by W. Diane Van Zwol

Created on: April 26, 2008

Boomers And Busters: Similarities and Differences

If you can suggest that baby boomers were born in the first ten to fifteen years, after World War II, then one might also suggest that those people who were born in the ten to fifteen years prior to and during World War II, are also a very unique group of people. I will refer to them in this article as the busters.

In the year 2008 AD, it is a reality that there are now almost seventy million baby boomers in North America. But many of the other group that came before them, ie. the busters, are still alive and well. Sure, they are aging, but the boomers are too.

Aren't we all?

The baby boomers, on the whole, were born in a time of post-war prosperity, coming into a world of celebration and elation. Many of the busters lived through a time of serious hardship and depression, coupled with anger, frustration, fear and suspicion.

The baby boomers can relate to a time of fathers, uncles and grandfathers returning home from the war. The busters, on the other hand, were sending their husbands, sons, brothers, uncles and fathers, off to war, with the understanding that many of them might never return. Thousands of them left and did not come back. Some were simply declared missing. Others were buried in foreign countries and still others came home in body bags, or makeshift coffins.

The female baby boomers, experienced as young women who are still experiencing today, a relative new freedom, in terms of gender roles. These roles have gradually been changing over the years. The females from the buster's generation, were locked into very specific male and female roles, at least until the majority of men were sent to war and almost every task became one that a woman was allowed, or forced to do.

Relatively few boomers have suffered as a result of war injuries, in comparison to the thousands of busters, who were injured, or became disabled, during World War II.

Many of the boomers have had families of their own, but much smaller in size, than those of the busters. The busters generally had very large families, with the expectation and understanding, that their children would be able to assist or support them, in their old age. Thus many of the busters are still very well supported, while the boomers face a new crisis on their new horizon of aging. In terms of numbers, there are very few boomers who will actually be assisted, or supported, by their children, as they grow older.

Aging is not something to fear by a boomer, or a buster. In fact, aging can be a wonderful experience and should be for everyone. But there are many new issues that the boomers will have to face head on and others that the older busters of today, will have to contend with as well.

What does all of this mean? Time will tell the tale. Boom or bust?

This article is simply a reflection on aging, comparing and contrasting the baby boomer generation, with what I have referred to here as the buster generation, with respect to similarities and differences.

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