The Friction Between Generations is Growing...... Why?

As you may know, I recently published my second book about the growing conflict between our generations, focused upon talking about the life stories of 14 everyday baby boomers, accompanied by a discussion of the generational wars within the context of Boomer lives.

In my new book entitled 'SEX, DRUGS, ROCK and WAR: The Boomer Generation', I explore the growing conflict between the generations, via telling the life stories of 14 Baby Boomers, and discussing with them many hot issues of today, including the animosity between generations.

What are the points of contention between the generations, and why are Baby Boomers being accused of creating an unsustainable world?

Here are just a few of the problems that some within Gen Z and Gen Y have identified, as being caused by the Baby Boomer generation:

1 – The Boomer generation created a planet that is polluted, with global warming creating significant problems and societal issues.

2 – Boomers elected the politicians that ran up a $31+ TRILLION national deficit, which the younger generations will have to repay via increasing taxes, fewer governmental services for taxes paid, etc.

3 – Boomers allowed college education costs to escalate to the point that most college graduates from Gen Y and Z have significant debts that are difficult to pay off. These debts are stopping many from moving on to the next stage of their lives, meaning marriage, children, and home-ownership.

4 – Housing costs are growing out of control, leaving many with the realization that home-ownership is a dream that will never happen.

5 – Gun violence is out of control, and the politicians elected by Boomers will not step up to make much-needed changes to gun control and gun ownership.

6 – Many higher-paying jobs are gone, along with the perks and healthcare that came with them. Boomers allowed many industries and product manufacturing to move offshore.

7 – Boomers, in the main, are collecting social security and Medicare benefits, while Gen X/Y/Z pay into those programs to keep them funded. It is likely that the same benefits will not be there when Gen X/Y/Z get to retirement age. Many Boomers also have pensions to help with expenses, while younger generations, in the main, do not have pension plans.

8 – Capitalism today only helps the rich get richer, and results in the poor getting even poorer. Boomers love capitalism, because it helped their generation, but it has caused major problems for younger generations.

9 – Boomers have most of the financial assets in our country, and also collect pensions, social security, investment returns, etc., but they don’t seem to care about the problems of Generation X/Y/Z. They are out of touch to the problems of today.

So, is the conflict between generations just one-way, with Boomers being blamed for major problems in our country and the world? What do some of the Boomers in the book have to say about the younger generations?

1 – Generation Z and even Generation Y do not have the work ethic of older generations.

2 – They do not have much in the way of financial sense. They run up debt on credit cards, and buy whatever they want now instead of saving for what they want.

3 – They are too focused upon solving the world’s big problems, when they would be better served to focus upon what they can control and how to budget, and save/invest money.

4 – The younger generations want more and more handouts from the government, and believe that socialism is a better system for our country. In fact, socialism may be the end of our country if we accept it.

5 – Those with college debt want that debt to be forgiven via taxpayers paying that debt for them, but THEY were the ones who took out the loans to attend college.

Clearly, there is a growing animosity between generations, an animosity that is not healthy for our country or the world. What is the answer to reduce that conflict?

My book explores that question and others, through helping readers understand the world and country dynamics of the 1960’s – 1980’s, and seeing the linkages between that world then, and the current values, beliefs, and opinions of Boomers.

Through these life stories, it becomes apparent that values and beliefs are significantly shaped by world, country, and local events during those critical ‘growing up’ years from childhood through becoming a middle-aged adult. It makes us think about the events of the time when Gen Y and Z were growing up.

You can read previews of my book on most retail sites, and in fact, on Amazon, you can read the first 30 pages for free.