What is the Baby Boomers Destiny?
I came upon a book by Tom Osenton at University of New Hampshire released “Boomer Destiny: Leading the US through the worst crisis since the Great Depression” in 2009. Although we are past the worst of the Great Recession, I found some salient points.
Osenton was prescient in that he wrote the book, prior to the Wall Street banking collapse and the overall crash of the economy. Yet his words are as true now as then, although I can’t say that fully I agree with his prescription.
The writer’s point that the US goes through a crisis every 80 years or so, and while each generation has a role to play, one is often defined by it. FDR’s generation was in power during the Great Depression, and The Baby Boomers are in power today. Having recently emerged from the Great Recession, and enduring a time of great political angst, perhaps this is a time for Boomers to define our generation as more than what some refer to as ‘the most self-centered generation in history’.
I must say I have mixed emotions on our generation’s ability to solve these issues. On the one hand, I meet incredibly talented people through this blog, our website and our LinkedIn group. The clients and advisors we work with are often truly amazing. But when I look at our so-called leaders in Washington and other governments around the world, I get a little depressed.
Osenton’s point is that Boomers are in the “Winter” of our existence. We have a choice of what form of legacy we will leave. He states these fittingly in “Obits”.
Boomer Obit: Ending #1 – A Legacy of Selfish Concern for Themselves. Essentially by not fixing the debts issue (not adjusting entitlements and taxes), Boomers pass on a bankrupt nation to the next generation, who must watch the US slide into oblivion. (God, I hope not)
Boomer Obit: Ending #2 – A Legacy of Selfless Concern for Others. Boomers start giving more than they take, by adjusting to the realities of entitlements and taxes, fixing our infrastructure, setting us on a path to dramatically strengthen our country. (I kind of like the sound of that one).
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