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Monday, January 22, 2007
Obama hates boomers too
Now Obama on the other hand, here's a guy I just like more and more as I hear about him. In the New York Times there's a whole article about his rejection of the boomers and their politics. I might have a new hero.
In his second book, "The Audacity of Hope," Mr. Obama is critical of the style and the politics of the 60s, when the psyches of most of his potential rivals for the White House were formed. He writes that the politics of that era were highly personal, burrowing into every interaction between youth and authority and among peers. The battles moved to Washington in the 1990s and endure today, he says. I like this idea. But then, I hate boomers. Labels: Barack Obama, boomers |
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"In the back and forth between Clinton and Gingrich, and in the elections of 2000 and 2004," he writes, "I sometimes felt as if I were watching the psychodrama of the baby boom generation — a tale rooted in old grudges and revenge plots hatched on a handful of college campuses long ago — played out on the national stage."
Oh, Please. What the hell does that mean? That white-bred elitists use the rabble for political fodder?
Well that's an original observation.
10:47 PM, January 22, 2007
I think Obama might be saying that, the way some people never get over high school, the boomers never got over their generation's "FUCK YOU DAD AND MOM" stage.
There's something to be said for that idea, since most politicians seem to be immature, simpleminded types looking to relive the time they were voted Homecoming King/Queen.
Indeed, this sort of ex-frat-rat attitude seems to be celebrated more often than not in the media. I remember a puff piece in the Washington Post prior to the 2000 elections, where the author tried hard to convince us that Bush's "political sensibilities" were shaped at Yale. The sole piece of evidence was that... Bush was vaguely peeved at all the left-winginess going on on campus. Really.
"Those hippies ruined our kegger!" as profound political philosophy: our modern democracy, ladies and gents. (PS: Watch Idiocracy.)
2:52 PM, January 23, 2007
(PS: Watch Idiocracy.)
It's next on my netflix.
4:09 PM, January 23, 2007
I don't buy the inherent, creeping evil of the boomers. It's a libertarian ploy to cut the social contracts. To allow libertarians to wreck society based on these tropes is really not paying attention.
As irresponsible as the boomers are made out to be, they did the best they could given the circumstances. Looking at the social progress of the 60 to 2000s, much of it can be tracked to the boomers fighting the reactionary forces.
I'm peeved at the premise that post-boomers think they're entitled to some sort of future nirvana where they can watch American Idol/Survivor in peace without regard to established social obligations. That's bull -- the boomers don't owe their progeny squat -- we're all responsible for making meaning out of our meaningless lives on our own initiative. Struggle gives meaning; watching TV makes you fat and slovenly.
If the post-boomer crowd was worth a damn, they'd heat up the ovens and pack the boomers onto one-way trains to cut costs. But they won't, because they're whinny bitches, primarily concerned with not being able to afford Starbucks frappucino in 2047.
Well, that's my existential contribution for the day.
4:30 PM, January 23, 2007
You know what's annoying about the boomers?
How they take credit for things that about 1% of them did, while the other 99% act like total assholes and assume the admirable actions of their generation will shield them. Further, they take credit for things they definitively did not do, like get civil rights reform passed. That was MLK baby. His protesters knew how to get the respect of the people whose minds needed to be changed, and emphasized the humanity of their cause. All the hippy/yippie/pranksert crap, that still is mimicked today never accomplished anything. It didn't end the war earlier, it was just divisive and unhelpful, and ineffective, but every boomer is convinced they actually did something by sitting around and publicly rebelling against their parents.
Further most boomers are not tolerant, most are not progressive, they're voting for Bush! They're buying SUVs! They're the ones spending us into the grave!
Our generation is by far the most tolerant ever, far more than the boomers that are the ones holding back gay rights and are responsible for persistent racism. We work hard, we are progressive, we enter the workforce in record numbers, we're going to be a generation that does tons of shit, the internet is just the beginning. We're going to take over meatworld too.
Ted, you make it sound like boomers invented TV sitcoms and our life of luxury - I don't think so. I think that was much more the great generation that built this society in the last century, the boomers have just been spending the money they saved up with no regard for the future of these programs.
I can see how you would tie it to libertarian attacks on social contracts, not caring about the welfare of boomers makes it easier to attack these good safety net programs. However, I still think the boomer generation has been an extraordinary failure given the promise they had. I think it's because all that promise came from the 1% that was actually progressive and interesting and trying to change things. The rest have just been doing shit like getting Reagan elected, then the two Bush's. Clinton was a good president, but ultimately his presidency was a long painful reminder of the Big Chill.
5:32 PM, January 23, 2007
How they take credit for things that about 1% of them did...
Well, that goes for any generation, doesn't it?
All the hippy/yippie/pranksert crap, that still is mimicked today never accomplished anything.
Instead of fixating on Abby Hoffman, I'd fixate on Jackson Browne, and Peter Gabriel. But really, I'm not ashamed of the social consciousness of my celebrities because it's the philosophical soundtrack that reminds me how to behave. The 60-90s were a rich period in awareness. What does Gen-X, Gen-Y have?
They're the ones spending us into the grave!
Naah, I think that's just basic greed. With pharma at the top of that group spending us into a grave. The boomers have for the most part paid their dues dutifully. And BTW, I see lots of under-40 folk driving SUVs.
...we're going to be a generation that does tons of shit, the internet is just the beginning. We're going to take over meatworld too.
Yeah, I just heard that the Prez is going to get the budget under control in 2009-2012. And I won't come in the mail.
By the way, the Internets are brought to you courtesy of the baby boomers. Computers too. And cell phones. And we kicked the Russky ass.
The rest have just been doing shit like getting Reagan elected, then the two Bush's. Clinton was a good president, but ultimately his presidency was a long painful reminder of the Big Chill.
Stupid people vote too. Are Gen-X, Gen-Y, stupid-free? Hardly.
Brinn may be a Gen-X but I think that Bill Gates is a boomer. We're not going to take the gold watch and walk away, leaving the house to our unemployed children.
I agree with most of your political positions, but this hard-on that you have for the baby boomers -- I think it's misplaced. You expect too much; we're progressive (in a safe, suburban way).
The basic problem is that capitalism and greed are a wasteful combination, and boomers just were particularly good at synthesizing the two. We've taken selfishness to a new level, but I happen to think that selfishness is an American value.
9:58 PM, January 23, 2007
rev dr.,
How much of any generation gets shit done, though? I think you're maybe being too unfair to the boomers and too rose-colored w.r.t. earlier generations. I mean, you've seen yourself how large swaths of our generation are either apathetic or being complete douches at Iraq peace demonstrations. I honestly think the progressive:douchebag ratio is the same for this generation as it has been for any other.
Also, don't forget LBJ's contribution to civil rights reform! It couldn't have happened without him. For all the chin-music coming from Boomer icon JFK, he didn't do squat for civil rights (his brother, though, might have genuinely made a difference, if not for his own untimely death). LBJ, for all the shit he gets (and deservedly) for Vietnam, absolutely made the Civil Rights Act happen. He twisted arms, he bellowed, he threatened, he knew where all the bodies were buried in Washington. He was a goddamned iron-willed samurai about it, and it was impressive.
Some years back, CSPAN Radio was playing tapes of his phone conversations from that period. They were fascinating and funny windows into history.
10:03 PM, January 23, 2007
Some years back, CSPAN Radio was playing tapes of his phone conversations from that period.
I saw a great piece posted today on The Secret Government - an old Frontline by Bill Moyers -- 1987/Contra & Regan Democracy. Really excellent stuff that should be presented in every high school. 90 minutes of pure American Government all the more germane and interesting watching what goes on in Iran, Iraq and South America these days.
10:15 PM, January 23, 2007
I mean, you've seen yourself how large swaths of our generation are either apathetic or being complete douches at Iraq peace demonstrations.
It's just that I hate the most. Why do protesters today immitate the failed methods of the hippy/yippies?
As far as the LBJ tapes they're great. The man was a champion arm-twister.
As far as our generation? Yeah, we're just as useless as every other generation, but we don't claim that we've changed the world and brought peace love and happiness to everybody.
I also don't agree the boomers invented the internet. Tayler and Linklider? These guys were born in the 30s. So were Lawrence Roberts, Bob Kahn, and Leonard Kleinrock. Vint Cerf was born in 1943 according to wikipedia. Not exactly boomers this bunch. You guys were just around for it. So, you have Bill Gates and Microsoft, big deal, not exactly the hero of innovation I'd hang my generation's hat on.
I'm sorry I'm so anti-boomer. Most of it is a reaction to the tendency of my generation to mimic the worst behaviors of the boomers. The pointless hippy behavior, ineffective protesting, drug use as rebellion, etc. I guess I feel if we have a proper contempt for the older generation we can shame our peers out of immitating their bad habits.
4:09 AM, January 24, 2007
I also don't agree the boomers invented the internet. Tayler and Linklider? These guys were born in the 30s. So were Lawrence Roberts, Bob Kahn, and Leonard Kleinrock. Vint Cerf was born in 1943 according to wikipedia. Not exactly boomers this bunch. You guys were just around for it. So, you have Bill Gates and Microsoft, big deal, not exactly the hero of innovation I'd hang my generation's hat on.
I'm not sure I like the sound of that You guys were just around for it... crack. :-) I didn't say that the boomers invented it, although the boomers did a lot of the heavy lifting. Boomer generation officially or unofficially starts from 43 to 64. However, I'm talking about the doers - some you mentioned, and others like Jon Postel, Steve Crocker, Eric Allman, Steve Jobs, Bob Metcalfe, Phil Katz, Ward Cunningham and many other lesser drones. No one works alone, but these guys weren't asleep at the wheel for sure.
And the thing about Gates is that he's a dick, but you can't deny the fact that technology wouldn't be where it is without Microsoft making the global penetration that it does and bringing the Internets to the trailer parks of America. Everything would be less developed without Microsoft. Where would the Internets hivemind be without the Borg? The unintentional consequence of ubiquitous communications is that wars like Iraq are doomed. Lies and corruption are exposed. A global encyclopedia puts Brittanica's dick into the dirt and makes it available worldwide.
I'm sorry I'm so anti-boomer. Most of it is a reaction to the tendency of my generation to mimic the worst behaviors of the boomers. The pointless hippy behavior, ineffective protesting, drug use as rebellion, etc. I guess I feel if we have a proper contempt for the older generation we can shame our peers out of immitating their bad habits.
And so you have your own highly personalized rebellion against the older generation (or as we'd say, don't trust anyone over 30).
Although yours isn't as worthless as standing down in front of of the courthouse, with a sign. Dockers hiked up to the breastuses, wearing white socks, sneakers and RPGs.
8:54 AM, January 24, 2007
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