Exam 11: Aging Boomers: Boom or Bust

The boomer cohort is extremely homogenous, making it easy to objectively characterize it.

What are events that influence groups of people during the same years, such as the influence of World War II on the "GI Generation"?

According to McArdle, when the boomers are fully retired, there will be how many workers per retiree?

According to multiple AARP surveys, most boomers plan to retire before the age of 65 because they no longer wish to work or because they have the savings to support themselves while not working.

In the excerpt from Buckley's novel of political satire, Boomsday refers to the year 2011, when the first of the baby boomers begin to retire with full Social Security benefits.

What do sociologists Berger and Luckman mean by "social construction"? Discuss how this approach can be used to understand the complexities of the baby boomer generation.

Are there stereotypes projected on to the generation to which you belong? Where do these stereotypes originate? Which characteristics do you identify with and which do you reject, and for what reasons?

In the story, Boomsday, what does the "perfect economic storm" refer to?

A 2011 Harris Poll revealed that aging boomers are planning to delay retirement, perhaps by several years. What are some of the factors contributing to this trend? What are some of the opportunities and challenges for a multigenerational workplace?

Boomers in the United States have been represented to the public in contradictory ways: on the one hand, as selfish and negative, on the other hand, as idealistic and positive. Discuss this, providing examples of these conflicting stereotypes used to characterize the boomers.

Goldsmith acknowledges that American society faces a crisis in the future. According to him, what is the nature of this crisis? How does what Goldsmith has to say challenge the popular portrayal of the aging of the boomer?

Roszak asserts that the boomer generation will change the meaning of old age, that it will constitute a different kind of older population.

According to McArdle, the next 20 years will require a transfer of resources away from the care of children to the care of older people.

Boomsday depicts conflict between members of different generational cohorts over economic resources and social programs.

Which of the following will shape the impact of aging on the baby boomer cohort?

There are several factors that must be considered when trying to predict how members of the boomers will experience later life. What are these factors? Are there any additional emerging social trends that might exert an influence on the aging of the boomers?

People of all ages were affected by the expansion and availability of the Internet in 1990s. This is an example of what kind of effect?

McArdle begins the excerpt from No Country for Young Men by asking the question, "Will America look better, worse, or just different?" as a result of the aging of the boomers. How do your answer her questions? Provide support for your answers.

The excerpt from The Longevity Revolution concludes with the assertion that in their old age boomers will bring to public awareness important questions about "fate and purpose." What are these important questions and what experiences have made the boomers prepared to raise these questions? Do you agree with Roszak's assertion? If so, why? If not, why not?

Among the oldest boomers there is a not insignificant proportion who are working part- or full-time and collecting social security benefits.