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MAKING CENTS OUT OF THE NEWS
Blog #7
(February 12th, 2009)
BOOMER-ANGST
By Tom McAllister, CFP™
For several years I have been an occasional contributor to "BOOMER-ING", an on-line magazine, which I've read with interest for all that time. Two of my brothers (born in 1946 and 1952), as well as my own six children (born between 1956 and 1963), are solidly in the boomer generation, so I am privy to many insights as to how they view our world. (Now that all six of my children are parents themselves, I must often remind myself to hold my tongue on how these grandchildren "ought to" view the world!)
The editorial below by BOOMER-ING editor Jan Louthain was one I wanted to share with my readers:
A new year and new hope. With more layoffs and more business closures being announced every day, it's hard for me to have hope for America's economic future right now. Many have placed their hopes in our new President, Barack Obama, and I truly wish him the best, but I must apologize for not sharing the enthusiasm. It's not that I don't think he's an intelligent and diligent young President with the best interests of America at heart. It's that I don't think any U.S. President, even with the full backing of Congress, can change the entire global economy. When China starts relying on cars for transportation, placing a greater demand on oil, prices go up. When jobs are transferred overseas in pursuit of lower labor costs, laid-off employees are unable to buy the products and services produced overseas. When medical costs go up to support discoveries that will lengthen our lives, the people who need them most can't afford them. When companies are more interested in lining their executives' pockets than in servicing their customers, customers move to other vendors. These issues can't be legislated away and no U.S. President can single-handedly change them.
Perhaps because of our fanaticism with sports in America, we seem to think the answer to achieving victory lies with our Coach and unquestionably the Coach is a major factor. But what about the players, their talents, their hard work, their creativity and skill in carrying out the plays? The players don't feel "entitled" to victory; they "earn" it. They WORK hard, they struggle, they literally risk their lives in some cases to win.
I think we've lost that desire to work hard and struggle for success in America. We feel we're "entitled" to a nice home, a nice car and well-dressed kids; but we don't feel the responsibility to "earn" it. WORK has become a four-letter word, something to be avoided.
To be honest, I'm not sure how or if we Boomers have caused this. Is it because we were spoiled by our post-WWII parents who wanted us to have everything they didn't? Or because we spoiled our own kids and taught them that they are entitled to a good education and nice possessions just because they are our kids? Is it that we Boomers, most of whom still have some work ethic, are leaving the workforce now to younger generations who want it all without sacrificing to get it? Maybe it's none of these, or maybe it's all of these, but something needs to change! Americans must take back America! We simply can’t succeed if we rely on government to run our private businesses and our economic lives!
I know this is old-fashioned, but how about securing our job by working hard and coming up with creative, low-cost ideas that might make our company more successful? How about taking responsibility for your own spot in the hierarchy regardless of how high or how low? I know you can't do it alone, but when others see what you're doing, they might just join in and try it too. And if you're retired, how about sitting down and explaining this old-fashioned process to your kids who are still working What can it hurt? Maybe you or your kids will be tired when you/they come home, but it will be a "good tired" – a rewarding "tired" and you or they will feel you helped the economy just a little bit when you do.
This editorial is also posted on her BOOMER-ING blog at http://boomeringb. blogspot. com/:
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