Boomer Stereotype
4/21/2010 - Dorothy Sander
If you have the time I would highly recommend reading this blog post. It provided a new perspective on the concept of aging.
The Ironic Power of Stereotype
I have always hated the term "boomer" and "baby boomer" ~ from the very beginning I rebelled at being lumped to this category. It was a dreadful oversimplification of what it meant to come of age in the 60's and our lives in general. We are people first. It never occurred to me that what bothered me was that it was a stereotype and that such stereotypes would continue to haunt me as I aged. But the worst part about stereotypes is precisely what this article describes ~ it takes up too much of your intellectual and creative attention as we try to counteract them detracting the very same attention for more productive endeavors. What a waste!
It is helpful, I must admit, to have shorthand terminology for a variety of reasons and the more I work with "women over 50" the more I need the shorthand to get my message across in this era of technology and viral communication. Keywords only reinforce stereotypes! It gives me pause.
4 Comments From Other Members
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| 4/21/2010 |
Jamie Dedes from Menlo Park CA wrote:
It is interesting. Thanks for the lead, Dorothy.
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| 4/22/2010 |
from wrote:
As I age, I realize now why my grandmother kept quiet at many times while she regarded me speculatively. She could have told me so much, but much to her painful observation no doubt, she realized that I had to travel my own path and find out these things for myself. I have experienced the same with my own sons. It's painful for a parent or grandparent, but perhaps inevitable. I only wish I could visit with my grandmother now. I would appreciate her wisdom so much. She had so much to offer me and I simply didn't know. I only hope that somehow she knows that.
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| 4/22/2010 |
Dorothy Sander from Durham NC wrote:
I never knew my grandmother and only one grandfather ~ all had died before I was born. I always thought it would be wonderful to have one for the unconditional love they appeared to have. But perhaps, at the time, like you said Celia, I wouldn't have understood how much they had to offer.
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| 4/22/2010 |
Janet Glaser from Fremont MI wrote:
Stereotyping helps to market products to people of a certain age. That is the only good reason I can imagine for lumping people into categories.
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