Most of my life I thought my parents were also Boomers. They were quite young when I was born, and both were born during WW2. Baby boomers are associated with a rejection or redefinition of traditional values. That's how I've always viewed my parents--both were/are creative, interesting people who have always been different from other parents. For that I am eternally grateful.
In reality, though, they are from the silent generation, born 1928 to 1945. These are folks who grew up in the McCarthy Era, often full of fear that it was dangerous to speak out. This is the first (North American) generation to have a smaller birth rate than previously. It's the first generation to have significantly fewer war casualties. It was the generation that championed civil rights, rebuilt after the Great Depression and World War II, turning the 1950's and 60's into one of the most prosperous times in American history.Those who fought in Korea were the last soldiers to be praised en masse. Wars and battles after Korea were tainted by criticism of not only politicians, but of the soldiers themselves. Dr. Elwood D. Carlson, from the Sociology Department at Florida State University, called this generation "The Lucky Few". This group also had higher employment rates than the generations before and after them, as well as better health and earlier retirement. African Americans in this generation also did better than earlier generations in education and employment.
The Silent Generation is also the group that inspired the term "Silent Majority". With people like Martin Luther King Jr., Elvis Presley, Sandra Day O’Connor, and John McCain, it's hard to imagine this generation as "silent" but the reality is that McCarthy and his issues had such a huge impact that most feared government retibution for speaking out. This was an era where "God" was added to the Pledge of Allegiance. It was an era of random tagging of people as "treasonous" and defamation of character. It was an era of fear, persecution, and the inability to protect oneself even when completely innocent of charges. It's easy to see why it's the generation that was reluctant to even talk about homosexuality, let alone be proud of it. It's also the era of Edward R. Murrow. Murrow was a young adult when he joined CBS as a reporter, giving realistic glimpses of the challenges overseas as we fought WW2. He exposed McCarthy's tactics and eventually was chosen by President Kennedy as the chief of the United States Information Agency. Upon Murrow's death, President Johnson said he was a "gallant fighter" who had "dedicated his life as a newsman and as a public official to the unrelenting search for truth."
With such leaders, how can they be silent? First, Murrow was not a Silent Generation-er. He was born in "The Greatest Generation", a term coined by Tom Brokaw in his book of the same name. This group. born roughly 1901-1927, truly lived up to its name. They survived the depression, won the wars, and ignited patriotism we never saw again, with the exception of a few days after 9/11. Second, because the were also a silent majority due to fear in their young adulthood, they were destined to be "silent" as a generation. Compounding that was the changing role of women, the increasing freedom of persons of color, and widespread experimentation with drug use. They weren't just silent because they were scared; they were also silent because they were confused about life in general.
This group is also often called "The Traditionalist Generation". Children were expected to be seen and not heard. As post-retirement people, they are often very active. Many take on part time jobs, go back to school, and volunteer because they are uncomfortable just being retired. The work ethic in the group is remarkable. They are loyal, determined, and creative. They had to be-they were tasked with rebuilding society after so much distress.
That's where my parents come in. This part of the definition definitely applies to them. I grew up in rural West Virginia in a time before food stamps, healthcare and financial supports from the government. My parents were white collar workers in a blue collar environment. In my formative years they didn't have the cushion of labor parties. They trudged through a difficult life (compared to future generations) without losing respect, and they did it, for the most part, silently.
Until the day he died, my dad was a pretty conservative, traditional Southern white man. From him I learned to be proud, to view my humble beginnings as a gift, and to stand on my own two feet. My mom, on the other hand, is one part traditional and one part activist. Once they divorced, she blossomed into someone who not only believes in equality, but fights for it. Even though she is approaching 80 years old, she volunteers, gives generously, and attends rallies and marches. She also is frugal, responsible, and consistent, typical "traditional" values.
While I am a boomer, my sister is "Gen X". This is the group of latchkey kids, MTV and the downfall of communism. My children were born from 1984-2001, making them Millennials. As a parent of this group, I can tell you the struggle is real. The best thing is, we have the "traditional values" of our Silent Generation parents to pass on to them while still giving them equality and pride.
As we Boomers die off, we have a duty to keep the values of the Silent Generation alive in our offspring. Before we go, we need to be loud and proud, but also respectful and educated. Don't let our future generations down!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_boomers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Generation
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history
https://coss.fsu.edu/sociology/ecarlson
https://www.prb.org/luckyfew/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/McCarthyism
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edward-R-Murrow
https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-silent-generation-definition-characteristics-facts.html
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/workplace-characteristics-silent-generation-2164692
https://scholar.colorado.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2273&context=honr_theses
https://www.asuresoftware.com/blog/managing-three-generations-workplace/
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