The actual and potential conflict between America's three prominent
generations the under 35 Generation X, the over 35 Baby Boomers, and the
over 65 Elderly seems more pronounced each year due to financial
burdens, social concerns, and political agendas.
Xers are perceived as being disaffected from society, apathetic, and
politically unsavvy. They live in an environment of ultra-uncertainty
and tremendous expectations. Were the Boomers the last generation to
make it, and will the demands of the elderly deny the twenty-somethings
their future?
A powerful, yet quite varied voting bloc, Baby Boomers have families now
and they are in a bind. Many can't afford to send the kids to college;
they worry about their retirement needs; and they wonder if they will
bare the burden of caring for their aging parents.
The size of the elderly population is exploding and will further
increase as Boomers age. The elderly are politically active and tend to
be more conservative. Many elders feel they are being squeezed out of
society by generations who don't appreciate their contributions but only
see the costs of Social Security and medical care increasing to enormous
levels.
Generations Apart is the first book of its kind to include essays on and
from all three generations, members of each group who explain how they
see themselves in relation to the others.
