The quandry of the Boomers.

[SlipNet]

I've found a good little chat today about the rise of what has come to be known as "boomer ideology". Basically the kids of the 1940's came of age as Vietnam raged, and they rose up in anger and defiance and have been unwilling to let their grip on consensus reality go easily in the years that have come since. Vanity, conceit, arrogance, they've got it all it would appear. The music culture of 1963-69 is a prime example of this in action. The Beatles, Stones, Doors, Bob Dylan, et al, all remain as yardstick cultural figures to this day, and are still the subject of critical studies. The host of this talk looks at the rise of the boomers, how they came to arrive at a certain world view, and how they cast a shadow over the cultural landscape for decades to come.

Clearly, the boomers are now in their 80's, so won't be hanging round too much longer, they know their time is short. But what of the future for gen X'ers? The slacker generation will then become the grizzled veterans, how will they do when they have to step up to the plate? Gen X'ers are generally perceived as intelligent, knowing and capable, but complacent and somewhat vain. So they've got their own sets of challenges if they are to become the elder statesmen of our world culture. As a 49 year old, I suppose I am a relatively young gen X'er, and most of my contemporaries that I know of are smart but still stuck in a kinda frame of mind that justifies the system, in a "what can you do about it?" kind of way. They make fundamental assumptions about the essential truthfulness of consensus realty and miss out on a lot of insight in how and why our world is the way it is. They're just successful enough to know not to rock the boat they're in.

Anyway, it's an interesting subject as we shall see more and more people in their 40's and 50's rising to prominence in the years to come. How will the boomers retreat from the scene? It will be interesting to view from a comfortable distance. The gardeners who tend to the media landscape will craft a seductive liberal fantasy that will survive until it is challenged and refuted, and ultimately usurped. In the next 20 years we will see a superb example of fragmentation in our culture, and mass normative understandings will be up for grabs in our mass culture. The collapse of the legacy media networks will usher in a kind of wild west gold rush scenario for alternative news outlets. And of course Sott will be there, naturally! Underground alternative culture is as vibrant and robust today as at any time in the last 80 years. You name a subject, we can access the factual data on it within seconds. There's no excuse now, because so long as you have the right questions, you can learn all of those elusive answers. So I suppose it is a double-edged sword.

The next ten years will show us plenty, and then we can equally assess the boomers' legacy. But I suspect this is the last time you'll see two old 70 somethings' duking it out for the premiership of the U.S. We've already got the next model in the UK of course, with the paper-thin Conservative (and Rothschild connected) Rishi Sunak. We've got elections coming up in the UK too this November, and the choice is hideous. Sunak or Kier Starmer? Beast salesman 1 or Beast salesman 2? Just a bunch of pro-Zionist technocrats, we need new parties in the UK. Ditch the boomers and their old parties, they fail as we swing every 4 years from left to right. Why cling to a failing system? We need to establish policies based on factual political understandings, no more deep state bullshit narratives. It's one hell of a challenge to essentially rehabilitate the west en masse, but it is that that we as a society must do If we establish a culture of facts, of truth, well that would be a start. As a gen X'er, I see it as our generation's challenge, for the next 20 years or so, before we get too old too and retire meekly from the scene, just like the old boomers are so doing nowadays. Either way in the U.S, you've only got 4 years of Trump or Biden. 2 Zionists, but of course one is an increasingly demented paedophile while the other is essentially a decent man. Sadly though, it always seems to be a selection which changes nothing, shit just keeps happening, and for good people it always gets worse.

And no matter what happens, the Beast System thrives and survives. That's the challenge. How to live with that? We are, after all, just a small collection of people who have this place to network and share news and ideas. And of course there are now many alt news forums to read and write on. There's no point in hoping for a better future. You have to make it happen. Change the macro by changing the micro I suppose.

 

[BHelmet]

Equating the boomers with the boomer political hacks that the system shoved down our throats isn’t quite accurate or fair. Do you, as a Gen Xer identify with the other Gen X bozo puppet sell-outs on the governmental scene who, in theory, represent you and your generation? I wouldn’t think so, anyway.

I think that with WW2 there was an obvious unified common cause that pulled people together the world over. The splintering of society began in the 60s with the boomer gen. There is no general characterization that truly fits the boomers then or now. All you have to do is consider that George Wallace, Bobby Kennedy, MLK, Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey were the leading political actors to realize that there is no unified boomer stereotype that works. We fought like hell with each other and the rebellious uprising was crushed. The heroes were slaughtered, the system reasserted itself and it left an indelible mark of sadness and cynicism on the idealistic boomers who naively thought things could be changed.

It is important to note that all those golden yardstick bands were vectors of dissonance within society. At the start of the British Invasion, one cultural divide was the Stones v the Beatles: who do you like? The more edgy and shady bad boys or the shiny and scrubbed happy good boys? As a lad of 13, it was a deep and important question! (LOL) Anyway, we all know taste is subjective. I know there are those “our music was better” memes that shows up as arrogance. The times were diff. The music was too. Not better, just more raw at a different stage of evolution. The 80’s and 90’s produced my personal faves. Oh hey, that’s your generation!

It’s important to remember that the characterization of any generation is just more BS state propaganda cobbled together by People Magazine. Devil in details and the details are legion. I think the various generations are facing a kind of collective judgement day much sooner than 20 years. I also think we will all be facing it together as humans and the generational divides will (and should) go right out the window. So here is a boomer lifting a toast to Gen X! We need to work together; not quibble over misconceptions handed to our respective generations by the propaganda ministry.

 

[SlipNet]

Equating the boomers with the boomer political hacks that the system shoved down our throats isn’t quite accurate or fair. Do you, as a Gen Xer identify with the other Gen X bozo puppet sell-outs on the governmental scene who, in theory, represent you and your generation? I wouldn’t think so, anyway.

I think that with WW2 there was an obvious unified common cause that pulled people together the world over. The splintering of society began in the 60s with the boomer gen. There is no general characterization that truly fits the boomers then or now. All you have to do is consider that George Wallace, Bobby Kennedy, MLK, Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey were the leading political actors to realize that there is no unified boomer stereotype that works. We fought like hell with each other and the rebellious uprising was crushed. The heroes were slaughtered, the system reasserted itself and it left an indelible mark of sadness and cynicism on the idealistic boomers who naively thought things could be changed.

It is important to note that all those golden yardstick bands were vectors of dissonance within society. At the start of the British Invasion, one cultural divide was the Stones v the Beatles: who do you like? The more edgy and shady bad boys or the shiny and scrubbed happy good boys? As a lad of 13, it was a deep and important question! (LOL) Anyway, we all know taste is subjective. I know there are those “our music was better” memes that shows up as arrogance. The times were diff. The music was too. Not better, just more raw at a different stage of evolution. The 80’s and 90’s produced my personal faves. Oh hey, that’s your generation!

It’s important to remember that the characterization of any generation is just more BS state propaganda cobbled together by People Magazine. Devil in details and the details are legion. I think the various generations are facing a kind of collective judgement day much sooner than 20 years. I also think we will all be facing it together as humans and the generational divides will (and should) go right out the window. So here is a boomer lifting a toast to Gen X! We need to work together; not quibble over misconceptions handed to our respective generations by the propaganda ministry.

Oh, I take your point there mate. I certainly don't just lump all people into their respective demographic groups, but I do pay attention to cultural trends, as they can be illustrative of a more subtle truth. And also I love the rock music of the 60's and 70's, and I own tons of the records too. When looking at the political scene I just have this George Carlin style response, as in "is this the best we can come up with?", so in a broad sense I do see the political class as representatives actually. It sparks anger in me, which I use as fuel to do more in my day to day life. And no, I don't particularly identify with gen X'ers in general. Like I said above, both groups in the broadest sense were those who flattered to deceive in terms of objective effect. As Peter Fonda said of the 60's generation, "I think we blew it.".

Agreed on BS propaganda point as well, that's why I made mention of the gardeners of the media landscape tending to the official cultural narrative. This transcends generations and you can become duped at any age. And on the opposite end we've got many mature folk on here who certainly buck the general trend that's for sure. And also I don't devalue the great benefit that experience brings to the table in terms of understanding. Some things take time, I've found that out in my own life.

I guess what made this subject interesting to me was the notion of a "changing of the guard" that we are fast approaching. I actually quite look forward to the chaos in a way, because it's all I've known for 20 years or so. It will certainly be interesting seeing how things develop (or not) in the west over the next decade.

 

[BHelmet]

Thanks for the clarifying comments. It’s an interesting topic for sure. But, the changing of the guard is a weird kind of non-thing when you meet the new boss and he’s the same as the old boss. The boomers are dying off and being taken out but their staying power goes far beyond what should be a graceful exit and relinquishing the reigns of power. But that’s all a “show” for public consumption and the real bastard is the Wizard pulling the strings behind the scenes and that creep hasn’t changed through any Gen since WW2.

When I look at the thread title, I guess I don’t feel I am in a uniquely generational quandary but a universal quandary. I am sure there are many boomers who feel the world is going to hell in a handcart but I knew many from the WW2 gen who felt the same. (I am not sure when the social “scientists” started naming the gens but it strikes me as a recent phenomenon starting with “the greatest generation” which was certainly an off-putting name.)

As a young boomer I felt alienated from society including the majority of my fellow boomers. That sums up my issue. These conversations, while fun, are moot when the upper level system management team is the real culprit.

As for “we blew it”. Yeah, true enough. But this seems like the same “it’s your own damn fault. Humanity is to blame” idea we see today weaponizing our collective guilt, whatever the generation. The movie scene that says it for me is more like “On the Waterfront”.

“This ain’t your night, kid.”

Ugh.

 

[SlipNet]

Yes, the problem is systemic rather than generational. Ideological possession running amok in societies the world over. I guess the conversation I linked above in the first post was an attempt to frame the subject of a managerial class manipulating perception in a restrictive way. The main guy presenting the talk, Neema Parvini, is a right-wing reactionary with some old-school aesthetics with regards to music and culture.

Certainly, if you look at the legacy of popular music since 1960, the key figures from that era do indeed cast a large shadow that is still seen today. In a pre-internet society, records in particular were a kind of underground communication system for like minded souls. As such, tribal affiliations came and went (boomers, squares, beatniks, mods, rockers, hippies, punks, ravers, goths, indie-kids etc), all the way to the present age. People, when in their formative years in particular, need to "belong" to something, even if just for a short time. It meets an emotional need.

I suppose it fascinates me on a sociological level, "folk devils and moral panics" and all that. Whenever social theorists attempt to make sense of culture and society, they begin by categorising people into social groupings. It's actually amazing how many of us have had this imposed on us over the years. As a sociology student in the 90's I kind of never questioned it as a method of understanding social movements. Yes it is often an overly simplified and generalised method, but it still persists to this day and until someone comes up with a better idea it will remain so.

And, in closing, I think "we blew it" is a phrase that mostly all of us can share as a rueful response to our world situation. I don't think things will change until we see a substantial increase in the numbers of people with objective factual data, as opposed to those who are merely political ideologues. Orwell said hope lies with the proles. I think hope lies with the outsiders, those who refuse to buy the msm narratives and are fearless in their pursuit of the truth in all its forms. Ridding yourself of false beliefs and ideas seems to be a key part of the process, and it's the same for every generation.

Maybe it's a bit niche as a subject, but I kinda found the subject to be interesting nevertheless.

 

[Leelee]

Maybe the boomers weren’t so naïve in their idealism. There was real fire in the 60’s. It’s just that the system is such a massive beast with so many tentacles. I think hope always lies or begins with the outsiders but only in so far as they can influence enough proles to take up a torch and follow. I don’t believe it matters what cultural mores arise with each generation; in the macro the song remains the same. Each generation (through whatever means of expression) is steered as need be by the controllers, in music, media, entertainment, world situations (and now disease), to follow or be diverted from whatever ideology could motivate unity against the system. As a latter boomer myself (I’m 64), I was a child in the 60’s but still remember the electricity of the peace movement. Yes, it could have been more grounded, less drugs, but the conviction and rebellion grew powerful and wide. Imagine if that torch could have stayed lit and been taken up by following generations. Who knows what would have happened. But it seems the controllers knew. And so, yes, heroes were taken down, and that was a hard hit. There are also many who have written about or ascribe to the idea that the Manson murders of 1969 were an intentionally created psychological or even psychic attack upon society to stop that movement. They claim its far-reaching effect also contributed to the end of the most promising period for cultural change that century had ever seen. (who knows) Manson was always a psychopathic criminal, but what better way to undermine the peace not war, love your brother ideology of the hippie movement, than to show the callous, murderous side of “hippies”. Anyway, even as a child, I remember the eerie, permeating silence of that time, after those murders, even though there was still so much carnage happening around the world. There was something about those incidents, undesirables viciously murdering publicly admired and socially acceptable people, that put any notion of peace to rest.

After the silence, the sex, drugs and rock n roll 70’s, the materialistic me generation 80’s, come the 90’s, which in my opinion had a very small opening to bring back the 60’s passion for change in a more grounded and focused way. (I sound like Austin Powers). But it didn’t happen and things kicked into high gear for the worse as we know. Even though most younger people would dismiss me with a flippant “ok boomer”, I think the fuel that fired the passion of those 60’s boomers was unique, but has been so watered down, we are basically playing a game of simon says now. Actually, “Taylor says” is more appropriate I suppose.

 

[SlipNet]

Maybe the boomers weren’t so naïve in their idealism. There was real fire in the 60’s. It’s just that the system is such a massive beast with so many tentacles. I think hope always lies or begins with the outsiders but only in so far as they can influence enough proles to take up a torch and follow. I don’t believe it matters what cultural mores arise with each generation; in the macro the song remains the same. Each generation (through whatever means of expression) is steered as need be by the controllers, in music, media, entertainment, world situations (and now disease), to follow or be diverted from whatever ideology could motivate unity against the system. As a latter boomer myself (I’m 64), I was a child in the 60’s but still remember the electricity of the peace movement. Yes, it could have been more grounded, less drugs, but the conviction and rebellion grew powerful and wide. Imagine if that torch could have stayed lit and been taken up by following generations. Who knows what would have happened. But it seems the controllers knew. And so, yes, heroes were taken down, and that was a hard hit. There are also many who have written about or ascribe to the idea that the Manson murders of 1969 were an intentionally created psychological or even psychic attack upon society to stop that movement. They claim its far-reaching effect also contributed to the end of the most promising period for cultural change that century had ever seen. (who knows) Manson was always a psychopathic criminal, but what better way to undermine the peace not war, love your brother ideology of the hippie movement, than to show the callous, murderous side of “hippies”. Anyway, even as a child, I remember the eerie, permeating silence of that time, after those murders, even though there was still so much carnage happening around the world. There was something about those incidents, undesirables viciously murdering publicly admired and socially acceptable people, that put any notion of peace to rest.

After the silence, the sex, drugs and rock n roll 70’s, the materialistic me generation 80’s, come the 90’s, which in my opinion had a very small opening to bring back the 60’s passion for change in a more grounded and focused way. (I sound like Austin Powers). But it didn’t happen and things kicked into high gear for the worse as we know. Even though most younger people would dismiss me with a flippant “ok boomer”, I think the fuel that fired the passion of those 60’s boomers was unique, but has been so watered down, we are basically playing a game of simon says now. Actually, “Taylor says” is more appropriate I suppose.

Wise words! I think an opportunity was never comprehensively grasped by the 1940's generation. Yes there was too much sex, drink and drugs. The excess was real, and seduced many, at least in the short term. Many fell for their appetites (witness the 27 club) and didn't last the full course. But yeah, there was a powerful feeling among many people that the state was totally corrupt and it was even costing lives, of all colours too. Even in literature, you had firebrands like Norman Mailer, Hunter S Thompson and others, tearing strips off the establishment in idiosyncratic scrapes of venom.

The culture felt wild and free, listen to the fusion records of the early 70's and my mind reels. But there was a general trend which led inevitably to the me decade of the 80's, and again hope sprang in a kind of splinter in the early 90's. In the UK, ecstasy and house/techno led to a kind of gathering of many tribes, all coming together under this strange new music. While over in the U.S, you had Seattle and a return to guitar-led earthiness and sincerity. Since then music has been transformed in terms of how we obtain it. Albums don't make money any more, touring does. You have to create "events".

The 60's music is still a yardstick for what was possible, it's harder to be noticed in today's multi-genre mosaic of contemporary music. But who won out after those early years of promise? Hip-Hop did. And Hip-Hop itself fragmented from "the black CNN" of the late 80's to a kind of self-referencing nano culture as the century turned. Rock kind of withered away, sure you had the odd outlier, but never with the tunes of before. Electronic music won the war, and a kind of knowing abstraction became the chief signature of good underground music post 2000's. We're probably due a new innovation in music now anyway, and I look forward to it. But I'll always love the Boomers for the music of the 60's and 70's in particular. They raised the bar in terms of what it was possible to convey in an ostensibly limited form.

 

[PopHistorian]

The splintering of society began in the 60s with the boomer gen.

I suggest that it started in the mid-1950s with the Beatniks, in literature with the Beat Poets and the publication of Peyton Place. In comedy with Lenny Bruce, and in music with "protest" folk artists, and more. This was the fruit of the first wave of, according to Yuri Besmenov, communist propaganda being "pumped into the soft heads" of American youth without serious opposition for eight to ten years by that point and began its impact on popular culture. Boomers were the first generation to experience the then-subtle messaging (which is now a deafening roar), in many regions, from Day 1 in school. By the mid-to-late 1960s its influence was full-blown among what was still a minority of the youth (though the controlled media, then and now, typically portrayed it as a majority to frighten the older generations), but by maturity into adulthood they soon took over TV, film, fashion, journalism, and other creative arts, and began heavily to influence education and all other societal institutions.

A few years ago, I did a pretty intensive study of the hippie movement and associated social movements of that time and concluded that only about 5% of hippies were really aware of the ideology they were pushing and knew what they were doing in the political sense, and aiming to do on a large scale. Another ten percent may have followed this inner circle closely, but the remainder were merely peer-pressured ordinaries following along for the sex, drugs, and rock & roll, with no clear idea what was up. Interviews and conversations heard on audio/video recordings from this era showed me that the ideas of most ordinary hippies at this time were an incoherent jumble. 99% (including the ostensible leaders) would be categorized by Bezmenov as useful idiots. He contended strongly that there are no true grass-roots movements, all being deliberately created and manipulated.

Just my impression.

 

[Voyageur]

Clearly, the boomers are now in their 80's, so won't be hanging round too much longer, they know their time is short.

In part you are correct (with 1958 a boom year), and please carry on, however just a little extension to the last of the boomer Mohican's, as their birth date range ran to 1964, so the last few are exactly 60 now. Yes, alas time is short.

 

[Leelee]

A few years ago, I did a pretty intensive study of the hippie movement and associated social movements of that time and concluded that only about 5% of hippies were really aware of the ideology they were pushing and knew what they were doing in the political sense, and aiming to do on a large scale. Another ten percent may have followed this inner circle closely, but the remainder were merely peer-pressured ordinaries following along for the sex, drugs, and rock & roll, with no clear idea what was up. Interviews and conversations heard on audio/video recordings from this era showed me that the ideas of most ordinary hippies at this time were an incoherent jumble. 99% (including the ostensible leaders) would be categorized by Bezmenov as useful idiots. He contended strongly that there are no true grass-roots movements, all being deliberately created and manipulated.

I’m not sure I understand. For what reason would a negatively oriented control system intentionally initiate grass roots movements for positive change only to squash them? Maybe it's for entertainment, or to cause hopelessness in the human psyche; but the C’s did say of the PTB, their hubris would do them in. They must know there’s always a chance, remote as that may be, for enough momentum to be gained to reach critical mass, and perhaps a shift in consciousness. If not, why do they feel threatened enough to take out those figures (especially in the 60’s) who come to have so much positive influence on the masses? Why do they censor so much now?

We may still be lab rats on an uneven playing field with the controllers (at the hyperdimensional level at least), but I do believe there still exists a spark in the human spirit that can be reached (organically) to initiate great efforts for change. Maybe it’s the rose colored glasses I sometimes wear, even in the apocalypse, that keep me from having a fatalistic view that the peace movement was totally manufactured. Whatever way it came to be, I believe a very unique window opened (maybe with some otherworldly help) for a short while. Even if only 5% were truly aware of the ideology they promoted; that idea, without interference, could have grown real wings. Perhaps many of the flower power crowd were useful idiots hopping on board something new, never having the potential for anything more, but certainly not all. For others who were wired differently, being around those few who lit the spark and put up the antennae, could have pried off many blinders. I think there just wasn’t time to reach enough people who could understand that before the hammer quickly came down.

The C’s say more pain is needed to reach critical mass for significant awakening. I guess, even in those times (the 60’s), with so much turmoil in the world, and what I do believe was a strong desire to change that, there just still wasn’t enough pain.

 

[BHelmet]

Great stuff, guys. Good point about the beatniks being the start but it was small potatoes. The first splinter. One small fragment compared to the explosion that occurred in the 60’s. My parents had some true beatnik friends. I can remember pretending to be asleep and listening to Miles Davis, Sitar music, Ernie Kovacs etc in the late 50’s.

I think there are true grass roots movements…at the start. The state (over)reacts after the fact with infiltration and oppression and counter movements. I think the peace movement caught them off guard the same way Trump did. But now the system level bosses probably feel they’ve seen it all and have a fat playbook they go to like clockwork.

As for what it felt tike: it was exhilarating for a very short period (for me) before it got “real”. Maybe a few months at most. MLK taken out in April 68. That was the death knell. (I graduated in high school in 68). The rest of 68 was one ugly mofo. And it was world wide too. Prague. Mexico City. Many places, which is telling. It was all surreal… and ultimately sickening when the hammer came down. I think living through this has a lot to do with the cynical aspect of my personality.

That 5% figure of people who actually had a clue sounds about right. All I knew is that I didn’t like the way the world looked. It made no rational sense. It was “fun” watching the older gen freaking out. As I reflect, it’s no different now, but I’m the one clutching my handkerchief! LOL. JK, sort of.

 

[Ina]

‘If you do not have anything nice to say, keep quiet.’ In other words, keep calm, keep your job, pay taxes, be kind...rewind, and carry on.

Signed,
GenXer, the rebel kind, that never had any chance because of the boomer dynosaurs, still in power.
Do not worry, we’ll be there to mop the trash and clean the mess, afterall there will be no money for pensions anyway.

 

[BHelmet]

Way to blame it all on the boomers, Ina! How convenient! You Xers are off the hook! LOL!

(All meant in fun)

 

[Natus Videre]

Way to blame it all on the boomers, Ina! How convenient! You Xers are off the hook! LOL!

(All meant in fun)

The legend says even the Covid generation will blame it all on the boomers.
"Zuckerberg fought against the boomers, but he didn't win. That's why I only have two virtual reality headsets: one for when I'm tired of reality, and one for when I'm tired of... virtual reality!" —2020 kid.

 

[Ina]

Way to blame it all on the boomers, Ina! How convenient! You Xers are off the hook! LOL!

(All meant in fun)

The legend says even the Covid generation will blame it all on the boomers.
"Zuckerberg fought against the boomers, but he didn't win. That's why I only have two virtual reality headsets: one for when I'm tired of reality, and one for when I'm tired of... virtual reality!" —2020 kid.

I'll be quiet. Who's peace?