Attempts by the super rich to stereotype and discriminate against current 65+ citizens and aging “Baby Boomers” are given a boost by some less than super rich – but rich nevertheless – “Baby Boomer” pundits and self-appointed experts such as Thomas Friedman and David Brooks. The following are a few of the examples of negative stereotypes that appear in the New York Times – the leading print-media outlet in the U.S.:
Thomas Friedman, “Root Canal Politics,” New York Times, May 9, 2010–
“The meta-story behind the British election, the Greek meltdown and our own Tea Party is this: Our parents were ‘The Greatest Generation,’ and they earned that title by making enormous sacrifices and investments to build us a world of a abundance. My generation, ‘The Baby Boomers,’ turned out to be what writer Kurt Andersen called ‘The Grasshopper Generation.’ We’ve eaten through all that abundance like hungry locusts.”
David Brooks, “Geezers’ Crusade,” New York Times, February 2, 2010 –
“Far from serving the young, the old are now taking from them. First, they are taking money.”
“Second, they are taking freedom.”
“Third, they are taking opportunity.”
“In the private sphere, in other words, seniors provide wonderful gifts to their grandchildren, loving attention that will linger in young minds, providing support for decades to come. In the public sphere, they take it away.”
Ross Douthat, “Telling Grandma ‘No,’ New York Times, August 17, 2009 –
“And if you think reform is tough today, just wait. We’re already practically a gerontocracy: Americans over 50 cast over 40 percent of the votes in the ’06 mid-terms. As the population ages – by 2030, there will be more Americans over 65 than under 18 – the power of the elderly and nearly elderly may become almost absolute.
“In this future, somebody will need to stand for the principle that Medicare can’t pay every bill and bless every procedure. Somebody will need to defend the younger generation’s promise (and its pocketbooks). Somebody will need to say ‘no’ to retirees.”
TALLGRASS ACTIVIST COMMENTS:
The above types of quotes are becoming increasingly common. “Baby Boomers” approaching retirement should take these vicious stereotypes seriously and begin to push back. Journalists such as David Brooks and Thomas Friedman have no professional credentials in the areas about which they pontificate. They are, however, taken seriously by major media outlets and the public. For instance, they appear periodically and not infrequently on NPR and PBS where they sound off on a wide variety of issues.
The columns from which the above quotes were pulled are filled with factual errors regarding demographic changes. Furthermore, they distort reality concerning Medicare and Social Security. This blog will be dedicated to providing credible information provided by professional demographers, health care researchers, and other individuals and publications recognized as scholarly as well as respected in the scientific community.