Will Baby Boomers be the Luckiest?
- Thread starter GrayHare
- Start date
They won't get off my lawn.
Now, my story begins in 19-dickety-two. We had to say "dickety" cause that Kaiser had stolen our word "twenty." I chased that rascal to get it back, but gave up after dickety-six miles…
If you're happy, slim and drug-free, your 401k needs to last longer
This is a very interesting observation, since it prompts questions about what the statistics can tell each of us as an individual.
The Centers for Disease Control says life expectancy dropped from 78.7 to 78.6 years, a decline strongly related to suicides and drug overdoses.
https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2019/01/16/why-is-life-expectancy-in-the-u-s-going-down-a-qa/
Those two contributors to mortality disproportionately affect younger people, which means they have more leverage to decrease The Average Lifespan. There is also discussion regarding the impact of chronic conditions. For example, rising rates of obesity get a mention.
But all of these are readily identifiable, discrete factors which a given individual either possesses or does not. Such factors create a multimodal distribution rather than a Gaussian one; we can't assume they spread randomly throughout the population the way breast cancer and car crashes do.
What this means is, if you are suicidal, overweight or suffer opioid addiction, you are in a different subset of the population than the one which doesn't reflect these characteristics.
But what if you and I are NOT in that subset? I think it means we, as individuals, probably still should count ourselves in the "luckier than prior generations" category.
This is a very interesting observation, since it prompts questions about what the statistics can tell each of us as an individual.
The Centers for Disease Control says life expectancy dropped from 78.7 to 78.6 years, a decline strongly related to suicides and drug overdoses.
https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2019/01/16/why-is-life-expectancy-in-the-u-s-going-down-a-qa/
Those two contributors to mortality disproportionately affect younger people, which means they have more leverage to decrease The Average Lifespan. There is also discussion regarding the impact of chronic conditions. For example, rising rates of obesity get a mention.
But all of these are readily identifiable, discrete factors which a given individual either possesses or does not. Such factors create a multimodal distribution rather than a Gaussian one; we can't assume they spread randomly throughout the population the way breast cancer and car crashes do.
What this means is, if you are suicidal, overweight or suffer opioid addiction, you are in a different subset of the population than the one which doesn't reflect these characteristics.
But what if you and I are NOT in that subset? I think it means we, as individuals, probably still should count ourselves in the "luckier than prior generations" category.
If you're happy, slim and drug-free, clap your hands - Clap! Clap!
Teacher Terry
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My dad was in WW2 and had a good paying job in a factory as a tool grinder. By 50 his lungs were so impaired he had to take a disability retirement so I don’t consider that generation especially lucky. He couldn’t walk more than a block and was too sick to travel even though he saved for it.
Sorry to hear about your dad.
But certainly you don't think everyone in his generation had the same issues?
Teacher Terry
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The people that worked in factories didn’t fare well because of the lack of safety standards. Later tool grinders wore special equipment. People that worked in offices were healthier I am sure. My mom’s parents had tough lives between WW1, depression, etc. My generation had it a lot better.
Just_Steve
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Happy and drug free, 2 out of 3 ain't bad. doing a one hand clap.
Dtail
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They won't get off my lawn.
This statement is close to actually being true for us in our current rental. Just beyond our backyard is effectively a shortcut to the clubhouse and many kids use it.
We move to our purchased house next month, so no more issues. lol
ShokWaveRider
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We never wanted kids, made the decision very early in our relationship. Yes, we were chastised and ridiculed by our family and friends at the time. We Have travelled and enjoyed are lives quite happily without them. You will not find them on your lawns or biting your ankles. We do not regret it either, when we look at how disrespectful some other people's kids are, it just reinforces we made the right decision.
It's always fun to blame an entire generation for something.
Yes, maybe my comment suggests otherwise, but obviously not all members of the group are at fault for any mal effect inflicted during their lifetimes.
REWahoo
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give
I applaud you for your contribution to society.
Some other people's kids are very respectful. Therefore, you clearly made the wrong decision. Or something like that...
ShokWaveRider
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stepford
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
However respectful they are, each of these kids apparently results in an equivalent dumping of 58 tons of Carbon into the atmosphere per year, so I too thank ShokWaveRider for his contribution.
aja8888
Moderator Emeritus
My Dad was in WWII in combat and made it home only to go back to work in the coal mines. He died of alcoholism (too much vodka).
I never met my grandfathers as both were dead before I was born (coal mines). I did meet one living grandmother who still lived in a coal town house.
I have it better than all of the above had it. I left home at 17 and in 1964 went in the military to get money for college (GI Bill). It worked, I was combat rated, made it home OK. No vodka for me.
I'm a few years older than the Baby Boomer set.
jazz4cash
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I think I am pretty lucky to be a late boomer (1956). Too young for Vietnam and too old for the Middle East.
Dash man
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1956 is not a late boomer. Smack in the middle. We were too young for Vietnam, but not too old for the first Gulf War. And there were plenty of skirmishes along the way too.
1956 here as well. I believe last class to get a lottery number. Although the war was winding down & no draftees were selected. Still remember my number....13
Dash man
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Mine was number 267, and I ended up joining the Air Force anyways.
Edited to change 2 to 267. My bad!!!
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Wow...not the kind of topper you want. Glad you came back safely. Strange times then
Dash man
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HFWR
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Don’t remember my number, but was classified 1-H (1972).
Was never in the military, nor a police officer.
Was never in the military, nor a police officer.
SpinDoctorTX
Recycles dryer sheets
I'm a late boomer. I agree, as I have friends in most age brackets. We try to meet and bond with people who are different than us as often as possible, as you can learn something from anyone. Good on you for your positive attitude, as among all generations that is one hard to find quality.
In general, people create their own happiness or unhappiness as a result of their action or inaction.
Lakewood90712
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I'm in the later half of the boomers , so it colors my opinion. At the time the US pulled of the Viet Nam war, I was not yet draft age.
Gut impression is , if looking at a 100 year time frame, from 1940 ( post great depression ) to 2040, my answer to the OP question is yes. I am speaking about western nations , middle class. Outside of those parameters would be a lot different
I wasn't around in 1940 and will dead and gone in 2040 , so part is conjecture.
Gut impression is , if looking at a 100 year time frame, from 1940 ( post great depression ) to 2040, my answer to the OP question is yes. I am speaking about western nations , middle class. Outside of those parameters would be a lot different
I wasn't around in 1940 and will dead and gone in 2040 , so part is conjecture.
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