My generation could well be the first generation in American history to leave our country worse off than we found it.
I am a member of the baby boomer generation. The generation that came of age in the late sixties during the turbulent times of Woodstock, Watergate and Vietnam. The generation that is now holding the reins of power in most American institutions, from politics to media, to education and culture. The generation that will likely be responsible for squandering America’s hard won freedoms and changing America into a third world country, all in the name of ‘equality’ and ‘social justice.’
A defining hallmark of baby boomers on the left is hubris and an absolute refusal to learn or acknowledge the lessons of history. They know best.
Moral relativism is the cornerstone of most baby boomers. Their theories rest on subjective, personal values instead of concrete scientific definitions. And they acknowledge no other authority or moral code larger than one’s choice. They have adopted the Rousseauian strategy of emphasis on passion instead of reason.* And despite the utter failure of the social policies they have instituted, they persist in believing that they can define their own reality.
Author Shelby Steele, in his book White Guilt, comes closest to explaining how and why the baby boomer generation believes as it does. Steele makes the excellent point that every generation, when it comes of age, seeks to challenge authority and tradition. Like most adolescent rebels, they are quickly humbled because they overestimate their own truth and underestimate the truth of their elders. They learn a valuable life lesson when they are smacked down by their elders and reality.
My generation never learned this lesson. As Steele writes, “The sixties generation of youth is very likely the first generation in American history to have won its adolescent rebellion against its elders.”
The reason for this: As baby boomers came of age, America had just taken the giant step of acknowledging and apologizing for its history of slavery and racism. At that moment in time, America had lost its moral authority, hence the progressive assaults on campuses resulted in defeating the traditional hierarchy. Heady stuff.
With this victory, my fellow boomers adopted the notion that they were invincible. “Their rite of passage to maturity was cut short and they were falsely inflated instead of humbled. Uninitiated, they devalue history rather than find direction in it, and feel entitled to break sharply and recklessly with the past.”
The boomer’s adolescent rebellion was validated. They then proceeded to infect every segment of American society with their own, unproven theories.
The media that had historically acted as a watchdog became an enabler for the boomers. The media encouraged and validated the politically correct, utopian theories that were a result of hubris rather than sound policy. And convinced millions of unsuspecting Americans along the way.
Our universities not only succumbed, they incorporated and taught as fact the baby boomers’ notion of America as an oppressor and capitalism as evil. Courses in Western Civilization were replaced with women’s studies, black studies and queer theory. Indoctrination replaced debate and group identity quietly started trumping individual accomplishment as the road to success.
Fast forward to today. President Obama and our Democrat Congress are the end result of a generation steeped in successful rebellion. They are the quintessential perpetual adolescents that define the baby boomer generation. Never having had to pay the price for our freedoms, they are oblivious to its worth. To Obama and most of his fellow boomers on the left, the Constitution is a roadblock to their more perfect vision. Instead, they take their cue from Saul Alinsky’s Rules For Radicals.
My generation is now in a position to radically alter America. There is a very good chance that boomers will prevail in their efforts to defeat capitalism, God and traditional values and instill their own version of ‘social justice.’ Despite socialism having failed abjectly in every country it has been tried, baby boomers like Obama have the arrogance to believe that with them in charge, it will finally work.
Under the leadership of my fellow baby boomers, there is a very good chance that the America that we all know and love could end up on the ash heap of history. James Madison gave clear warning in 1788. “There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations…”
America is in the process of being conquered from within. By an arrogant and elitist generation more concerned with their own status and power than with the good of the country. This is my generation. And I’m ashamed to be one of them.
Crossposted from Right Bias
I have been told by left leaning progressives that with SS, Medicare, The New Deal, The Great Society, and now the Big Effing Deal, we have a successful system, I must disagree. We only have a system that on its facade appears successful when in reality it is on the verge of total collapse. Our current “success” is built on credit and we as a society do not have the moral fortitude to live within our means, thus we mortgage our children, and our children’s children’s future. One where they will have to expend a greater and greater amount of their life’s energy in servitude to the State as payment for our generation’s largess and recklessness.
The great fault of socialism even in the vein of the European model, as currently practiced in the United States, is the use of deficits to fund it. We delude ourselves into thinking that we are being altruistic, advocating for the common good when in fact we are enslaving future generations. If there ever was a case of taxation without representation our current course is a perfect example. The unborn certainly cannot voice opposition to the debt we are heaping upon them.
I contend there has never been a more selfish-generation. One that seeks to assuage its feelings of guilt for the plight of the poor and disenfranchised by enslaving future generations. Our current crop of politicians are also totally self absorbed and even when they advocate for socialist policies it is not for altruistic purposes. It is for the power and priviledge that comes when their policies buy the votes from the citizenry who have been duped into thinking that these policies are noble; they are not as currently financed.
Eventually we will find out what really motivates human productivity. If the unproductive will have all of their needs met, how long before the productive decide that personal self-actualization is more important than producing? Instead, spending their time on the beach communing with nature, knowing that their neccesities will be met by the nanny state? As more and more individuals take this route, there is only one outcome, a reduction in the standard of living for everyone.
Or….. at some point the State will have to step in and either end such entitlements or “force” the individual to produce. Isn’t forced work also known as slavery? And thus we have the natural progression from a “balance of freedom and social programs” to one of compulsion and tyranny… the slippery slope.
Our founding fathers warned us of the dangers of cross-generational theft. Oh, how little we have listened.
Our generation loves perversion and destruction. Our generation’s legacy is far-reaching: abortion, child abuse, child molestation, broken families, rampant drug addition, culture wars, anti-Americanism.
God warned us of the consequences of immorality. God was right, again!
The best article I have read is a very long time! Thanks for nothing you hippie baby boomers. Now us Gen X/Y’s will have to fix everything. Such a boondoggle for the future.
Mr. Bly
There are already calls for forced production, the recent case of the FL strawberry farmers is a case in point.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/agriculture/community-angry-over-wasted-strawberries/1082931
Although not called on by the government, how long before the voices of the people are listened to and some politician with good intentions produces a bill preventing the destruction of one’s own crops?
Well, Nancy… I’m with you. I have said often over the years that my generation was an embarrassment. In fact, the way I describe the boomers is that we were terrific at music, but really suck at governance. We should have stuck with the former exclusively…
INRE your final comment:
This truth has been spoken before by a cold war enemy.
The unfolding evidence proves you are both correct. The arrogant elected elite are busy burying this nation under economic debt. And they are accomplishing it by appealing to, and stirring up class warfare, among the “working class”.
Khrushchev was 15 years older than Saul Alinsky. They died a year apart in the early 70s. Have to wonder how often they may have had fireside chats….
Here’s an alternate hypothesis:
Social programs are actually being used as a tool of control in the interest of the wealthiest members of our society. The tool works by fostering in the general population a sense of personal dependency on a system that has concentrated most of the wealth into the hands of a few; it simultaneously alleviates some of the worst consequences of that concentration. Were it not for the sense of dependency and the alleviation of the system’s most negative consequences, the general population might call the equity of the entire arrangement into question.
Unfortunately, it was decided to operate the programs by running an ever increasing level of debt rather than by paying for them as we go. This allowed for far lower tax burdens on the wealthy for a great many years, but also created a looming point at which the programs would become unsustainable.
Most of our current anxiety stems from the recognition that at some point soon it’s all going to hit the fan. The general population is worried that they’ve long been played for fools with empty promises, and left with very little time or resources to prepare for their futures. The wealthiest are worried about how they’re going to keep their wealth and continue to control the general population.
Sorry Greg. It doesn’t hold water. Social programs don’t affect the “rich”, and if you evened out all income/wealth, the average person might see a $1000 raise/year.
-Remember…nobody ever worked for a poor man, and Bill Gates has “spread more wealth” around with his products, more than any socialist could ever dream of or imagine.
Exactly who does Bill control?
I can tell you that I am within that top-2%, and I don’t feel “in control” of anyone, let alone you. Us 2%’ers pay over 90% of the taxes.
If you want to single out the “rich” be specific, and judge them by their deeds, and products. George Soros only makes his own family rich, at the expense of everyone on the planet. He is truly evil, and spends his ill-gotten gains usurping currencies and democracies, and poisoning our children with drugs and idiocy. I took NO money from the “poor”, Soros did.
My products/inventions/and businesses have made billions for thousands of people, thus paying millions in taxes, and employing hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. There is a reason computerchips get faster every year, and I was part of it.
-Now we don’t, because we can’t. The government won’t let us do what we’re good at, so R&D has slowed to a trickle, and mfg is now in China.
When a particular project/investment DIDN’T work out, it was ONLY me who lost the money. 99.99% of the “wealthy” are just like me…and now lot’s of us have folded up shop, recalled our investments, and are prepared for the worse…Because we see it coming…Because we paid attention and learned from the past, and from our elders.
My income is now pegged to the price of gold, and some other commodities. Now I pay next to zero in taxes, and stay home with the kids surfing the web, and playing with my hotrod. 3 years ago I paid $240,000 in taxes.
Wouldn’t you rather have me working, producing, hiring and expanding?
My sixteen year old son asked me one day, how my generation could be so selfish, and greedy as to destroy his opportunities before he even starts out in life. Needless to say it was a devastating question, from a sixteen year old no less. We can dis-own the spoiled boomers all we want, but history, and future generations will judge us all as the same, greedy brats, always looking for any reason to throw another temper tantrum. Sad.
BIGGYRAT the young people are not immune with what we are living today in theses negative times but he cannot put all the blame on your generation because there has been a lot of creativitys done in all sort and they benefit from it ,i feel he should know that and reflex before blaming you, bye 🙄
Greg
You make the most common mistake in the book, and that is to assume that total wealth is stationary, meaning neither growing nor contracting. The truth is that wealth is being created everyday, and in all cases, due to the hard work of the entrepreneur and the people they employ, to the R&D projects that become products, and everything in-between. Your claim of the wealth being concentrated to the wealthy, and insinuation that everyone else is losing out is false so your claim that socialism only controls the wealthy, per your statements is also false. In reality, socialism affects everyone but the elite ruling class, and all wealth produced under that system IS concentrated in a small minority of people. What you show is envy of the wealthy(which, not to get on another entirely different topic, can be and is at times different than the rich), and the desire to take what they have, no matter how it was gained. There is a term for that. Thievery. Are you saying that government thievery of the wealthy and distribution to the poor is acceptable?
@johngalt
Nicely said.
(begin rant not aimed at you)
I am so bloody tired of people insinuating that I some how “took” from some poor unfortunate bastard. The “poor” by definition have nothing, what could I have taken from them?
I got to where I am because I worked my freakin ass off. Period. I dare anyone who complains to TRY to keep up with the motivation and drive I showed over the past 30 years. If they did, they would be right here beside me. As many are.
But the FIRST thing one must accept is that you will NEVER be happy with what you “get” until you are happy with what you have.
Oh, to write what I’ve done to get “here”. Oh, to have folks like Greg copy those actions without complaint.
I see johngalt and patvann addressed Greg’s not-entirely-true alternate reality. Greg, you may want to point out anywhere in history where the ruling class (i.e. the elected elite) of socialist governments subjected themselves to the same standard of living of those they ruled. Fact is, in socialism… as pointed out… it’s one rule for everyone, and another for those that have the unmitigated political power.
Greetings:
Social Justice is
What Lenin and Stalin brought to the Russian people;
What Hitler brought to the German people;
What Mussolini brought to the Italian people;
What Mao Tse-tung brought to the Chinese people;
What Ho Chi Minh brought to the Vietnamese people;
What Pol Pot brought to the Cambodian people;
11B40
You left out a handful. Social justice is:
What eventually brought Idi Amin to power in Uganda;
What brought Castro to power in Cuba;
What brought Chavez to power in Venezuela;
What brought Obama to power in the US.
@Nancy
Well I would say that we should careful about making sweeping statements regarding generations. Not all baby boomers acts the same. And the hippies were minority. A vocal one maybe but certainly there are other vocal minorities too – some of whom you and I will agree with and some we won’t. A lot of the neo-cons are baby boomers.
Also the Sixties weren’t all bad (personally I think the Seventies had better music). In fact it was a necessary watershed. There was a lot of racist segration that went on – that needed to be tackled head on. And women do have a lot of better choices today than they did before the baby boomers. And like most things – these things can get into areas where it becomes silly – such as Politcal Correct language taken to an extreme. But that doesn’t negate the good things that had to happen.
As from the right – I thought you guys appreciated individualism? We should question those above us, older than us etc. Questioning is good. Debate is good. Rather than blindly following what your elders did – that’s a sure way to repeat mistakes from history. That doesn’t mean ignoring them or history. For centuries – individuals have been held back by state and religion. The declaration of Independence was only a start (well more of continuation of the struggle for self-determination for the individual for liberty and happiness) – not an end.
And to make a sweeping statement myself – if you think baby boomers are selfish just wait to Gen X and then Gen Y get into power:)
Gaffa, I believe that Nancy’s point is that the predominate Congressional power lies in the hands of the baby boomers. True. As children of “love the one you’re with”, they behave more like “why don’t we do it in the road”….
As for the music, those stellar sixties groups… aside from the Beach Boys, most of which were very successful British invasion types, I might add… were still kickin’ strong in the 70s. And in fact, when you look at The Who, the Stones, Aerosmith and others, not doin’ bad as ol’ farts either.
Gen X I worry about. Those coming up today in a couple of decades? We’ll have to see. They are going thru some serious political battles about what is Constitutional here. They may have great promise.
@Patvann
Thanks for the praise, but it just annoys the heck outta me when I hear some lefty talk about wealth, because it is always in the same line of reasoning. “All wealth is static and if some people gain wealth, it is at the expense of someone who didn’t.” And to add more insult to our intelligence, they also imply that the wealth is ill-gotten and taken from someone else, even from those who sit on their a** all day asking for handouts. Now, I don’t have much, but I do have some, and none of what I’ve accumulated was ever gotten by outright thievery, or underhanded means. I’ve earned it. All of it. And for someone to claim that I have more than my share is insulting to me and everyone else throughout history that ever worked hard to get ahead in life. I’ve also freely given away much, by my own choice, and not under threat, to charities of my choosing. Not one dime that I have made was ever gained by TAKING it away from anyone. They have paid for goods or services, and I have provided those goods or services. Does anyone doubt that I am angry about Greg’s statement? I am sure most of you are also insulted by the insinuation made by him. And our government kowtow’s to these moochers and promises more and more, all the while taking from the producers in the country.
One of these days, unless things change drastically, there will be more moochers than producers and that will finally be the death of America as seen in our founder’s eyes.
Sorry if anyone took personal offense at my alternate hypothesis. None was intended. It was put out in the hope of eliciting some thoughtful responses; I appreciate the fact that that’s exactly what it got.
@Greg
I can understand. It’s nice to see an open mind. People like me (there are a LOT of “me’s”) are really very tired of having a target on our collective backs, when all we’ve done is the best we are capable of doing in everything we do.
We think (we KNOW) this is the best way to go through life for everyone, and it honestly hurts when we are called criminals and thieves for doing what’s best for ourselves, our families, and our communities.
It’s been going on now for a long time, and this present bunch of politicians have crossed the line and made us stop going along to get along. We are fighting for what’s right…(as in “correct”)
What those on the Left have forgotten, is how adamant ( and freakin pissed) we can get when cornered…and we are now cornered.
So we will lash out. As I (we) have toward you.
We will lash out at anyone and everyone who now even comes CLOSE to tipping us off the edge…because we are THAT pissed. Hard work is now seen as “bad”… 😈
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I appreciate your last comment, and that it has made me take a “cleansing” breath.
Greg
The problem with your “alternate” hypothesis that history has a different bearing on socialism and social justice. Never, not even one little bit, has there ever been a case where social justice has made all members of a society equal. And by equal, I mean equal in production, equal in wealth, equal in prosperity, equal in life. Socialism creates a bigger gap between the haves and have-nots than any previous capitalist society ever could, and the reason is that people in power will always demand more from the commoners than they allow to be doled out.
Now, you may have been playing devil’s advocate here, but most of us here already understand the inherent evil in socialism, and the oxygen bandits in control now are bent on the total destruction of the American way of life. The proof is in their absolute disregard for the history of socialism and their obstinate disregard for the people they are supposed to be representing.
Perusing through Huffpo(I was led there by a link) brought me to this little nugget.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/29/patriot-majority-pac-goin_n_516954.html
Perhaps the most insulting thing about it is their use of an image of a patriot with arms standing in front of the american flag that they use for their symbol.
This, from the PACs founder:
Really now? Dangerous ideas? You mean like the ideas of the founding fathers of freedom and liberty from a tyrannical government? Do you mean the calls for smaller government and reduced spending? I can certainly see how those ideas are dangerous. Especially to the socialist left of this country.
How about this:
Hmmm. Sounds like rule number four in Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals.
The last sentence makes you wonder if they are also going to monitor violence from the left, or only the perceived violence from the right. I have a pretty good idea about what I think they’ll do.
The line from the first paragraph shows their misunderstanding of the TEA party altogether:
Really no need to expound on their ignorance of the goals of the TEA party. I expect many more groups like this one and the “Coffee Club” will sprout up between now and november and even more until 2012.
H. G. Well’s “Country Of The Blind” was one of the few things that I was forced to read back in my school days that left an impression on me. In the U.S.S.R. many generations grew up with government control of everything including their food production and distribution. Even though many starved and their stores and cupboards were empty, they could not conceive of it being any different. They cannot see the miracles that liberty can provide. I suspect that even if many were aware of the voluminous amounts of food in the U.S. they would assume it was due to better government control. We, too, have all grown up with many of the socialist ideas already in place. It is impossible for us to conceive of all the miracles we are probably missing if we didn’t have government schools, or high income taxes, or minimum wage, and the list goes on and on. We have all been slowly losing our sight and have developed a fear of freedom.
@ John Galt
I followed the link and then went on to the Patriot Majority PAC website. At first glance and without having first read the founders interview one would be led to think that this is an offshoot of the Tea Party itself. Very insidious. Perhaps the look and feel of the website is a masquerade in order to fool people into donating to their cause which is diametrically opposed to Tea Party principles.
@ Don/John
So I called them up… (PAC 1776@PatriotMajorityPAC.US 1-800-592-3076)
Hi! I am interested in donating a large sum to your PAC, and I’m hoping to get other wealthy people in my circle to do the same.
Oh! Thank you! Is there anything I can help you with?
Yes, I read the quotes of Democrat strategist Craig Varoga gave to the Washington Post in the Huffington Post website, and I am trying to have answers at the ready, so to speak, for my friends, in case they need more details.
Yes, I’m sure we can help you with that. What kind of questions? We are a non profit, so all donations are tax deductible.
I know that. Thank you. Mr. Varoga says that the Tea Party has, quote dangerous ideas closequote…What specifically might be some good examples of their dangerous ideas?
Well I’m sure you’ve heard of the spitting incident in Washington, and the extreme rhetoric used at every gathering..
Um. Yes. Every gathering. But there seems to be some confusion as to if it actually happened, besides, that isn’t really a dangerous Tea Party idea, is it?
Um. No.
So do you know what the stated ideas and motivations of the Tea Party are?
Are you with the media?
No, I…..
Are you with the Tea-Partiers?
I’m actually trying to give you money, but I would like to….
*CLICK*
Horowitz and Collier wrote a good book entitled, “Destructive Generation” about the radical left in the 60’s. Save a few that finally grew up and smelled the coffee, these are the very people in charge today.
I’m finding it ironic that these are the grannies and grandpas that are going to be first in line to be denied treatment under Obamacare because they’re too old.
JOHN GALT you said something important ,as you gave to charity as a FREE WILL, and if the government put the wealthy in a obligation to give some of the whealt is very diffrent from being free to give and even repulsif ,no one has to be force on giving ,bye
@ilovebees
Yeah we should roll back the years – 150 years maybe – back to Victorian times. Have less taxes on the rich and rely more on philanthropy. We could scrap the minimum wage and worker’s rights. And get kids working and back up cleaning chimneys. Let’s see how general prosperity and standard of living would plummet.
If you want to live in a modern democracy everyone has obligations. I’m pretty sure after taxes there are a lot of billionaires who have enough money left and good will to give to charities and foundations of their choice.
What are you on, today, Gaffa… a “how many people can I offend” quota?
Can’t speak for your nation, but this nation is *very* charitable… all without a government mandate. And that includes many a millionaire, and billionaire. Your have a personal problem. Must have something to do with that “God is a waste of time” ‘tude.
Speak for yourself, and stop casting your own personal aspersions on this nation. We’ve proven your words to be nothing but the manure that leaves the horse’s posterior over and over. And if we had more to give to others voluntarily, instead of having it confiscated by the government, we’d be able to give more.
@Mata
I was talking generally and not specifically about the US. I certainly don’t think the US is not charitable. Not sure how me being an agnostic equates to a bad attitude. I don’t think governments should force people to give to charity – that’s absurd. But I think governments need to set a reasonable amount of tax so a country has the right infrastructure and standard of living for all. It seems some attitudes is to make tax minimal as possible where the poor are left to fend for themselves or hope for charity. A society is about us not just the individual. I would hate for the US or UK to go back to attitudes of the Victorian times or in some developing countries today where there is an unacceptable gap between the rich and poor. Fortunately our countries have a vibrant middle class, the poor are only relatively poor and there is opportunity to get out of your situation. If that’s horse manure in your opinion – so be it.