not reponsible for the predicament we're in. Who had the responsibility to set policy that considered the future of all generations irrespective of colour, creed or culture? Who is elected to lead a nation's government for the good of the people? You might be drawing a sigh or ho hum thought of 'oh yeah.. the governement.. lets blame the government as usual'. But the government, whilst being totally manipulative and shortshighted on the needs of the common people and spending the real efforts on tipping the prosperity towards the rich and wealthy, is elected by the people.

So what's the anwser...?

In a perfect world I'd simply say elect a leadership that can demonstrate true values in long term policy making and planning for a sustainable future not just the candidate with the shaprest wit and comeback line or boldest promise to make good in his/her term. However the fact that Bush is running the USA and Howard is running Australia means there is either too much corruption or too many people that are too stupid to care, or most probably both.

Perhaps it is like the late 60's all over again. The USA and others are engaged in a war they can't win and that no one wants. There are right wing governements controlling the masses with fear and promises of security against a hidden enemy and the economy is heading full-on into a highly unstable condition that could make 1971 look like a party. Time to get out the tie-die, polyester shirts and insence, march those protest marches and make love not war huh...!

.

[vision-master]

All I can say is; we had a chance during the Carter Administration, but I guess Regan's Administration changed all that in a heart-beat. Seems to me, we mostly get either Texas oilman in office or Massachusetts blue bloods. Ok, so Carter was a peanut farmer.

[rwwff]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RacerJace', 'I')n a perfect world I'd simply say elect a leadership that can demonstrate true values in long term policy making

[Heineken]

The important point is that in the 1960s and early to mid-1970s the Boomers had an opportunity to effect real change that could have obviated the current disastrous mess. A major groundswell for meaningful reform in US social, economic, political, and environmental policies was in motion. My God, you had students taking over university administration offices and demanding reform---people cared that much.

Then what happened? Microsoft. Legions of former hippies transmogrifying into consumerist nerds with silly black spectacles. The Boomers becoming captivated by technology and business and their alluring but ultimately empty promises. The Big Chill.

[ubercynicmeister]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'G')ood points, uber, but is one man really to blame?

[ubercynicmeister]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RacerJace', 'H')owever the fact that Bush is running the USA and Howard is running Australia means there is either too much corruption or too many people that are too stupid to care, or most probably both.

[RacerJace]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ubercynicmeister', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RacerJace', 'H')owever the fact that Bush is running the USA and Howard is running Australia means there is either too much corruption or too many people that are too stupid to care, or most probably both.