I Am So Sick Of Hearing the Term.....

[GypsmJim]

The primary issue that the younger folks have, or should have, with we Boomers, is the debt we're leaving them, our grandchildren and probably their grandchildren too. Boomers, and some since, have been profligate borrowers and spenders and I doubt that most of our progeny will look back fondly on that.

I personally have not left any debt for anyone. It was the politicians that did it, many of which I never voted for.

I lived in a lower middle class family, and worked full time while attending the University. No debt when I graduated, and I followed a curriculum that had value in the real world.

We waited to get married until we had the down payment for a house (a fixerupper by the way). Then, we waited until we had paid off the mortgage until we started a family. I never bought a car until I could pay cash.

I learned from my parents. They lived in a flat until they paid cash for a little house. My kids learned from us and their Grandparents. My son bought his first house at age 19, after working all thru high school. Today he is an executive making an obscene salary. My other son is a licensed Master Social Worker. Not rich, but serving the community.

I just bought a brand new Cadillac, and have no reason to be embarrassed about it.

All my contemporaries had the same neighborhood, the same parent's values and the same opportunities. Life is what you make of it.

 

[rwsmith]

I'm eternally grateful to have grown up in the time that I did.

 

[GypsmJim]

So the term 'boomer' is offensive you say? As the child of parents living thru the 'great depression' and winning WWII i am a boomer. Never thought it was a negative generalization or maybe don't get the thread caption. Boomers came up in late 40's, 50's & early 60's. We saw so much innovation too numerous to mention. We learned from our parents a work ethic to better our lives. Could go on with the things we brought into being. With pride and respect i am a boomer. What a time to grow up!

The term itself is not offensive. What is offensive are the negative comments that the youngins direct at us.

My parents and grandparents not only lived thru the depression in the USA, but also thru the devastation of WWI in Europe.

 

[GypsmJim]

Jim, I laughed about the tablet. My grandson could manage his way around an iPad when he was four or five. The kids and grandkids call on Papa when they have computer issues. I was an early adopter of personal computers in the late 70’s.

I started writing computer code in 1968.

 

[GypsmJim]

I am very glad that I grew up in a time when it was pretty easy to find a place to hunt or shoot. Now it's seems to be one giant string of sub divisions with no forest to play in. There's no way I would trade my memories for what they are going to have.

My first Shooting Club was in 1970. After marriage and moving I joined a club closer to my house. My old club was overrun by houses. All the ranges had to be closed. Now, only a small indoor range is left.

I have been a member at my current club for 48 years now. The neighborhood is not conducive to building houses. Plus, for a $3k investment 39 years ago, my camp is on the top of a mountain and only the deer complain about gun fire.

 

[JeffD607]

I hope some of those youngins are on this forum or our toys won't be worth squat in the future.

 

[22hipower]

I personally have not left any debt for anyone. It was the politicians that did it, many of which I never voted for.

I lived in a lower middle class family, and worked full time while attending the University. No debt when I graduated, and I followed a curriculum that had value in the real world.

We waited to get married until we had the down payment for a house (a fixerupper by the way). Then, we waited until we had paid off the mortgage until we started a family. I never bought a car until I could pay cash.

I learned from my parents. They lived in a flat until they paid cash for a little house. My kids learned from us and their Grandparents. My son bought his first house at age 19, after working all thru high school. Today he is an executive making an obscene salary. My other son is a licensed Master Social Worker. Not rich, but serving the community.

I just bought a brand new Cadillac, and have no reason to be embarrassed about it.

All my contemporaries had the same neighborhood, the same parent's values and the same opportunities. Life is what you make of it.

Enjoy the Cadillac, you undoubtedly have earned it. Agree, no apologies necessary.

Me too, I don't owe anyone anything. But, under our watch, the debt went from single digit trillions to $37 trillion and growing rapidly. We can argue "we didn't do it" but collectively, we Boomers did do it, or certainly allowed it to be done. And for that I suspect several generations behind us won't look fondly upon our collective profligacy. In an avalanche no single snowflake feels responsible.

 

[Harv 24]

I'm a Last year Boomer and It does not bother me at all, cause I got some hard bark on me.

 

[mikerjf]

I started coding around 1978, and am still using my Manx Aztec C compiler from the early 80’s. Thousands of lines of code thru that thing, still works great even if it is 16 bit real mode, LOL.

And I’m still in my rock band. From 1980.

Boom!

 

[pharmer]

Me too, I don't owe anyone anything. But, under our watch, the debt went from single digit trillions to $37 trillion and growing rapidly. We can argue "we didn't do it" but collectively, we Boomers did do it, or certainly allowed it to be done...... In an avalanche no single snowflake feels responsible.

I have been debt free most of my life. Had to carry a mortgage on this place for 6 years just because I didn't have that much cash available at the time. According to Social (in) Security I have 54 "work years," no "zeroes." I didn't "allow" all my tax money to be handed to unproductive folks (regardless of how they got here) so life would appear to be "fair." The fair has clowns and so does the nation's capitol which has bankrupted the US to flesh out the Great Society. Read LBJ's "vision" of it, the "non censored" version, it's a hoot. Joe

 

[jdh]

Jim, I laughed about the tablet. My grandson could manage his way around an iPad when he was four or five. The kids and grandkids call on Papa when they have computer issues. I was an early adopter of personal computers in the late 70’s.

When I got back from Germany in 78 went to Radio Shack to buy a Model 4 with a cassette drive and 4k, yes k, of RAM.

or why they won't embrace new technology,

This is the one that gets me the most. All I can say it sitting in front of game console all day or flicking your finger across a smartphone screen does NOT make you a master of new technology.

 

[rockquarry]

When I got back from Germany in 78 went to Radio Shack to buy a Model 4 with a cassette drive and 4k, yes k, of RAM.



This is the one that gets me the most. All I can say it sitting in front of game console all day or flicking your finger across a smartphone screen does NOT make you a master of new technology.

It probably lowers one's IQ.

 

['79 Magnum GT]

It probably lowers one's IQ.

I can proudly state that I don't have a smart phone. Don't know how they work and don't car. I have a flip phone. It makes calls and receives them that's all I need it to do.

 

[zeke]

Still don't have a cell phone, still use cash, still out of debt and still talk to my neighbors. But there is a boomer (big bore) on my right hip as i type. Had a young person call me boomer once, as he was creating distance.

 

[rockquarry]

Still don't have a cell phone, still use cash, still out of debt and still talk to my neighbors. But there is a boomer (big bore) on my right hip as i type. Had a young person call me boomer once, as he was creating distance.

Your first sentence says a lot. Good for you.

 

[44MOshooter]

I'm a Last year Boomer and It does not bother me at all, cause I got some hard bark on me.

I'm also the last year of the Boomer generation and when I hear those boomer jokes and comments, I just laugh and don't give a bleep.
I was a HVAC contractor 25 years until the 2nd spinal fusion
It amazed me when those younger generations couldn't keep up with a Boomer sheetmetal worker! haha

 

[Grayfox]

I'm a boomer and a luddite. I make no apologizes for either.

 

['79 Magnum GT]

I'm a boomer and a luddite. I make no apologizes for either.

Ahh!!! A man after my own design!!! Well played Sir!!

 

[Golddollar]

Doesn't bother me one bit. At least we have lived long enough to us to hear it so we've earned it.

That's like me with age jokes. I'm glad I've lived long enough to hear them. The best one is because I have a significant experience with old time land measurements I must have been a rod man for George Washington.

 

[Golddollar]

I'm a boomer and a luddite. I make no apologizes for either.

Right there beside you.