Baby Boomer Defined

Baby Boomer Defined and Their Impact in the Society

Today, there are countries which are considered as overpopulated. This is due to the increasing birth rates in different places, despite the measures of controlling birth. Babies born after World War II, when economic prosperity was at its highest, are called Baby Boomers. The exact years covered are from 1946 to 1964.

You might be wondering what caused this boom. After the war, all the cities and places affected were all provided with an increase in goods as well as services. The US also helped other economies by supplying them with goods in order to rebuild their economies. This resulted to an unprecedented economic growth which lasted for many years and only slowed down by the year 1958.

Aside from that, many individuals were also given the opportunity to attend college. And with the increase in college degree holders, the opportunity for getting high paying jobs increased. Many families benefited from this economic growth, and with higher incomes, they can provide for many children. And so many babies were born in this particular time frame.

What most parents didn't know is that these babies will soon grow up as domineering and rebellious individuals. But this doesn't mean that baby boomers are all bad. It's just that majority of the group comprise these kind of individuals but there also those who are peace loving and observes the social norms of the society.

What exactly is a baby boomer? There are many definitions and almost every definition is acceptable. In most cases, the baby boomer is identified because of his/her characteristics; but most of the time, it is based on the year that they were born.

Baby boomers are further divided into boomers and shadow boomers. Boomers are babies born from 1945 to 1957 while the shadow boomers or the echo boomers were born from 1958 to 1963.

During those years, about 79 million of the baby boomers were born. Babies born during this significant time have different cultural and political patterns. There are still many arguments as to the exact years, and this has something to do with another generation, the so-called generation 'x'.

Baby boomers are often hard to understand; and that is why baby boomers and their parents have a generation gap. There is a gap because boomers and parents differ in experiences, habits, opinions, and behavior.

In the 1960s, a great cultural difference between the generation of baby boomers and their parents included musical tastes, drug use, fashion, and politics. The baby boomers had great power because of their large number and so they gained influence, and power. They were also not afraid to rebel against established social norms.

Baby boomers were able to make a generational identity, and they were even recognized by Time magazine as 'man of the year' in 1966. They were famous for the catchphrase 'don't trust anyone over 30'; and this is probably because of the gap created between them and the older people.

This particular generation was not afraid to rebel against the society. They loved rock music, young males grew their hair long, young activists dominate during protests, increased in drug usage, and sexual revolution was only a few of the things that baby boomers love doing. Many elders detest this kind of acts but because of the large number of youth baby boomers, they can't do anything about it.

Then there is the so-called culture war between the boomers and the generation 'x'. They were constantly accusing one another of moral crackdown, sold-out ideas, undisciplined behavior, and wild outbursts. But both generations were able to make a mark in history.

Baby boomers will grow old. And soon enough, they will realize the value of life that their parents have been trying to teach them. Baby boomers are not really bad. Sometimes it has something to do with the society that they lived in. As youths, it's but natural that they want to be recognized and to gain acceptance. They are assertive and do whatever they like.

This may be due to the fact that they were able to enjoy a prosperous life, with fewer worries because of the widespread economic growth. Baby boomers are part of the history, and they are here to stay.