Author Topic: Salon article - Why millennials will miss Boomers when they`re gone  (Read 4603 times)

BDWW

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https://www.salon.com/2019/05/12/why-millennials-will-miss-boomers-when-theyre-gone/

Not precisely mustachian, but it contained a few nuggets I thought interesting. I'm generally not a fan of salon (way too biased), but occasionally there's something interesting there.

The main thought that caught me - as a millenial - was the theme that our generation is somewhat uniquely obsessed with jobs and money. Recalling from my childhood it does seem that my parents and their cohorts were somewhat less concerned with jobs as defining them; and more concerned with just working in order to live.

I'm significantly more financially secure than my parents (even now), but they were less anxious over it. A few times I can recall my parents just quit a job to do something new, with seemingly little forethought. Just the assumption that they would make do somehow. It's especially interesting trying to imagine that mindset when realizing how poor we were when I was young. 

Edit: the article does have a fair amount of stereotypical millennial complaining but the bigger mindset theme is what I found interesting.
« Last Edit: May 13, 2019, 02:24:38 PM by BDWW »

aaahhrealmarcus

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That's interesting, because my experience with Boomers and job identity has been the opposite! Whenever I meet a middle-aged or older person, their first question is always "what do you do?" If I introduce friends to my parents, I get the same question, "What do they do?" Almost every "Boomer" I've known has identified themselves as their current or former profession. "I'm a teacher," "I was a nurse," etc.

On the other hand, most of my younger friends and acquaintances have good jobs, but I've never see one introduce themselves with "I'm in advertising," or "I'm a CPA" the way their parents do. I don't even know what a lot of my friends do for a living, and I don't care, because it has little impact on their social life outside of work.

Maybe it's a Midwestern thing?

EricL

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I tend to regard the Boomer-Millennial antagonism as silly, with each side projecting much of its own flaws on the other and neither side's flaws being exclusive to it.  (Well, except maybe avocado toast, though that's hardly a flaw.)  Both are entitled, authoritarian, selfish, and short sighted as well as idealistic, hard working, and intelligent.  People like to blame other people for their problems.  When the "problem people" go away they'll be replaced with new "problem people."   

But then again, I'm Gen X, so maybe that's why I think that way.

ixtap

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Baby boomers and their parents literally drop dead at retirement because they are so lost without their jobs, in much the same way that long time spouses will sometimes pass within a short time period.

The baby boomers were also the ones making all those 80 movies about going on a journey of discovery when they got laid off because they had no identity without the title.

Cool Friend

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I tend to regard the Boomer-Millennial antagonism as silly, with each side projecting much of its own flaws on the other and neither side's flaws being exclusive to it.

ding ding ding ding

Cassie

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As a boomer no one I know has died without their jobs. Most are super happy.

Psychstache

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I tend to regard the Boomer-Millennial antagonism as silly, with each side projecting much of its own flaws on the other and neither side's flaws being exclusive to it.

ding ding ding ding

It's almost like the construct of generations and ascribing sweeping generalizations about thoughts and behaviors to them is a nearly useless practice.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Salon article - Why millennials will miss Boomers when they`re gone
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2019, 09:31:48 AM »
As a boomer no one I know has died without their jobs. Most are super happy.

So much this.