The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor

#BoomerRemover

The coronavirus has exposed what appears to be (among some) a generational war.

On one side are the millennials and other young people who are chuckling over how old folks are more in danger of getting and dying from the virus. On the other side are elders who are truly angry that young people would wish serious illness and death on an entire generation.

This Wall Street Journal article sums it up: “A Generational War Is Brewing Over Coronavirus. Scientists say lack of alarm among young people could hinder the fight against the virus and endanger elders.”

And it’s getting nasty. Take a look at #BoomerRemover where generational insults are being hurled back and forth. Well, “insults” doesn’t quite capture it; “taunt” and “contempt” are more like it.

Actually, I thought the #BoomerRemover tag was kind of clever. Being too old to be considered a boomer, I thought that the millennials and other whippersnappers are payback for the Baby Boomers’ own youthful arrogance.

“Don’t trust anyone over 30” was Boomer advice, until they reached 30. Boomers thought that they had all the answers and anyone who disagreed with them was a fool.

Sound familiar? Apparently it’s how boomers raised their own children, some of whom now believe they are oh so superior. When they seem to be afraid of their own shadows.

T’was ever thus, these intergenerational conflicts. They were expressed, for example, in such movies as Rebel without a Cause and songs such as Bye, Bye Birdie (below).

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So take a breath.

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www.dennisbyrne.net

My historical novel: Madness: The War of 1812

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Filed under:
Culture

Tags:
#BoomerRemover, Coronavirus, generations