An Onerous Inheritance

January 30, 2012 by Michael Doyle

Photo by Mike Sagmeister

In his 1998 book, Tom Brokaw famously coined the term, “The Greatest Generation,” to refer to the generation of Americans who lived through the Great Depression, fought in World War II, and went on the build the powerhouse that was the American post-war economy.

Considering the achievements of this generation, many expected great things of their progeny, the baby-boomers. To be sure, the boomers accomplished many things in their time; America became more open and tolerant; it produced the music, art, and culture of the 1960s and 1970s; America became less sexist, less racist, and less homophobic under the boomers’ watch. They completed the struggle against world communism, launching the United States to the pinnacle of its power. Given so many accomplishments, it is disappointing that the boomers have largely failed to live within their means and invest adequately in the future.

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