In defense of boomers

I never really understood anything HIPPY like. I never did. I always even hated punk in a weird way as it seemed to be co-opted by hippies. But here is the reality. NOT ALL BOOMERS WERE HIPPIES. As a matter of fact, I doubt even 50% of them were. Most boomers were raised rural - that would be an easy fact to present based on demographics alone. Do we ever have to go there? Probably so, but in this world of facts NOT being facts who #in cares?


Anyway, I am posting this to defend the boomers that were no greedy hippy divorce hungry society destroying human beings.

Here is the deal people, both of my parents were "boomers" but neither of them behaved as the media would have you believe.

Both of them were hard working people that cared deeply about my sister and myself.

They never did '___'. They didn't smoke pot. They didn't even drink. They always made sure we were fed and well taken care of. They tried as hard as they could in their personalities to understand and take care of my sister and myself. I love them and respect them to this day and I always will.

and an OH #! both of them believed that Jesus Christ was how they were moving on when they passed away... although my mother was far more thinking that than my dad ever was. Anyway, you haters have at it. We just dont care anymore. Not at all.

Boomer hippies were a generation of young people who were a number of things. One of those things were they were rebels against ''the establishement''. While other, normalized boomers accepted the system as it presented itself, those boomers that did not sought to discover a better way of life.

Yes, it was the ''hippie boomers'' who told government '' you have not right to tell me how to act in my own bedroom with someone of my choice''. ''' Or by myself for that matter''.

It was those hippie boomers who told the government and society that you have no right to tell me what kind of hair cut to wear. Told the establishment that I can wear a beard if I want. I can listen to a much wider variety of music than the ''estalishment'' told me I can.

They questioned and fought out against government regulations that they thought were either useless or out of date. They said, I can live with my girl friend or boy friend and have sex without the government licensing me to do so.

So great for your parents who were happy with the way things were and happy for you for still loving them and being brought up nicely.

I could go on and on but now it is time to set the table for dinner. I was there in San Francisco in the late 60s and can honestly tell you that what was going on then was much more complex than is all to often described.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire


And there were also people that lived their lives and tried to be good examples to other citizens. Without all the violent and crazy drug addled behavior.


Sure it is probably more "exciting" to feel like you are on the cusp of some sort of societal "evolution", but to me as I age, it seems to make much more sense just to be nice and to understand we are all full of faults. Socialist and so on seem to be more in the vein of arguing and destroying other people that don't think like them. I was not raised that way and that is why I feel such initial opposition to the left.

It seems to me, that they want to FORCE me to think like they think. It's a terrible thing and its even more terrible because politically almost no one on the left seems to be able to see themselves in the mirror.

a reply to: Fools

It seems to me, that they want to FORCE me to think like they think. It's a terrible thing and its even more terrible because politically almost no one on the left seems to be able to see themselves in the mirror.

How exactly is the left trying to force you to think like them. You are here on ATS expressing your conservatism and the way you see your world.

I'm not a hater...I'm totally a live and let live hippy. I spent a month in lock up because the sheriff didn't like my beard and long hair. 60s and 70s wasn't all peace and love, even in California where I was a student working on my MA and eventually my Phd.

I'm not making excuses for my hedonistic surf bum life style, 3 wives, alcoholism. It's just life, sadness and pain with those exquisite moments of total ecstasy. But thru all that, I worked hard and now almost wealthy. At least that's how I feel. I don't need anything, well maybe a new starter on my f150.

Actually it's paradise and blessed to live with an absolute angel. That's what I want for you amigo, and you might be able to realize it if you give up your hatred for people that have a different ideology.

a reply to: olaru12

Are you really holding on to that? Hell, I have a few stories about cops myself. But I will be 51 years old in a month or so. I am ok with letting anger go when it is about the past. Why are you not willing (it seems)?

First off, I like alot of your posts, I do not think you are a bad person at all, I just wonder though why you have to hold on to your youth so much (it seems to me)? I mean I really was poor and f'd when I was a kid. I worked hard to get around that. I worked so hard. I am sure you did as well... so why keep thinking your work was for naught? What kind of an example is that for anyone that you are inspiring that is a few decades your junior right?

a reply to: olaru12


Also, with the left. When I was young, I was semi-left wing. But I have seen so many of my pals and family that were left self destruct. They are dead. They were all 100 percent left wing and they are dead. Alcoholism, drug addiction, what have you. And then at the same time, my pals that have been more "right wing" are still alive and thriving.

I mean its pretty obvious to me. Maybe my pals were a little dumber than the average communist or something, but they are all DEAD.

originally posted by: Fools
a reply to: olaru12


Also, with the left. When I was young, I was semi-left wing. But I have seen so many of my pals and family that were left self destruct. They are dead. They were all 100 percent left wing and they are dead. Alcoholism, drug addiction, what have you. And then at the same time, my pals that have been more "right wing" are still alive and thriving.

I mean its pretty obvious to me. Maybe my pals were a little dumber than the average communist or something, but they are all DEAD.

Average Communist? I get it. you have an agenda. Do you want a trump styled revolution to put the dembs in their proper place.

You talk about the haters and don't even realize that you are the hater.

I hope you find peace...

a reply to: olaru12
.
At least I admit that I do not want left wing anything governing anything at all. Maybe you think that is hate, but I think it is common sense.

a reply to: Fools

My parents were also Boomers, but the opposite of your parents. My parents acted exactly like we see a lot of the current generation of young adults- jumping on every trend and cause that the "in" crowd did. First they were pothead, wineskin toting hippies. After that they were all about being involved in motorcycle gangs (not nice, upstanding "clubs" but gangs and all that they entail). Later it was disco, swinging and coc aine followed by "sports mom and dad" and later the whole Urban Cowboy thing and finally divorce. I got extremely lucky and spent a huge chunk of my childhood with my granny so fortunately I turned out more like her. You were very lucky!

That is what happens when people never mature past the stage of high school popularity contests. The only difference now is this generation competes to have the most mental health issues, to be the most "woke" and to get the most "likes" on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by being outraged- and by calling their parents and those of their generation "Boomer".

There are still tons of great young people out there who don't have that particular mindset, we just hear more about the others because they never shut up- and they like to blame their parents for everything wrong with their lives. A lot of them will eventually outgrow it but unfortunately a lot of them never will.

originally posted by: Fools
I never really understood anything HIPPY like. I never did. I always even hated punk in a weird way as it seemed to be co-opted by hippies. But here is the reality. NOT ALL BOOMERS WERE HIPPIES. As a matter of fact, I doubt even 50% of them were.

Your probably right, the rationale of hippies and punk being somehow the same is not realistic though, what is likely more realistic is that punk is/was more a a music media hype in many areas, especially in the UK. I'm a 'boomer' I'm a musician since around 1962, and always understood the other rationale that people liked music, because it gave them a lift in their lives.
Having said that, it was not always good for everybody, not at all, but playing in Germany in 1965 relatively well off, I'd go to sleep listening to Sam Cooke's, 'A change is gonna come' and I thought, things is not so good for everybody, not least in America.
So, to me, Sam Cooke was the foremost 'punk' then, and likely the only real one, with real meaning, and empathy.

a reply to: GeauxHomeYoureDrunk

I remember alot of their pals, when they had parties were crazy drunk or whatever. When I was a kid that scared me. I mean I look back, when I was a teen I sort of wished they were like their pals, silly and drunk or whatever. Now that so many years have passed I have conversations with their children and all of them wish they had parents like mine.

I mean they weren't perfect, but they always tried to set the best example they could and now deep into the 1/2 ass end of my life I get it. I really get it, and I wish I could have been more like them myself.

originally posted by: smurfy

originally posted by: Fools
I never really understood anything HIPPY like. I never did. I always even hated punk in a weird way as it seemed to be co-opted by hippies. But here is the reality. NOT ALL BOOMERS WERE HIPPIES. As a matter of fact, I doubt even 50% of them were.

Your probably right, the rationale of hippies and punk being somehow the same is not realistic though, what is likely more realistic is that punk is/was more a a music media hype in many areas, especially in the UK. I'm a 'boomer' I'm a musician since around 1962, and always understood the other rationale that people liked music, because it gave them a lift in their lives.
Having said that, it was not always good for everybody, not at all, but playing in Germany in 1965 relatively well off, I'd go to sleep listening to Sam Cooke's, 'A change is gonna come' and I thought, things is not so good for everybody, not least in America.
So, to me, Sam Cooke was the foremost 'punk' then, and likely the only real one, with real meaning, and empathy.