The Diversity of Baby Boomers

At first glance, many people would think that a baby boomer is just a simple thing played by a baby. However, they have eventually realized that this term refers to a group of people, particularly to a generation.

If we recall the tragic aftermath of the World War II, the basic statistics meet the criteria of having WWII as the greatest war in history when we speak of human and assets expended. During the post-war period, there were 1.7 billion people populating the Earth. After the war, three quarters of the world's population was added. The scientific development and technological advancement have made the war an unparalleled rage. Parts of the fighting fronts were the civilians, who suffered from malnutrition, disease, and often actual starvation, devastation of cities and towns, and awful injuries and death.

Consequent to WWII, economic prosperity emerged. During that time, the birth rates augmented, making the growth of families over a certain interval of time such a significant figure recorded. The Babies born on that period, when birth rates were considerably raised, were termed as the Baby boomers.  

After the Second World War, the bombed out cities and broken economies boosted the demands for goods and services in unmatched amounts. As a consequence, the Democracy Arsenal took control and started exporting merchandise and resources. America abounded the "free world" with commodities so that the economies will be reconstructed. This has amazingly led to a vital record of economic growth that continued until 1958. The economic success was associated with the better capability of each family to add more family members. Thus, the baby boomers were born.

The G.I. Bill allowed record persons to attend college and get hold of degrees, which has led to the improvement in education that granted higher family incomes, allowing them to have the assets to support more children.

According to Steve Gillo, Baby Boomers were of two categories in terms of years. The first is from 1945 to 1957 and the second from 1958 to 1963. Neil Howe and William Strauss on the other hand, took account of those conceived by on leave soldiers during the war. They set the generation of baby boomers from 1943 to 1960. They explained that those who were born between 1961 and 1964 had cultural and political patterns that are so different from those born between 1955 and 1960. This fit into what writers termed as the 13th Generation or Generation X.

The 13th Generation was known as the Cold War generation, which was estimated to include 79 million children including those born between 1961 and 1981. Since the authority of Strauss and Howe dominated, several people still believed that the 1961 babies were also Baby Boomers.  This is because of many significant Gen-X figures of birth in 1964. However, since the number of births did not turn down in 1965, then 1964 is not the ending year of generation X.

Controversy over dating and naming the boomers will be explained by considering that the 1946-64 boomer years is too long for one cultural generation. It may however mark a period of increased births.

It is in a world quasi-dominated by American Military might where the Baby Boomers grew up. It was where the enemies were referred to as the communists and socialists. This was all the way through the cold war from when researchers are lead to the current computer age. Also, the generation has already matured for the rural and urban crowding.

Would you imagine that famous groups like The Motown Sound, The Beats and Hippies, and The Beatles belong to the generation of the baby boomers? Baby boomers these days make up the lion's share for political, industrial, cultural and academic leadership class in the United States.

Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were the first and second Baby Boomer presidents. They were born in 1946 having an age gap of just sixty days. Their professions exemplify the wide range of principles and attitudes advocated by the largest American generational group to date.

Baby boomers or not, people would remain people. Nothing really matters about being included in a certain generation which has made history. Furthermore, there may be just one exciting record which baby boomers may be proud of, which is being in the Guinness book of world records!