Two Sides of The Baby Boomer Generation
When young kids look at my father, the first thing they think of is "Baby Boomer". They don't say it in so many words, but I know, for a fact that they think that way, especially my students. This is because a lot of people are fascinated by the lifestyle of baby boomers. What did they see while growing up? What was life like in the U.S. back then?
Basically, a baby boomer is someone who was born between the years 1946 and 1964 – my father was born in 1950. This generation right now makes up quite a big portion of the North American population. They were the generation which was born post second world war! In fact, they represent about 20% of the American public today! And because of this they influence the economy in many ways.
History
These people were basically born in the post world war II era. Young male soldiers who returned home to the States, Canada and even Australia began families after their period of service and they brought about quite a number of children into the world! This dramatic increase in the number of births in this period of nineteen years is termed as Baby Boom.
In the United States alone, seventy nine million babies were born during that period. This generation grew up with John F. Kennedy as the President and also had to face the evils of the Vietnam War. They grew up in a time when society was changing drastically and at a rapid pace.
One only has to see the religious affiliations of the Baby boomers to get an idea of the tremendous change that society was undergoing then. In 1993, an article in Time magazine said that about 42% of this generation was basically non believers. And then again, a third of this generation was extremely pious and regular church goers.
Hippies and Drugs!
Boomers all over the world showed the same signs of evolving a cultural identity of their own. In Britain it was all about the Beatles. In the United States it was all about Woodstock, In Italy, people were busy dressing up in hip styles and clothes and in Canada, Boomers were busy organizing support for Pierre Trudeau.
This generation also saw the famous hippies! There was tremendous liberalization and people began to see and think for themselves, which, as we all know, in this case, wasn't such a great thing! Why? This is when the use of illegal drugs "boomed" so to speak. People loved the idea of "experimentation" and self medication.
In fact, the Boomers are the first generation who actually started having problems because of drug abuse. But, one has to keep in mind that during that time the Youth were extremely idealistic and held extremely how principles. They were, in short highly motivated and they could have used their tremendous energy resources for great causes. The Baby Boomer generation continues to fascinate us even today, so why not go and ask your grandpa all about life as a child?
Basically, a baby boomer is someone who was born between the years 1946 and 1964 – my father was born in 1950. This generation right now makes up quite a big portion of the North American population. They were the generation which was born post second world war! In fact, they represent about 20% of the American public today! And because of this they influence the economy in many ways.
History
These people were basically born in the post world war II era. Young male soldiers who returned home to the States, Canada and even Australia began families after their period of service and they brought about quite a number of children into the world! This dramatic increase in the number of births in this period of nineteen years is termed as Baby Boom.
In the United States alone, seventy nine million babies were born during that period. This generation grew up with John F. Kennedy as the President and also had to face the evils of the Vietnam War. They grew up in a time when society was changing drastically and at a rapid pace.
One only has to see the religious affiliations of the Baby boomers to get an idea of the tremendous change that society was undergoing then. In 1993, an article in Time magazine said that about 42% of this generation was basically non believers. And then again, a third of this generation was extremely pious and regular church goers.
Hippies and Drugs!
Boomers all over the world showed the same signs of evolving a cultural identity of their own. In Britain it was all about the Beatles. In the United States it was all about Woodstock, In Italy, people were busy dressing up in hip styles and clothes and in Canada, Boomers were busy organizing support for Pierre Trudeau.
This generation also saw the famous hippies! There was tremendous liberalization and people began to see and think for themselves, which, as we all know, in this case, wasn't such a great thing! Why? This is when the use of illegal drugs "boomed" so to speak. People loved the idea of "experimentation" and self medication.
In fact, the Boomers are the first generation who actually started having problems because of drug abuse. But, one has to keep in mind that during that time the Youth were extremely idealistic and held extremely how principles. They were, in short highly motivated and they could have used their tremendous energy resources for great causes. The Baby Boomer generation continues to fascinate us even today, so why not go and ask your grandpa all about life as a child?
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