Baby Boomers
Baby Boomer Values Shapes Their Own Lives
The baby boomers generation lived within a set of values. These values must be identified to challenge, correct and criticize them. Their attitudes towards the specific areas of their lives including relationships, beliefs, world events and politics form their value system. This system helps them to react and act on various circumstances either in positive or negative ways.
Baby boomers obtain these values from their parents, teachers, peers, and media. The world shapes their values in a very dynamic and fluid way to what they have become today. Most baby boomers form their basic system values during the early years of their lives. Before they have reached 25 years old, their formulated values still lingers on them since the 1960 turbulence.
However, the baby boomers generation has defied categorization where they refuse to conform to their elder's tradition and values. This is also true in terms of politics. As they ages, boomers are predicted to drift rights about their political values. Moreover, the latest studies shows that boomers stay as independent thinkers not committed to a single set of beliefs or values about politics. They are divided into ruthless ideological lines where their parents fail.
Baby boomers values remain extremely variable and virtually impossible to determine. They are too far more different compared to their predecessors and very sensitive to issues about politics. The generation prior to them is party-loyal thus following the lead of their parents. Boomers wanted to see every angle of the issues clearly upon their terms where political views are combined simultaneously, being conservative on several issues while liberal on others.
The surveys revealed that 74% favored environmental regulations, 55% favored the research on stem cell, 26% supported gay marriage, and 57% supported legal abortions. In addition, 4 out of 10 boomers admitted that they tend to be more conservative on politics as they age, 70% supported death penalty, 75% favored school prayers, and 65% agreed on curbing civil liberties due to terrorism.
Baby boomers also consistently split important matters on political candidates, key issues on the positions as well as personality. Some commonalities are apparent on most boomers. They are disappointed with the dual political systems and their government because of relying on their judgment upon making important economic and social decisions. 56% believe that their country will be benefited from a well-built third party and 32% trust their government for doing what is supposedly right. They also confront what the GI generation believes to be very important like military service, tax payments, and political issues assessment.
There are two important factors in shaping the values of boomers. First is how they were raised. Their generation was placed and doted in the limelight because they are the first generation after the World War II. They were given lots of opportunities compared to their parents. This directed them to become extremely concerned on their own interests. They rated issues according to what it will give to them. An issue must not be marked as liberal or conservative as long as it will favor their personal desires or needs effectively. Baby boomers in this kind of thinking cannot be generalized as the former hippies who have taken recreational drugs at Woodstock.
The second was the nature of generation. Baby boomers generation span for 18 years. It could emphasize that both parents and their children might be technically baby boomers. Diversity of views towards different issues is highly different.
Presently in the US, baby boomers have the highest share in the cultural, political, academic, and industrial leadership class. They are referred to as the generation for cultural factors. Boomers always seek improvement on their society through their children which they considered as their parent's greatest failure.
They are the best known hippies and counter-cultural generation but their conservatism associated with music became more normal to them. Boomers are like other past idealist generations who have ardent passion for social and personal improvement. Although their expressions of such passions changes, the intensity stays until they are out of their prominence age. The major sources which formed their values come into action, however weak signals that sometimes are added on their established values also makes a difference.
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Maker of Toys Targets Baby Boomer Grandparents
Today, the baby boomers which once enjoyed their childhood on classic toys are now grandparents who pass the tradition to their grandchildren. They comprise a large number of the population that are spending their money on purchasing toys for their grandchildren. This trend gives toy manufacturers big profits.
According to the survey, people ages 50 years old above controls 70% of the United States wealth. Some consultants predicted that the population of grandparents will increase to 10 million in the succeeding four years. It was also revealed that grandparents spend 500 dollars each year per grandchild. Collectively, the total amount spent by grandparents on their grandchildren will be 30 billion dollars annually. Mostly, 25% of toy purchase comes from grandparents.
Every year, their group continuously increases. Those born during the 1957 period comprise the largest population of grandparents. It was recorded by demographers as the highest birthrate period. They shared common things like passing their childhood legacy to their grandchildren. It is also their way of bringing back old memories to stay young.
Kevin Curran, the Fisher-Price (Mattel subsidiary) general manager and senior vice-president stated that greater numbers of boomers becoming grandparents will contribute to their higher toy sales. It was because their toys are three generations older compared to other manufacturers. They even have toys that break sales records like the "Little People" play set which is 45 years older. Fisher-Price also created their "Loving Your Grandbaby" magazine to attract more buyers.
Boomers grandparents have their own categories for toys. They shows interests on learning toys which promote creativity in music and art, nostalgic toys like Snoopy Sniffer and Price's Telephone, and modern electronic like the Kid-Tough Digital Camera which enables their grandchildren to keep in touch with them through email photos when they are on a vacation.
It's not so surprising that Grandparents' Rewards Club was launched by KB Toys. KB Toys in their recent reward clubs for grandparents, gives them 10% discounts on their items every Tuesdays. They have three area locations in Houston namely Almeda, Baybrook, and Willowbrook malls. They established such strategy because of knowing that boomer grandparents have already a strong segment on buying toys.
The strategy of Sababa Toys is bringing classic toys back once again. They develop nostalgic ways in attracting boomer grandparents. Their products include wood puzzles, Grandparents' Treasure Chest scrapbook, and matching gifts like 'Big Brain Academy' stretching the brain power of kids and 'Brain Age' keeping the aging boomer's memory sharp.
Baby boomers are coming on their grandparenthood stage with a unique history. Some even said that boomer's parents are experiencing depressions caused by the World War II. As a result, they wanted to give everything to their children. But now, children and grandchildren of baby boomers have the best of everything. So, their reason for giving toys as gifts to their grandchildren is simply to create an unforgettable memory.
Boomers always appear contradictory. Some wanted their grandchildren to be more achievement-oriented while others give more emphasis on education. Baby boomers have gone to college with expansive horizons given a privilege idea that everything is possible. They instill this principle to their grandchildren. Baby boomers grandparents are once more technology savvy compared to previous generations. They are comfortable in purchasing modern electronic gadgets during this era.
Some boomer grandparents personally choose the toys they give. They realized that children today want Internet games, CDs and iPods. However, they don't encourage the purchase of these technological advancements because they just get it anyway. As much as possible, boomers wanted their grandchildren to experience the same childhood they did. They explored the outside environment, played social games, and rode bikes with their family.
The parents of these kids are giving them toys that would help them in their education. But boomer grandparents want to infuse learning in a different way. They want their grandchildren to cultivate their awareness of the world's beauty and global issues. Quality time is given to their grandchildren ensuring that they would enjoy the moment together. During birthdays and Christmas, they would buy educational toys like science project kits.
Baby boomers grandparents are the targeted buyers of toy industries. It is due to their money and care for their grandchildren. They are perhaps the group who spends their money powerfully throughout the history.
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