Should the old folks pass the baton to the younger generations?

[kentuck]

The Baby Boomers are the old folks. We had our run. We had 60 years of probably the best years in the history of our nation. We were idealistic to a fault, some might say.

But we went thru the Rock & Roll turmoil of the Fifties and the rebellion against our conservative parents. We went thru the Vietnam War and the protests against the killing and we marched in the peace movement. Some of us experienced the war first hand. We saw our heroes murdered. We saw women gain rights they had not seen in 2000 years.

We went thru Nixon and Watergate and the Carter years. We lived thru the Reagan years and many felt it was the start of the decline of everything we had tried to build. We were witness to the eight years of Clinton and the eight miserable years of George W Bush that followed.

Now, we are tired. We don't have the energy or the health that we once had. Every generation has to step forward in their own way. They interpret the reality of the world and how it needs to change and they challenge the status quo.

Is it time to pass the baton? Or do we keep fighting these bastards 'til the day we die? "We were knee deep in the Big Muddy, And the big fool said to push on. The Sergeant said, "Sir, are you sure. This is the best way back to the base?" ...

[Turbineguy]

1. Yes.

We protested, fought and died in the Vietnam War and then put George W. Bush in the Whitehouse.

I hope the next generation can improve on that.

[Cirque du So-What]

2. Pardon the FUCK out of me for not lying down to die!

You'll have to get your hands dirty (or coerce one of your degenerate minions to do the job for you) for those who want me to fuck off and die.

[kentuck]

6. Well, excuse me...

I had no idea the subject would send you into such a spasm. But the fact remains, we are not going to live forever. Mortality is not a pleasant subject, I understand. However, the fact remains that the youth will inherit what we leave.

[Cirque du So-What]

31. If I had known that disagreement would be characterized as a 'spasm'

I would have just stayed out of your thread from the get-go. I suggest that if you can't handle criticism, then you shouldn't tippy-tap into existence every single thought that rises to the forefront of your consciousness.

The 'baby boomer' generation runs from 1946-1964; that means the youngest are still only 46 years of age, yet you see fit to suggest that they just 'pass the baton?' What other generation has willingly relinquished everything for which they've worked? There are still people from the so-called 'greatest generation' who haven't 'passed the baton' yet, so why not give THEM your 'sage advice?'

Neither you nor anyone else is qualified to pigeonhole 78 million members of a generation. If you want to call yourSELF 'old folks,' go ahead, but I will disagree with every fiber of my being if you try to call ME 'old folks.' I am nowhere ready to go into that good night, and I resist efforts to shuffle me off to retirement while I'm still in my prime earning years. We've already got the fucking Republicans making overtures in that direction, and I am sure as hell not going to sit idly by while an ostensible 'democrat' makes similar suggestions.

You make dozens of OPs daily whenever something crosses your mind; it won't kill ya to catch some flak over a single flop. If you want to discuss all the different ways I consider your premise to be a flop, I will be more than glad to discuss it in exquisite detail...or you can come back with some snark on a par with 'spasm' and see where that leads...

[meow mix]

3. i dont see the boomers as being leftist, any longer.

so i wouldnt mind.

maybe im wrong though..

[iwishiwas]

10. I think it depends on how well off one is. The have's will probably

sit it out for the most part (unless they have a chance to have more).

[Iris]

4. um.....No.

You don't get off that easily.

[DonCoquixote]

5. Stop the generation division

That only makes the enemy happy.

It will take the Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, The Millenials, and whoever comes after them to fight these bastards!

[sufrommich]

7. Who do you think elected Reagan and Bush Jr.?

Boomers have as many conservative voters as any other voting block in this country.

[kentuck]

8. I agree.

Where did we go wrong?

[jaxx]

9. Is that a new death panel?

No, we shouldn't back off. The younger ones have lessons to learn and they won't find them reading a book or watching a movie....which is where much of their 'politics' come from according to the comparisons we see daily. They will learn from us.

[kentuck]

11. Now we are waist deep in the Big Muddy...

and the fool says to "March on!" :-)

[jaxx]

12. Thanks for nothing.

Anybody can sling shit, which is why this place is not what it could be.

[kentuck]

13. Sorry.

I meant it as an agreement with your comments.

[jaxx]

15. Then I'm sorry too because it didn't read as agreement.

Truce.

[rucognizant]

29. That's 100% right!

I had 10 years of running a small family, free lance art business, with my husband and 8 years of running it alone as a single Mother, Not to mention 20 + years of youth in a small town where almost EVERYBODY, ran some kind of small business. The owner of the LOCAL PJ manufacturing co. lived down the street from us in the same kind of modest bungalow we had, only difference in lifestyle being that his 2 kids had a horse each, stabled around the block on the County Fairgrounds.
I was first "kneecapped" the year reagan took office.....I think the majority of our current population was either not born or in diapers. Tax reform in 1986 was damaging to small business. It's been downhill ever since then.
The RW propaganda/money machine has been intently focused on disaster capitalism, & destroying education for their entire lifetimes. They HAVE NO POINT OF COMPARISON! YOU CAN'T MISS WHAT YOU HAVE NEVER KNOWN!
They didn't learn the back to the land survival skills of the 60's either.
WE have to teach them!

[Atman]

14. Part of the problem is that the old folks taught the young folks...

...and they (we) did a terrible job at it. Our young people today are woefully ignorant about our own history and constitution, and how the government is supposed to function. We are desperately in need of a new, real leader. Kinda like what we thought Obama would be a couple of years ago.

[no_hypocrisy]

16. No, we will work together.

[kentuck]

18. Thanks.

I was curious to where people might be thinking on this subject. Some were pissed it was even brought up. :-)

[Jim Warren]

17. Absolution?

There is no absolution, only realization, then hopefully a redoubling of resolve.
Passing the baton implies someone willing to take it up. I'm a boomer but if I were young I'd think twice about trusting boomers, a materialistic, consumerist, self-centered, food obsessed, narcissistic disappointment. Despite the litany of credits you ascribe to the boomers in the early going, remarking on a generation in the end is done by the fruits it bore: overripe, fleshy and full of worms.

[sufrommich]

19. I'm a boomer too (born in 1957). We are by far, the most

self centered generation ever. We caused this mess.

[kentuck]

20. You may be right?

Maybe there is still time to right the course?

[Donnachaidh]

21. there isn't enough division in politics now -- let's pit generations against each other.

Yeah -- that'll work. :sarcasm:

EPIC fail.

[Jim Warren]

28. JQA

Then perhaps it's time to recognize the difference between phantom divisions created by the media and those represented in the John Q Adams quote in your sig.

[Nikia]

22. A lot of young people are tied up in their families and/or careers

A lot of older people are able to get more, not less socially and politically active. Experience with life and within local organizations is also valuable . Of course, younger people should be encouraged to become involved in politics, but older people should continued to be involved and provide leadership of organizations.

[Buzz Clik]

23. Vote.

[Vinca]

24. We need to fight.

At least until there are marches on Washington that are made up mostly of young people. I realize there are many who are politically involved and know what is going on, but I seem to run into a whole lot who haven't a clue what's happening. In a way, I relate because I never considered the prospect of getting old a reality. (I'm still a victim of having a young mind in an old body.) I fear for them. The Ryan extermination plan won't affect me all that much, but younger people need to become outraged before it's too late.

[Bluenorthwest]

25. To me, what you are describing is a derelection of duty to the

younger generation. It is wrong to 'hand off' rather than to give a hand up.
I come from a field where everybody of all ages are needed. This idea of being 'done' is alien to me, in work, politics, life in general.
Plus, when it comes to 'baton passing' in a relay race, you pass it without slowing, to the next runner, who is reaching for it. You do not toss it at some spectator. The baton is passed to a team member who is already prepared to run with it. I see no out reached young arms waiting to sprint to the finish. Do you?

[kentuck]

27. Well said.

..and makes sense.

[kickysnana]

30. +1

[bemildred]

26. I don't have a baton to pass. nt