Image by sidewalk flying via Flickr
BOOMERS LEAD THE PARADE
Starring on stage and in the hit movie, The Music Man, Robert Preston sang “76 trombones led the big parade…” Multiply by a million, and that is how many members of the baby boomer generation were created by American births between 1946 and 1964.
At no previous time in world history has such a swelling of population occurred. Some have referred to it as, “the pig in the python”, an apt description of the impact the explosion in birth rate created. This demographic bulge remodeled American society as it moved through it, changing politics, music and other arts, business markets and the financial industry.
OPPORTUNITY AND EASY LIVING
Babies meant business to manufacturers and marketers. Fortunes were made supplying the baby boomer generation. Today, more that 80% of individual financial assets and more than 50% of all American discretionary spending are controlled by the baby boomer generation.
Image via Wikipedia
Unlike earlier generations, baby boomers have a sense that they are immune to normal aspects of aging. During their lives, personal physical fitness has been a focus for many. Coupled with improvements in medical science during their lives, boomers assume they can live longer, more active lives than their parents experienced.
INFORMATION AND IMAGES
The baby boomer generation was the first to grow up in the age of television. Information and images were available to them in volumes never experienced by earlier generations. This enabled them as a cultural class to experience The Beatles, man walking on the moon, and “Who shot J.R?”.
Images viewed from Viet Nam helped reshape American politics and eventually brought down an elected president. Boomers were also a driving force in America addressing racial injustices and divides.
BABY BOOMER CONTRIBUTIONS
Cover of Al Gore
It was largely boomers who brought the world into the computer age, and thanks to Al Gore, (a boomer himself), the internet. Boomers helped propel scientific discovery, advancements in medicine, and better transportation.
The baby boomer generation is the best educated generation in history. 88.8% of them graduated from high school and approximately 29% hold undergraduate or advanced college degrees.
BOOMER WAKEUP CALL
The realities of the economic downturn have hit the baby boomer generation hard. Forty-two % have adjusted the age they were planning to retire.
The 60%+ loss in personal investment values resulted in many boomers giving up on the notion of retiring–ever–a thought that 25% of boomers now accept as their reality.
EDITORS NOTE: I hope that some of that great education is applied toward planning for the largest population of old people in history.
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