Where are you in the debate that baby boomers had things much harder than Generation X?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 09:13:25 -0400

Who "had it worst" and why?

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Mar 27 at 2018 9:24 AM

SGM Bill Frazer — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 09:24:34 -0400

Who cares? Almost every generation can lay claim to that- whether it was lack of technology, or DR. Spock, or the Great Depression, or wartime shortages- it doesn't matter. All that really counts is how well you do with what you got handed.

Response by SFC Robert Walton made Mar 27 at 2018 9:32 AM

SFC Robert Walton — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 09:32:33 -0400

The tech boom Put Boomers behind Making it much harder for them to catch up in education to stay employed Gen x had the Tech. So controlled the working environment. It is still much the same today. MO

Response by PO1 Don Gulizia made Mar 27 at 2018 9:53 AM

PO1 Don Gulizia — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 09:53:55 -0400

As a Gen Xer and parent of two Millennials & one Z Gen/iGeneration kid, I can tell you that the current kids (Z-Gen/iGen) have it the hardest. The pressures, we faced as teens, would be calmed once we made it home or during vacations. Kids, now days, are confronted with the "typical" teen stressors, 24/7. You can try to limit "screen" time, but that just adds to them being "outcasts." I'd hate being a teen today...I'll stick to my 70s/80s childhood.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Mar 27 at 2018 10:22 AM

CPT Jack Durish — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 10:22:19 -0400

If you place one foot in a fire and freeze the other in a block of ice, on average, you'll be comfortable. Yes, "Neither/Hardly Comparable" is the best choice. I suppose I can speak to this comparison dispassionately because I belong to neither generation.

Response by Cpl Tom Surdi made Mar 27 at 2018 12:09 PM

Cpl Tom Surdi — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 12:09:05 -0400

Each generation faces it's own set of challenges, and has it's own failures. What is important is how they face those challenges and learn from the failures. I think both boomers and millennials have failed to learn from many of their mistakes and have failed to compromise when it comes to their personal ideologies, and if you don't agree with them you are automatically wrong and written off as dumb. I think Gen X has by far shown they are more adaptable than either of the other generations. Their failure tends to be a lack of lending their voices and acting as leaders in a time when they should be at the forefront lending their accumulated knowledge and wisdom. But that is changing.

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Mar 27 at 2018 12:52 PM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 12:52:58 -0400

They have a lot of high tech advantage that we did things the old fashioned way.. for example they can get their papa John appp on, pick their pizza and what they want on it, order and pay via credit card or debit for it on their way to pick it up and stop at a park and eat it quite hot.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2018 1:06 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 13:06:14 -0400

Define "hard". Every generation faces its own unique challenges.

I'd revise the question to, "Which generation deals with hardship better?"...because that's what really counts, isn't it?

Response by SSgt Gary Andrews made Mar 27 at 2018 1:46 PM

SSgt Gary Andrews — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 13:46:23 -0400

Boomers lived in simpler times and did not have the advantage of technology that exists today.....but Gen X'ers get another set of problems that come with their technology. It's a wash......and hard to make a comparison. Personally, I enjoyed growing up in my era.

Response by 1SG Dennis Hicks made Mar 27 at 2018 2:22 PM

1SG Dennis Hicks — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 14:22:55 -0400

Each generation blames another, been going on since the beginning of time, blaming folks doesn't solve the problem just delays a solution. Pointing out others failures feels goo even to me but in the end it doesn't solve anything. Today's newborns will blame Gen X-ers and whatever follows, its a right of passage.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2018 3:16 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 15:16:45 -0400

As a baby boomer I chose generation x, but a lot of their problems they bring on themselves. If you’re a black baby boomer, things weren’t simple, but if you’re caucasian, things were more simple in my time. Today, in most cases, Gen x have more equal opportunities. IMHO

Response by SFC Jim Ruether made Mar 27 at 2018 4:15 PM

SFC Jim Ruether — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 16:15:13 -0400

I was talking to a high school counselor friend of mine and we talked about this subject in depth one evening and I told him I think the Gen X'ers, and the millennial's all believe they have it tougher than the baby boomers but its all in their perception.

My dad grew up through the depression. He was a member of the Greatest Generation and knew what hardship was all about. He made a promise to himself that he was going to try and make it better for me than he had it and he did.

I did without a lot of things growing up but if you never had it you didn't miss it. The younger generations see it, and they want it, but they aren't willing to go out and work for it. They fear failure because they have always gotten the participation trophy in gym class and have never striven for perfection in themselves much less improvement.

My dad and mom worked hard to provide for us and my dad did it with an eighth grade education. I accepted the challenge with my own family having had doors opened to me by my dad and the U.S. Army. I never thought once that I would fail. That would have brought shame not only to me but to my dad who worked hard to give me that leg up. I was not going to and will not ever disappoint him as long as I live. I am to proud to do that.

I can't believe there are generations of Americans that are living down the basement in their parents home and they have no intention of leaving. Who in fact will wait more than likely till mom and dad pass on, then they will move up stairs, they can't take a job flipping pancakes at IHOP or burgers at McDonalds because its below their perceived status in life? People you are living in your parents basement. Dig yourself out with the new minimum wage and get on with your life.

I am still investing my modest income and want to make even more of myself if at all possible. I will lean my shovel up against my own casket before I quit. That's the difference between Baby Boomers and Gen X'ers! There are a lot of people out there that will cuss me out and call me an idiot but prove me wrong and I will accept it and move on. I won't let it stop me from accomplishing my goal, to provide for my children and insist that they do the same for their kids, their family, themselves!

Response by SFC Jim Ruether made Mar 27 at 2018 4:15 PM

SFC Jim Ruether — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 16:15:51 -0400

Great question SGT Spratley!