Reflections on Aging: Boomers and Busters, Similarities and Differences

If one can suggest that baby boomers were born in the first ten to fifteen years after World War II, then one might also suggest that those people who were born in the ten to fifteen years prior to or during World War II are also a unique group of people. They will be referred to as busters.

In the year 2008 AD, there are now almost seventy million baby boomers in North America. Many of the other group that came before them, the busters, are still alive and well. Sure, they are aging, but the boomers are too. 

The baby boomers were born in a time of post-war prosperity, thus came into a world of celebration and elation. Many of the busters lived through a time of serious hardship and depression coupled with anger, frustration, fear and suspicion.

The baby boomers can relate to a time of fathers, uncles and grandfathers returning home from the war. The busters, on the other hand, were sending their husbands, sons, brothers, uncles and fathers off to war with the understanding that many of them might never return. Thousands of them left and did not come back. Some were simply declared missing. Others were buried in foreign countries and still others came home in body bags, or makeshift coffins.

The female baby boomers experienced, even as young women are still experiencing today, a relative new freedom in terms of gender roles. These roles have gradually been changing over the years. The females from the buster's generation were locked into specific male and female roles, at least until the majority of men were sent to war and almost every task became those that women were allowed or forced to do.

Relatively few boomers have suffered war injuries in comparison to the thousands of busters who were injured, or became disabled, during World War II.

Many of the boomers have had families of their own but much smaller in size, than those of the busters. The busters generally had large families with the expectation and understanding that their children would be able to assist or support them in their old age. Thus, many of the busters are still well supported while the boomers face a new crisis on their new horizon of aging. In terms of numbers, there are few boomers who will actually be assisted or supported by their children, as they grow older.

Aging is not something to fear by a boomer, or a buster. In fact, aging can be a wonderful experience and should be for everyone. There are many new issues that the boomers will have to face head on, and others that the older busters of today will have to contend with, as well.

What does all of this mean? Perhaps time will tell the tale of boom or bust.

This article is simply a reflection on aging, comparing and contrasting the baby boomer generation, to the buster generation, with respect to similarities and differences.