Poll: What generation are you?

[Car-Guy]

Troops were coming back in 1945. I never thought someone born 15-20 years later could be considered part of the "boom." Looking at some of the numbers posted here, though, perhaps I've been wrong.

Dang those guys were at it for a long time! No wonder they were called the Greatest!

Sure beats getting shot at for the ~5 years before!

 

[jollystomper]

Troops were coming back in 1945. I never thought someone born 15-20 years later could be considered part of the "boom." Looking at some of the numbers posted here, though, perhaps I've been wrong.

Dang those guys were at it for a long time! No wonder they were called the Greatest!

Families were larger on average then, and it was not unusual with a large family to for families to be having kinds into their 40s, particularly if the wife is younger. For example, there is 17 years between my oldest (born 1949) and youngest (born 1966) sibling. Dad was 44 and Mom 38 when the youngest of their 7 children were born.

 

[Pellice]

Smack in the middle of the baby boomers! It's been interesting - witnessing the women's movement (I remember job classifieds separated by gender, and my first job at a fast food place with the boss telling me, "we're taking a chance on hiring a girl," and bird clubs that did not admit women as members).

I watched, as a kid and teenager, the civil rights movement, the space age, the transformation of popular music (haha, I still smile when I go into a random grocery or other store and hear the soundtrack of my youth - we boomers still are the default), the explosion of higher education, the birth of environmentalism (there were a few state parks in my youth, but NOTHING like the preserves, the trails, the restored prairies there are now), and the decline of organized religion (although that is a bit deceptive, organized religion only hit a high pont in the 50s).

But, wow, witnessing the computer revolution was and is amazing. I really was "before and after." I was in graduate school when personal computers came into being, the internet a decade later. I feel that this was the second industrial revolution, although that label is misleading. And I witnessed it. I've tried to write down my impressions, and I urge all of you in the same age group to do the same. Believe me, historians will treasure these recollections - and not just simple "I used a typewriter before, then a computer," but how WE THINK this affected our daily lives - our work habits, our thinking, our organization of time - all that changed. And it's not done. And the impact is still unfolding.

 

[indiajust]

I prefer to see gen x start in and around 61. someone moved the goalposts in the late 90's.

 

[Lsbcal]

Smack in the middle of the baby boomers! It's been interesting - witnessing the women's movement (I remember job classifieds separated by gender, and my first job at a fast food place with the boss telling me, "we're taking a chance on hiring a girl," and bird clubs that did not admit women as members).

I watched, as a kid and teenager, the civil rights movement, the space age, the transformation of popular music (haha, I still smile when I go into a random grocery or other store and hear the soundtrack of my youth - we boomers still are the default), the explosion of higher education, the birth of environmentalism (there were a few state parks in my youth, but NOTHING like the preserves, the trails, the restored prairies there are now), and the decline of organized religion (although that is a bit deceptive, organized religion only hit a high pont in the 50s).

But, wow, witnessing the computer revolution was and is amazing. I really was "before and after." I was in graduate school when personal computers came into being, the internet a decade later. I feel that this was the second industrial revolution, although that label is misleading. And I witnessed it. I've tried to write down my impressions, and I urge all of you in the same age group to do the same. Believe me, historians will treasure these recollections - and not just simple "I used a typewriter before, then a computer," but how WE THINK this affected our daily lives - our work habits, our thinking, our organization of time - all that changed. And it's not done. And the impact is still unfolding.

I'm not sure organized religion has declined. We now have organized political religion, organized environmental religion, organized health religion, etc.

The computer revolution has been going on for decades and yes it has now become available to the consumer in ever more abundance since the 1990's. Good - bad, not totally sure.

 

[Nords]

REWahoo and Nords...I have finally pulled the plug....official retire date is 22Jun, my DEROS from Germany....I have a belt, suspenders, elastic waistband and stretch pants to cover me . I'm pretty sure I won't be a bag lady eating cat food...

I've been testing out my travel budget the last few years...ughhh...I'm having a problem spending that much. I suspect when I get back Stateside, it may be met due to cross ocean air costs, but then I'm now finally eligible for Space A....options!

"Welcome to the retired side", @Deserat!

From over here it looked like you were working because it was challenging & fulfilling.

Dover AFB to Ramstein just about every week, unless the active-duty families are on school holidays. Or JBLM & SeaTac to Yokota AB if you're seeking a different overseas flight.

Between Space A and commercial flights, I suspect you could be slow-traveling overseas for 4-6 months of the year and only 3-4 sets of commercial round-trip airfare at worst. International business class is quite affordable under those conditions!

 

[Gumby]

I was listening to some records today and came across this tune, which I haven't played in a while. It reminded me that our view of life changes greatly depending on which end of the slope we're on. I can tell you from personal experience climbing Mount Washington that the Tuckerman Ravine headwall looks a lot more daunting when you're standing at the bottom looking up than when you've reached the top and are looking back down. So maybe I should be a little more understanding about the concerns of young first time climbers. I know they will make it just fine, but they are not so sure.

 

[upupandaway]

It was mainly the Millennials and Gen-Z I was thinking about, not so much Gen-X. I expected Gen-X to be behind the Boomers, for the reasons you mentioned.

However, I'd imagine many people found this group, because they had fantasies about retiring early. Thus, they first stumbled upon it while they were relatively young, still working, but wanted to get out of the workforce early. For instance, I first joined in 2005, when I was 35. I honestly wouldn't expect to see many Gen-Zer's on this site, but considering that a good deal of the Millennials are now in their mid/upper 30s and even 40s, I would think there would be a few of them, at least, representing.

I guess I'm one of the 3 millennials that responded. Albeit a 43 year old millennial. I like the Oregon Trail Generation for my subgroup personally. We really were the ones that saw computers start to show up in grammar schools half way through our tenure. We saw the rise of dial up and then on to broadband. My parents purchased our first computer from QVC and everyone was amazed. My folks had a bagphone in the car then the Nokia brick. It was a fun time to grow up. I bet there are more of us lurking here then this poll would suggest.

 

[SecondAttempt]

I was listening to some records today and came across this tune, which I haven't played in a while....

"Records?" I'm reluctantly first year Gen X so I've seen what you refer to in antique shops but I think you might want to explain what a "record" is to other members here.

 

[Closet_Gamer]

While there have certainly been good developments, too many of today’s ills trace to the boomer generation IME. I am sure some boomers will be the first to disagree…and couldn’t be convinced otherwise - I’ve had those encounters many times.

The boomers have committed “generational plunder,” pillaging the nation’s economy, repeatedly cutting their own taxes, financing two wars and entitlements with deficits, ignoring climate change, inadequate progress on racism, presiding over the death of America’s manufacturing core, and leaving future generations to clean up the mess they created. Not to mention a more divided nation than we’ve had since 1860 thanks mostly to boomers. “OK Boomer” is well deserved IME, I’ve used it with cohorts myself…YMMV.

I tend to agree with you. I don't think history will be kind to the Baby Boomers. DD works in a front line retail job and I asked her if she had a lot of challenges with the Gen-X "Karens" of the world. She said no but the entitlement and willingness of Boomers to literally scream at her was shocking. Its unfair to paint an entire generation in any one color, but I think the weighted average for the Boomers isn't great.

I'm X. We grew up with a huge divorce rate and watched our parents live through the ravages of the early 80s. We still had significant cold war issues during our formative years. There were lots of good things and we had the good fortune to be in the work force during the 1990s. I'm glad I had an Atari and that I remember the screech of a dial up modem. I'm glad there has been so much progress on cancer and other diseases since my parents had them.

 

[CaptTom]

While there have certainly been good developments, too many of today’s ills trace to the boomer generation IME...

The boomers have committed “generational plunder,” pillaging the nation’s economy, repeatedly cutting their own taxes, financing two wars and entitlements with deficits, ignoring climate change, inadequate progress on racism, presiding over the death of America’s manufacturing core, and leaving future generations to clean up the mess they created. Not to mention a more divided nation than we’ve had since 1860 thanks mostly to boomers...

Somehow I missed this the first time.

At one level, it's hard to argue with those facts. In my lifetime, there have always been people pushing those agendas. Even more so today.

But, two things. First, there have also been people pushing back. Those agendas represent one extreme. There are people on the other extreme. I used to think most people fall somewhere in the middle, although I admit things have become far more polarized lately.

Second, it's not just boomers. Watch the crowds at rallies and wherever hatred and racism are on display. I'd go so far as to say boomers are in the minority.

One thing we can all do is take a serious look at the things which divide us, and try to see others' points of view. Not just with "generations" but everything. I suspect we would actually agree on more than we disagree on, if we were to seek out other perspectives, rather than live in an echo chamber of our own design.

 

[GatherYeAcorns]

Troops were coming back in 1945. I never thought someone born 15-20 years later could be considered part of the "boom." Looking at some of the numbers posted here, though, perhaps I've been wrong.

Dang those guys were at it for a long time! No wonder they were called the Greatest!

Well, a lot of folks died between WW2, Korea, and the French IndoChina Wars I guess. Millions died from WW2 alone. Also, getting VA home loans and GI bills motivated military vets to start settling down and create families.

 

[Gumby]

Total worldwide deaths in WWII were between 70 and 80 million. For the United States alone, it was about 419 thousand. As a percentage of the population in 1939, that was about 0.3%. By contrast, it is estimated that Poland lost 17% of its population.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World...aths totaled 50–55,5 million prisoners of war.

 

[Koolau]

Total worldwide deaths in WWII were between 70 and 80 million. For the United States alone, it was about 419 thousand. As a percentage of the population in 1939, that was about 0.3%. By contrast, it is estimated that Poland lost 17% of its population.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World...aths totaled 50–55,5 million prisoners of war.

Already forgotten the generation, but during the USA Civil War, the USA lost a lot more military than in WWII (around 700,000 vs a population of IIRC around 30 million.) That's over 2%. I guess every generation has its own issues and things to be sad, angry, proud, ashamed and exhilarated about. YMMV