The title of this article seems to be pretty severe at first glance, but at least I got your attention. It has been awhile since I have posted to this blog, and I apologize. Unlike some of the folks we will discuss in this essay, I have been very busy juggling two jobs and trying to find a way to remain financially stable and raise my children properly, despite the current economic conditions. Which brings me to our current topic: The Baby Boom Generation.
If any of you are not completely familiar with exactly what the Baby Boom Generation is, you can find the definition here. I even found that the description pissed me off. The Baby Boomers was the generation of my parents. In my opinion, the Baby Boom Generation is the most useless, self-absorbed, and irresponsible generation in the history of this great nation.
Why do I have such a negative opinion of this group? Let's take a look at how they came to be. The Baby Boomer's parents were what is called by many, "The Greatest Generation". This was my grand parents generation. This group was the generation that suffered the Great Depression, just to enter World War II. This proud, stoic generation knew hardships that many today could scarcely imagine. They learned how to survive on little or nothing and appreciate the value of a dollar during the depression, which forged their resolve. Then they tempered their character in the fires of World War II. They didn't whine about their feelings. They returned from the war, busted their asses, and built this country into what it is today. Prior to WWII the U.S. wasn't a world industrial or economic power, but we learned to industrialize during the war and perfected it after. The U.S. became the world's first superpower. Then along came the Baby Boomers, born to this magnificent generation...and shit started to slide downhill.
I suppose the Greatest Generation were like any parents, in that they wanted their children to have it better than they did. The Boomers responded by rebelling against their parents and going for free love, music, and drugs. They coasted through the haze of the 1960's and cruised into the 1970's Sexual Revolution and even more parties and drugs. After awhile, they got older and had my generation. The Boomers were also called "The Me Generation", which was appropriate. They were obsessed with the trappings of success and all the material items that came with it. That brings us to the problem.
You can relate most of today's economic problems to this generation. The looming debt crisis, the housing bubble bursting, the government spending and entitlements, all of it we can hang around their necks. Despite the fact that I can paint with a broad brush and look at everything from our politics and laws to economic regulations to prove my point, I am going to keep it simple. Sometimes it is easier to show examples the reader can relate to. Think of several people you know from this generation...ok, ready? Now, how many of them are now retirement age, but cannot retire because of their massive debt? Do you remember them always trying to have the biggest home? Nicest car? Maybe they always had lots of toys such as: boats, motorcycles, etc.? Maybe they like to take lots of vacations or just try and act like big shots in general. All this done on credit. They never paid cash, they always used credit. They couldn't get enough THINGS. They like to try and impress others, and thought it would last. Of course, a balloon can only stretch so far...and now the balloon has burst. Please understand that the entire generation does not fit this mold, there are many in that generation who have been smart and done well. But in general, the thinking and actions of the majority of this generation have led us to our current predicament. The Greatest Generation cautioned them, but they did not listen.
My generation, known as Generation X, is full of equally useless people, mostly due to our inherited sense of entitlement from our parents generation. However, the majority of my generation seems to have a little more smarts than our parents. Most of us actually spent more time with our grand parents because our parents were too busy out working to buy more materialistic shit they didn't need. Because of this, we actually listened to our grand parents. Many of us got our financial advice from our grand parents, who knew a thing or two about the importance of living within ones means. Let's have another example...ready? Think of several people that fall into the Gen X group. Most are in their late 30's to early 40's now. How many of them appear to have a downsized life compared to their parents? How many have cars that are not quite as nice, but paid for? How many seem to be more realistic about debt and credit? When the financial crisis hit, the most affected group was the Boomers, not my generation. Most alarmingly, I have heard countless Baby Boomers say that they suppose that my generation will have to be the generation to save and take care of them, because they have failed. My generation will be the first not to live better than the previous, and on top of that we are going to have to also take care of the Boomers. God forbid should they have to show any responsibility for themselves.
This is why I say, "Fuck the Baby Boomers." They leeched off their parents generation until nothing was left. Those that were left inheritances have pissed that away, and now they are looking to their children. I'm not sure about the rest of my generation, but I, personally never leeched off my parents. I have had a job since I was 13. Bought my own clothes and took care of myself. Most of the people in my generation have a similar story. We were told to work by those who actually had a shitty work ethic themselves. Most of us didn't realize until we got older that our parent's generation were full of shit. Most of us got student loans, or worked our way through college because we were told that we had to fend for ourselves. We thought they were teaching us responsibility and self-reliance. The truth, more often than not, was that they had wasted so much money on bullshit that they couldn't have helped us if they wanted to. Now, as they approach their twilight years, they realize that they have saved nothing and government entitlements are running out because the politicians they elected were also fucking Hippies that like to give shit to people for doing nothing. My generation has been handed down a world of shit. We now find ourselves tasked with trying to fix an economy that THEY fucked up. We not only have to worry about raising and educating our children, but also paying our parents way. I personally know many Baby Boomers who, instead of picking up a side job, have turned to their children. In each case, their children are working two jobs each and raising small children. When the children try and give sound economic advice, it is either ignored or met with derision. Being the "Me Generation", they have no problem in looking to others to bail them out of their self-caused financial problems. Many of them have already filed bankruptcy more than once, but still feel that they should not have to downsize their quality of life. After all...they are entitled.
I have a million examples of irresponsibility and selfish acts that this generation has perpetrated. A good analogy would be that the Greatest Generation built and paid for a beautiful house full of heirlooms and passed it down to the Baby Boomers...who then handed it down to us after they turned it into a crack house with a 3rd mortgage and a few dead hookers in the cellar...with past due property taxes. My generation is hard at work, remodeling the house, and I have no doubt that we will be able to make chicken salad out of the chicken shit given to us.
So...fuck you, you irresponsible, selfish, self-centered, generation full of pot-smoking-tofu-eating-Birkenstock-wearing-tree-hugging-Hippie-fags. Thank you for leaving me and my children with a country drowning in debt and weakened on the international stage. Instead of bailing you out and caring for you, we should put you in a rest home that specializes in bed sores and ass kicking. Keep your entitlements and whining and shove them up the ass of your generation's mascot...President Obama. Yes, him and his presidency is the perfect representation of your generation. We will turn this shit around...just get out of our way and stop being part of the problem.
