Is it fair to say that baby boomers have raised a sociopathic generation ?

Question

Daycare , preschool , absent fathers , routine divorce , out of wedlock births , parents more interested in thier own leisure than their childrens need for supervision .
We have completely seperated parents from thier responsibility to raise thier own children . As a result children rarely witness the more gentle qualities of human behavior , this has resulted in an entire generation incapable of empathy , kindness , or just basic human decency .

Answer 1

I do not think it is fair to say that babyboomers have raised a sociopathic generation at all. My generation is not asocial... nor are we the uncaring absent parents this questions clearly makes us out to be... quite the contrary; all families I see that are of the "babyboomers" children's generation are; hard working, have values, morals and teach these to the generation they are raising.

merriam/webster dictionary online defines it:

Main Entry: so·cio·path·ic
Pronunciation: "sO-sE-&-'pa-thik, "sO-sh(E-)&-
Function: adjective
: of, relating to, or characterized by asocial or antisocial behavior or exhibiting antisocial personality disorder

link to definition: http://dictionary.weather.net/dictionary/sociopathic


I do see what you are referring to... I have threechildren from my 1st marraige...I was married ten years and then I left him... two of my children had been in daycare from ten months until pre-k at four years old... their father was not, is not overly involved.... I am remarried now for six years... I have three more children from this marraige.. I worked outside the home until I was pregnant with my sixth child...it was no longer cost effective... I have a three yr old and four yr old both in pre-school two times weekly.... my husband is not around much, as he works as many hours as he can for "us" our family....
your "picture" of me is very ugly indeed... you have painted a picture telling the world that we willy-nilly procreate without the stability or intent of family, without the morales.... are interested in our own fun at the cost of innocent children.....run out and divorce at whim and leave our children to fend for themselves... basically not a decent human! your question is vague enough, general in that you lump many factors all together....
instead possibly, you could/should have asked what are each individuals reasons behind certain desicions taken all that info gethered all the stats into groupings and then made an intelligent hypothesis......

ok, I fit your little pattern up there... on the surface.... but... here are mine, to get you started; I got married to a man that had a temper.. and yes, I am smart enough to know logically that if a person (man or woman) is abusive at all they do not change.. but my "babyboomer" parents raised me to cherish and value the oath I took when I married.. so I stayed even though at year one it was clear he was abusive.... I had one child and was pregnant when I left the first time... he "promised" he would not and took the steps of therapy... family, unity, hard working, pride, honor... more of what those darned "babybooming" parents of mine taught me.... so, I went back.. he was unemployed at the time... so I worked two jobs... the youngest went to daycare during the day while the eldest was in school... because if you know the triggers of anyone's stress, and you care... you attempt to help to keep it at bay... ex is not so good with temper remember, though was working at it.... I continued to working throughout the next year... and thru pregnancy... while attending business classes... and worked a third job at nights for a while too... after my son was born I did take time off at home with my children for about two months... went back to work... my ex was back to work himself at that point, took him a year though.... I left again the very next year.... with the idea therapy, work would bring the family together.. but it was more abuse that had driven me to that point... and empathy, concern, basic human decency for my children I guess, that drove me away..
well, I finalized the divorce.. I took nothing of his.. I took no alimony... I did not want to fight.... I wanted my children safe.. so I threw a relationship away... knowing that it was not how I was raised.... I got a job and worked fifty plus hours a week... just to break even... with help from my parents... drat those accursed babyboomers, huh.... daycare, health ins., rent, all fell to me.. along with the ex "taking" back child support during his two weekend visits monthly (when they happened) so he could/would buy food, etc.. I provided quite a few of the things he needed for the children... because it was decent? kind? supportive? duty? I say it was to make lives easier for all.... and yet... thru my actions,all the things you say we do not teach.. I taught... and I do not consider myself different from other parents my age group...
I dated after a while on weekends my children were away... I got so little time with them.. and most of it was stressful, but I did not want to take from my children's time... I cherish every minute I get to spend with them... and time away is only to benefit my children... I met my current husband in spring 2001... I only inteded on dating.. then in sept. well.. we all know of the events that occured... that touched everyone... I lived in NJ... I was right on the other side of the GWB that day..... driving meeting to meeting for the company I worked for.... my children had been evacuated and I did not know where... other than my parents and children, I found I worried I would never see one more person... and so I knew without a doubt I loved him and could not bear to lose him... I will be celebrating my sixth anniversary in November.... I continued to work throughout the first two pregnancies... the babies did go to a very close friend, she is actually family... and? a babyboomer! whoa...that generation that is responsibile, in your opinion, for the uncaring, asocial, amorale generation I belong to? hmmm....
even with medical issue arising from pregnancies, I worked to give my children a better life... every minute I am away I reminded/remind myself the benefits; clothes, food, shelter.... the downside? I get less time.... there is a chance that no matter how hard I work at time with them, there will always be an ill-effect to the way some aspects of society are... but, I teach my children everything my parents taught me... and everything they did not know, things I learned along the way....
ex is an absent father.. but then? I gave him 2000-2004 and in that time? seven abuse charges... all substantiated... hmm.. which was wrong? the empathy I showed him.. the fact that I taught my children to respect, honor him, and to feel compassion....? for them to learn, understand that he is human and messes up like they do? and that part of human decency, kindness is to "turn the other cheek" while others learn and grow? damned if you do.. damned if you don't... everything you say I should teach, I did and do... maybe those are the very resons though my children might turn out with less? hmmm.. because they were treated the way that children have been for more generations and centuries... ? hhmmmm
I know, there is no substitute for a parents guidance, love... that I and my ex and current husband are the ones to teach the "gentler" aspects of life to our six children... they are my responsibility... my privilege to raise!

how dare you say "as a result children rarely witness the more gentle qualities of human behavior"

here is the biggest difference I see; the parents are the only ones in the household that are responsible for the family..... back as recent as my grandparents (right before those babyboomers!) the WHOLE family worked... they did not spend much time together then either.. did they? the pennies earned were done so by two-fifteen year olds... they had no childhood... what years was it that children were working to support their families? oh, in jobs they lost limb and life? early 1900's? okay.. what about even further back? if you had debt, your children may be forced to work it off... it was legal to sign away your child for money, people did it... hmmm..too far back into history? okay go on? colonial times... the children got up earlier than the parents even... and although parents did "their" work.. the children: gathered the wood, built the fire, started and at times cooked the meals, and then sat down on a little bench and watched the adults eat their fill!! and they got the leftovers!!!!
my grandfather was nine!! NINE and worked to support his family.... where was the compassion? the empathy and basic human kindness? this generation I am raising up have more protection, rights.. are more aware of the plights of others than I or my parents.... more of all those same things you say they lack are taught, shown to them....

it is easier to blame the parents that have been left to pick up the pieces of a society that shifted, changed so dramatically over a few decades though then to figure out which part of the equation that we call society might be the culprit.... isn't it...

well I have no answers to the why.... I am muddling thru as one of those parents of babyboomers trying my best to raise up adults who are empathic, have morales, self-esteem... education to not have to work as hard or as long hours just to meet the basic needs... I do not live the "high" life... but my family is happy... most of the time.... we do not have excess... but need two incomes.... I teach my children the honor, pride, old school values I was raised with... kindness for family, friends and strangers....hard work.... I take responsibility for my actions and teach them the same...
I find it it very irresponibile of you to have "decided" who and what I am.. or what I am about.. and worse? labeled me, my generation in the manner you have....
"the times they are achanging" huh

there are a lot more factions and pieces to the puzzle of "why" there appears to be less love, compassion, morales, basic decency than the babyboomers raised children who do not care and are selfish and irresponsible... nice

to angelgurls_06:
the generations babyboomers was followed by the "hippies turned yuppies" the next one, the one this question lumps in with the hippies.... is one that was "labeled" with a letter not name... with a letter that represented the "general" feelings or attitude of that generation..... those included, but not limited to.... supposedly the anger, angst... because we were the ones who hated labels... would not be judged, told who or what we were...or how much value or lack of our lives held...
my parents were born in the 40's... they are the tail end of the boomers... I am part of the generation that would be uncaring, selfish and raising a generation of the same according to this question as I was born 1969.... my generation was called generation "X" in the 80's though, not "y"... it is our children that I used to hear the joke about... that if we are gen "x" what would our children be called "y" as in why'd you have 'em...... that would be my children.... I thought it was cruel then.. and now....
the reason for that joke? we were so "messed" up or "screwed over" by society supposedly... that there should not be a next gen, at least not to all.... to fall further victim to the society... the world... at least that was according to the adults and experts while I was a kid.....

it was figured while I was still a pre-teen that my generation would be financially poorer than my parents... or my children's....
the whole of this question though.. you would have to go back a lot further than two or three generations.. since it started back in the beginning.... each gen. changes the world some... for the better and worse... and it falls to the following ones to figure a way back to where we/they want to be... with the blame falling on whomever is right there to be seen....

I do see the issue that you are bringing up.. I just do not agree with the pointing finger... the way you say it at all

btw... I do agree with kiddiedoc below here...
and now evilangelfaery919 is so my new hero! thanx evilangel!! your words... a hundred times better than mine!!
--oh, not to mention shorter?!!

need to apologize; my mother and I were talking about this question... she was a little insulted and said it was unfair, but that she to sees grandparents raising the grandkids due to parents inability... and grandparents supporting the children/grandchildren... etc.. what she said I had wrong was I have hippies and boomers switched in placement... it was hippies and then babyboomers... I need to look it up, and apologize for putting it up here incorrectly... sorry

confused now; either hippies are a part of the boomers... or well.. here is a link to a pretty interesting list of all the generations, the sub-generations... and why the names... about the world and reasons the way they are... I like the boomerang gen.... cool..mine is 13th gen...they are both gen x... 1961-1986.... boomers are our parents.... 1940's to 1960's with the "Jonesers" falling in 1954-1965 links to site...
thank you for listening.. and allowing me to share.... this was educational! :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_X#13th_generation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_boomer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Jones
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boomerang_Generation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_X#13th_generation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV_Generation

Answer 2

It is not the problems with daycare/pre-school or divorces per say. A lot of couples that are divorced, instead of trying to help their children, would rather fight with each other and drag their kids into the middle. How are those children supposed to learn about a loving relationship? Those parents are more interested in blaming each other and sniping at each other than properly raising their children and then they over-compensate by buying their child's love. One parent, if they are the disciplinarian, will have a tough time because the other parent will be more lenient. This sends mixed messages to their child/ren. Also, a lot of parents are quick to put their child on drugs if they are told that they have ADD or ADHD. These drugs are not formulated for a child's body, and all it will do is send them the message that drugs are the answer. There are not as many kids with genuine ADHD as have been diagnosed, and there are natural ways to treat the kids that actually have it. These drugs can really mess a child up and parents need to realize that, and they need to learn how to get a long for their child's sake.

Answer 3

Sociopathic?? You seriously need to look up that term. And secondly, society isn't deteriorating...and neither is the family. It's changing. The only reason why it's viewed as deterioration this time is that fact that we haven't had as much time to settle into the pattern before it changed. Humans had hunter-gatherer style societies for hundreds of thousands of years, then we spent thousands of years as agricultural societies, we've only had hundreds of years for adjusting to industrial societies and now we've become a "technological" society in just the past few decades. Things are changing very quickly and just because it's change doesn't necessarily mean it's deterioration. People probably thought the "family" was deteriorating when women put their foot down and decided we weren't going to be property anymore. But now most of the world considers that change to have been "growth" or "progress". And as the daughter of a Baby Boomer...I'm insulted. Not only for myself but also for my generation. Maybe people just don't have empathy and kindness for you...because you seem to think you can make decisions concerning the character of entire sectors of society.

Answer 4

As a baby boomer, I don't think it's fair to say. If we are guilty of anything, I think we have been guilty of overindulgence. Many women worked during WWII and many women of my generation, born after WWII, worked. In many societies, it is the extended family that raises the child. As a matter of fact, it's healthier for a child to be raised in a loving, single parent or extended family home than to live in a home where parents are fighting all the time or one of the parents abuses alcohol or drugs. Marriage for marriage's sake is not the answer. My children's generation may be a little spoiled, but sociopathic - I don't think so.

Answer 5

We were lucky to have grown up in a time when so much musical innovation and social change was occurring. The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Who... all the serious British groups helped set the stage for rock music to advance to the next level. Kids who play guitar still look up to Jimi Hendrix. He was a true innovator. The list goes on and on... R&B singers of the time were coming into their own, with racial divisions melting away. Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles and so many other greats were in the mainstream consciousness. Many "white" radio stations had not played records by black artists previously. Young white musicians were hungry for something new and many of them studied the styles of the great R&B and blues artists. These were the roots of groups like the Rolling Stones and guitarists like Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. Attitudes within society were changing and the music either reflected it or helped move it along. The folk artists were singing protest songs with rock influences, the R&B singers were jumping on the bandwagon (think of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On?")... It was a huge melting pot of music, the likes of which we may never see again. I'm glad it endured and that your son and other young folks can benefit from it. Today's music is not much different stylistically, but I'll venture to say that ours had more life and spirit. peace .

Answer 6

I don't think it's fair to blame someone for other's mistakes. Even though you're raised a certain way, we all have our own choice about how we do things. My mother had 6 kids and didn't raise any of us. She's an alcoholic and a drug user. Only one of my sisters turned out kind of like her, even though one of my younger sisters started to be like that, but has changed. I have 2 kids of my own and any mistakes I have made or will make with my children I take full responsibility for, simply because I know the difference between right and wrong and I have free will. My daughter is one, and besides being spoiled rotten by her Daddy is a wonderful baby. My son is 5 and is well mannered and has even received praise from his teacher for his respectfullness of others. I believe that while it is up to me to show him the way, it's ultimately his disicion on the choices he makes.

Answer 7

My parents are baby boomers and my mom was a housewife. She always had time for me and overprotected me as a child. I was probably in the minority though. Any character flaws I have regarding lack of empathy, etc, I attribute to the fact that I´m an only child and grew up in a neighborhood devoid of children. I don´t blame my parents for my personal qualities.

Answer 8

I think sociopathic is a little extreme (but maybe you just didn't know what it means).
I think it's degrading society because it's degrading the family.
Societies who don't place value on family structures don't survive long.
I really put most of the blame on two things:
1. Americans live beyond their means and have to have two working parents.
2. Women's reproductive rights are not protected, as they are only entitled to three months of unpaid leave (and then only if they are full time and have worked there for more than a year AND if the employer has enough employees). That's the lowest in all the developed nations.

Answer 9

It's a certain segment of the babyboomers that have done this. Not all of them raised horrible children. I'm the daughter of a 65 year old mother and 57 year old father (adopted as an infant). I'm 21 now. I was never in daycare, I did attend a Montessori preschool, however, as I was able to count and knew my alphabet before I could attend kindergarten. I'm not married, have no children, and I feel I was raised well with appropriate values.

I know of many who aren't sociopathic. So it's unfair to say that an "entire generation" has raised "horrible children".

Answer 10

my opinion more like a generation whom doesn't follow the social norms and mores of society. so lets call them deviants of society. there is nothing wrong or right about: daycares, preschool, absent father(?), divorces or out of wedlock births. we all have different views and will treat such issues differently says from the person standing next to us. things happen in life and sometimes what we do a s individuals does have baring on cultural mind set and yet we are oblivious to it as a whole.
i do agree with your point about the lose of basic human decency. we just get bogged down in everyday things i think we forget(don't know how) to teach good qualities to the younger generation. there is always hope for decent in people.

Answer 11

It's not the boomers, but the subsequent generation. And, yes, they are sociopathic, these kids.

Research on day care use predicted we'd get a nation of sociopaths for our stupidly allocated wealth (instead of putting it into moms being home with the kids, as in northern europe.)