The Human Tsunami -- Tracking the Summer of Love Toward Death

[peristaltor]

People occassionally accuse me of being cynical. I don't think I am. I am just seeing the world around me, and extrapolating on possible causes and effects. Sometimes I project these extrapolations toward tomorrow.

Take the Baby Boomers.

Comments

[beachofdreams]

Thanks for this. You really woprk hard on these pieces and not for nothing: they are really interesting.

[beachofdreams]

Actually, after reading this I started to think about the possibilities for a post-retirement Green economy. It goes something like this

[plantyhamchuk]

(I'm about to make some gross generalizations here)
The only problem is that, if the stereotypes hold true, the boomers wouldn't be interested in investing in their homes, or other long term type things. Having worked hard all their lives, raising kids, investing, many view retirement as "me time". The time when the finally get to cash in and use all the money, travel, enjoy time with their grandkids, etc. A home? They won't be around to enjoy it. Perhaps some will be interested in leaving some kind of positive legacy, but only if they grow out of the whole "me generation" thing.

[peristaltor]

After all, I can't see grandma and grandpa deciding to travel the world when air travel is that much more expensive, or deciding to buy that winnebago they've always wanted by the same token.

Actually, I spoke with a coworker the other day, who has a sister that works in a credit union. She was amazed that loan requests for RVs are on a sharp increase, even given fuel prices. That was one of the reasons I wrote yesterday.

It does defy rationality.

plantyhamchuk's observation about the self-centered Me Generation thinking seems to apply here.

It's also the very reason I started home_effinomic. I hope to explore ways to improve home consumption efficiencies in ways that help the bottom line. This appeals to both sides of what many call a irreconcilable divide; those that care about environmental issues, and those that give a crap only about their disposable income.

This (should it catch on) would also divest the market of assets before the retirees need to liquidate to pay for housing and medical care. Such an early withdrawal could seriously soften the

[plantyhamchuk]

Some interesting ideas presented here. So you are predicting 2013 to be a good time to avoid the market, then?

[peristaltor]

Maaaaaaybeeeeee. . . .

[atlasimpure]

Again, "Why I'm for global warming".

[peristaltor]

I fail to see the connection. I'm a bit dense sometimes.

[atlasimpure]

Who is the first to die off in a global catastrophe?

[peristaltor]

The hungry?

[sunfell]

alobar sent me.

With all the attention on the boomers, it seems that no one is noticing their own mega-boom of kids- who swamp even the boomer's statistics. Schools are filled to the brim, colleges are harder to get into, and these poor kids will be trying to pay for their expensive degrees with burger-flipper wages.

I was born in '60, but feel little in common with the 'boom' I am supposed to be part of. It's probably because I was only twenty something when 'thirtysomething' was on, and yawn over major 'boomers' turning 60 when I'm not even 50 yet.

I feel I have more in common with Gen-X-ers, including having to move back in with my parents for a while when I really was 'thirty something'.

Your articles are really interesting- I see why Alobar likes your stuff.

[peristaltor]

Welcome!

I feel I have more in common with Gen-X-ers. . . .

Me as well. In fact, I was one of the first to buy the book Generation X, just based on a brief review. Had to order it. Too much of what little the review said spoke to me. I've been a Coupland fan ever since.

I've noticed one thing about demographic age humps; those on the leading edge of the crest really identify with the group in general, while those (like you and me (1963)) on the falling side feel left out of the party. By the time we get to be old enough to enjoy all the experiences our older counterparts bragged about, those experiences are passe, illegal or potentially fatal.

They get the sixties; we were left with the seventies.

Interesting what you say about the new coming boom. I haven't seen any numbers yet. I could just be that all the schools openned for us have been torn down, and no one has rebuilt them. . . .

Thanks for the kind words!

[sunfell]

I'm a Copeland fan, too. Loved his "Microserfs".

It gets old eating the dust- literally and figuratively- of our elders, but there might be some good in it, too- the thundering herd of Boomers will totally trash and re-make old age into something that currently doesn't exist. We'll have it much better than them- or our grandparents.

One thing you'll want to do if you can: invest in land and real estate while it's down. When the boomerbabies grow up and pay off their college debt, they'll start hiking housing prices up even more, even with their parents dying in droves, there won't be enough. Invest in green technology, too.

[hiro_antagonist]

The massive stock market shock came a bit sooner than expected, eh?

[hiro_antagonist]

Nicely researched, btw.

[peristaltor]

Thanks!

As to the "earlier than expected," it looks like the popping of the housing bubble preceded the retirement drawdowns. That doesn't mean the market won't fall even further as those necessary drawdowns occur. One does need to retire and, well, eat and stuff at the same time.