What is the Baby Boom generation?
Posted: Monday, September 19, 2011
by The Old Gray Mare
www.DressYourHorse.com
I’ve never given the “Baby Boom Generation” much thought. Sure enough, the term Baby Boomers, or the shortened “Boomers,” have been bantered around frequently in news, papers and in conversation. To me, it was a term that summed up the baby boom after World War II.
There definitely are a lot of us and that influx of the population explosion was felt in this country and worldwide. Since I’m not a proponent of having more than two children per couple, and I think our world should limit overpopulation for preserving the planet, I never gave Boomer discussions a lot of though.
In preparation for this little article, I brushed up on a few statistics, however. Boomers presently number around 76-million in the United States. According to the folks that give us polls and statistics, that is 29 percent of the US population.
After 1965, Boomers accounted for 38 percent of the total population.
Projecting ahead to 2050, our numbers will decrease drastically to 5 percent. By then, if we number among the survivors, we’ll be around 85 years of age.
The statistic in the year 2030 has Boomers numbering three retirees out of every 10 workers. Interestingly, even though our numbers will decline substantially as the years pass, we are expected to “remain a characteristic bulge in the age structure” throughout our lifetime.
Reviewing a few more statistics, shows facts that echo what we all know:
- We had lower fertility than our ancestors.
- Our females joined the workforce in overwhelming numbers, as never seen before
- Our females took over many male-dominated professions
- Marriage rates declined
- Cohabitation increased dramatically
- Divorces escalated sharply.
- Crime rates went up
- Drug use skyrocketed
- Male earnings dipped for baby boomers
- The term “Yuppie” was created for low-savings and high-credit Boomers
- Boomers had more spending power, partially because of dual incomes
- Boomers are accorded with the rapid expanse of automobiles
I’m here for now until the bells toll. I’m living a good life in a great country. Sure,
there are ways to improve, memories to hold dear and a good life to live. With all the Boomers out there, I know I’m in good company.My only hope is that all of my counterpart Boomers – all of us – can leave this world a better place for those that follow.
The Old Gray Mare writes for www.DressYourHorse.com and her Blog sites.
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)Great Job, Heidi: Straightforward, positive, full of facts and well commented on. You are obviously active and without some deep obvious angst. As a woman, you might have thrown some personal examples in there, but oh well, that's just because the "horse" angle is so strong, and I think that is a very compelling and positive part of you. The "horse" part of your tale may not have anything to do with the Boomer part of you, and then there is your Phoenix Home Life experience. Again. Not important that this stuff be brought in. If you feel it had no relevance, then fine. I am just a fan of yours and am keenly interested. Very good job.Well sure. I have so many personal bits to throw in, and almost always do. I'm thinking I'm boring people to tears. I write about the horses because it's my knowledge base. I'm not too inclined to write about prospectuses and savings and municipal bonds or the Securities Exchange Commission or mutual funds. Been there, done that. For many years I didn't touch the personal tribulations either. But lately I have a calling and much of it is coming out. After a life of struggles in all manner of things, I pick my "battles" carefully. I chose to keep the baby boom story statistical without drawing it out. Thanks for my great rating.
Did you know that I was the first year of the Boomers? Boy, that makes me feel
well, kind of older....GRINWow. I think we just sooooo old. The whole problem I have is that I feel young and sassy and not that much different than I ever did. Then I see this old poop of a woman looking back at me in the mirror. That really cannot be me, can it?That is so cute, Heidi. I really can identify with that inner, and outer. Other than I keep forgetting things! I was born the 1st day of the last month, at the end of the war. Definely am a boomer.Well, you know Jessie, we're supposed to forget things. That started already when we turned 40ish right? All kidding aside. My adult kids are going through some of the forgetfulness too.I totally hear you - we hike 2-6 miles on Sat and I do 2 miles 2-3 days a week besides.... then I look in the mirror or at photos and wonder "who the heck it THAT???Heidi - I can't leave comments on my breast cancer piece - not sure why butGod is answering prayer big time - an hour ago I didn't have a surgeon - I only remembered one name from the long list the oncologist office rattled off... my RN navigator called and she recommended 2 surgeons and one was the name I remembered.I might be a candidate for cyberknife which is 5 days instead of 5 days a week for 6 weeks radiation... etc!THANKS for your support!I have a horse friend nearby that has beat it. We've been doing fund raisers for her in this town. Each year she rides for the cause. She's over six years, looks great and is also a remarkable woman. She is God-fearing, a great mother and active in the town. She was talking about all the improvements and treatments. Her one piece of advice is listen to all diagnoses, advice and seek your own answers too. You're a medical experienced person and I'm sure you'll do all the right things. No doubt about the support here!everyone I talk to has had the lumpectomy and is doing fine or knows someone else who is - I am encouraged. THANKS again Heidi!
WOW! You really did your homework. Well done. I learned a few things. This is an interesting read.Just had to review a few of the numbers. Thanks for reading and your welcome comment.
Yes, I'm proud to be a part of the baby boomer generation, good article HeidiI'm very pleased to have your support. Thanks a lot.
We are an interesting phenomenon. Our sheer mass has been able to affect many changes that might have taken longer. I find it a shame that the boom was necessary in terms of Nature rebalancing the wipe out of so many in the war. It is probably just as well contraception came along just after the boom stopped or the numbers following us would be even larger than our numbers. Not a good thing for the planet, but perhaps a good thing if we had more tax payers following us.
Here in Australia we are called Baby Boomers, sometimes shortened to Boomers. We are portrayed as selfish, out for ourselves and as having 'destroyed' the world. Well, I don't agree with that. Yes, many of us are used to getting what we expect but we were prepared to work for it. Yes, our generation has had it easy in many ways, but we have paved the way for betterment for all. We have set up the economy and the use of fossil fuels to the detriment of the planet's health, but we also had one car, one telly, one radio, no internet, often a shared phone line, and we walked most places to shop or caught a bus or train. We didn't stuff ourselves we fast food and rarely visited doctors. We passed our outgrown clothes down to younger children, recycled before it was fashionable, and basically left a far smaller footprint on the land than most do now. We accepted that we must start at the bottom and work our way up, and we didn't rely on credit to buy the everyday things we don't need anyway. We've done our share of messing everything up, but we aren't alone in that, we did a lot of good and still do, and don't deserve the resentment we get from the younger people. Perhaps we didn't teach them enough humility or civil good sense - hmm.
Enjoyed reading your article.You did such a fine job detailing the Baby Boomers. Thank you so much for that!
I know when I searched for statistics, I found so much information. It was then that I decided I'd keep my article focused on basic stats and not get so much into detail, like I tend to do. I love your detail and it rounds out my info so well. Many thanks.
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