Boomers did have the advantage of an economy stoked by the success of defeating Fascism around the world in WWII by the Greatest and the Silent Gens, who to their credit joined in street protests against the moneyed Elite in cities all over the country.
We also grew up with a simple seemingly idyllic lifestyle of fresh food and mostly safe neighborhoods and schools (per the 70's thread).
But we also grew up with the Cold War; visions of nuclear explosions on B&W tvs, school Atomic Bomb Drills; sitting in hallways with hands over heads during the Cold War, as if that would help! (see Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, circa 1964).
The Korean War, the Vietnam War (aka 'Police Action'), and "I am NOT a Crook!" Richard Nixon's pre-Trump Election Rigging.
Heroes (we actually had heroes!) like JFK, MLK, RFK assassinated in the streets.
Which would be like seeing Obama and Bernie and AOC shot dead today.
Not to mention our own college kids murdered by nervous Natl Guards while protesting the War.
But we had other Heroes; Walter Cronkite and Bill Moyers who didn't give a flying F what politicians thought about them. John Glenn et al who braved the Final Frontier. (OK, and Star Trek, lol)
My first college English assignment was to write an essay on Modern Heroes, if there still were any. My subject was one of the survivors, Muhammad Ali, who was eventually offered a Deal to fight exhibitions for the troops if he'd only sign up. He gave up his best years to join, and lead, the Protest instead.
Unfortunately, it was the moneyed Elite who called the shots and elected Reagan, the Tea Party, Nutty Newty, and now Project25.
Of course, it's the whole Gen, who mostly opposed all that, who gets the blame now for what those same moneyed Elite are still doing now.... despite that most of the modern Gens also oppose them.
Well, except maybe in the last election, but many groups; Gens, racial groups, and even farmers and ranchers and truck drivers have now seen enough of these current Nixons their and Elitist backers.
