The Faustian Generation (did boomers sell their souls to the devil?)

MSNBC ^ | July 24, 2006 | Alan Ehrenhalt

[NYer]

My cohort of early baby boomers has been called a lot of names in its nearly six decades of existence—we were the insolent teenagers of the 1950s; the self-centered Yuppies of the 1980s; now we are the aging spendthrifts who will bust the federal budget and bankrupt our children with unreasonable demands for creature comfort in old age.

But maybe it would be more appropriate to think of us as the Faustian generation. We didn't exactly sell our souls to the devil—not collectively, anyway—but as we jog toward senior status, it's hard to escape the sense that we were complicit in our own unique kind of unholy bargain.

Most of us born in the early years after World War II grew up in a world of stability and order: lasting marriages, moms at home, fathers with permanent employment, local merchants who knew us and watched us, neighborhoods where the people next door were ever-present and predictable. The three television networks ran essentially the same programs; the bread and soup and cereal all tasted alike. It was snug; it was also, as we all know, widely perceived as monotonous and a little claustrophobic, as well as unfair to many members of society

"The dull ache will not depart," Faust says in the first part of Goethe's epic, as he laments the cozy tedium of his cloistered life. "I crave excitement, agonizing bliss." That does pretty well as a mantra for the best and brightest of the early baby boomers as they reached mid-adolescence in the early 1960s

[NYer]

Ehrenhalt is executive editor of Governing magazine, and author of two books on American politics: "The United States of Ambition" (1991) and "The Lost City" (1995).

[NYer]

The devil is in the details ....

"Faust was offered a simple form of relief for his confinement: He contracted with Mephistopheles for 24 years of unending novelty, physical gratification and encyclopedic knowledge. The baby boomers didn't sign any such contract, but as they became adults the most fortunate soon found themselves tasting similar treats: the erosion of sexual restraint, the ability to travel virtually anywhere, magic electronic devices that brought instant knowledge and entertainment even Faust never imagined, and most of all, ever-expanding choice—the freedom to make important life decisions and then unmake them at will: new locations, new spouses, new careers, all subject to endless re-evaluation out of a concern that something more exciting might lie around the corner."

Catholic Ping - Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[Red Badger]

...born in the early years after World War II grew up in a world of stability and order: lasting marriages, moms at home, fathers with permanent employment, local merchants who knew us and watched us, neighborhoods where the people next door were ever-present and predictable....

And then we screwed it up..........

[2banana]

It is not the boomer bankrupting us - it is the greedy senior citizens of the last 30 years that are.

They vote - and they vote for the politician that promises the most for them.

[Bigg Red]

Even though it is from MSNBC, he makes some valid points. My generation made its very messy bed, and now we have to lie in it.

[yellowdoghunter]

And then we screwed it up..........

Exactly, though not all, I know many baby-boomers on FR that did not participate in the selling of souls.

Anyhow, look where we are now, kids cannot even ride their bikes around the neighborhood for fear of sexual predators, divorce is through the roof, etc...

But baby-boomers (not all) can look back and say, well, at least I got my abortion and was able to have sex with no consequences. After all it IS all about me!

[Spktyr]

(Not directed at you personally, RB)

Thank you, hippie baby boomers. May you all rot in hell. You did more damage to this country in 30 years than everyone else combined managed to do in the prior 200.

[Phlap]

The headline implies they have a soul to sell. I, for one, doubt that.

[Spktyr]

If you are a baby boomer, and not a hippie, the above does not apply to you, FYI.

[bella1]

As a tail-ender baby boomer, I'm afraid you are correct, although I like to think that it was those in the beginning of the boom that really started screwing things up for those of us who came along later.

[Incorrigible]

Woo! Hoo! Another Boomer Bashing thread!

I love these!

[ecomcon]

My sentiments exactly. Except the rotting in hell part.

[MNJohnnie]

Yep it sure looks that way. The boomber managed to screw up everything that they touched.

[telebob]

Please. This is some pretty idiotic navel gazing by a guy who obviously has never done anything in the world but has been content to be a passive observer.

I was born the same year as this dunce and I just ran it flat out on all the uphill parts, the good and the bad. Now that I'm on the downhill slide, I've still got the pedal to the metal.

What's this guy talking about? Some mythical world of yesteryear? It never was like that and if all you've ever done with your life is indulge in a lot of chin stroking rather than building shit (ala all the technological marvels that the author apparently assumes just sprang out of nowhere) then I guess one might naturally be attracted to some dream world out of Leave it to Beaver.

[Liz]

"The baby boomers....found themselves tasting similar treats: the erosion of sexual restraint, the ability to travel virtually anywhere.....and most of all, ever-expanding choice—the freedom to make important life decisions and then unmake them at will: new locations, new spouses, new careers, all subject to endless re-evaluation out of a concern that something more exciting might lie around the corner."

The fruits of Planned Parenthood's indoctrination programs----deceptive tax-funded "Family Life" courses that proselytize moral relativity, and situation ethics, wherein the individuals decides for him/her self what is right and wrong.

[steve8714]

The people who had the wildest eyes for in-school smoking areas, free speech no matter what, free "love" without consequence, do your own thing, drugs etc. are now legislating smoke free areas and hate crimes.

[Red Badger]

It's all Dr. Spock's fault!.....

[Vaquero]

Where the heck was the so called "Greatest Generation"????

What happened in the 60's? The finger can be directly pointed at our WWII fighters and Depression Survivors, who, without thought of consequence, spoiled the living sh*t out of their kids, so they can "have it better" than they had it.

Please... ...its 10 O'clock, do you know where YOUR children are?

[GourmetDan]

It appears that the generations that follow are no better at making good choices.

Their only talent appears to be blaming their parents.

Hmmm, sounds vaguely familiar.

[Incorrigible]

Carry on!

Retirees Will Face Dire Straits [Baby Boomers to force following generations to suffer]