Cultural Change and the Boomers

There will soon come a time when the Boomers are ancient history. That time is closer than we think.

When I see schools closing in BC, Alberta or Nova Scotia, I think "Yeah, demographics change. But what if we need them in the future?" That's no longer likely. The boom of post WW2 babies is slowing towards its death. We don't need as many schools and the days of growth in a mostly white suburban neighborhood with a local school are no more. New neighborhoods grow, new schools are built, where the people are i guess. These days it seems just as likely to be a developer's deal as community planning.

So what will happen to these assets, these schools? Sold off, extension learning, tear downs. (Some active schools and libraries still have asbestos fibre in their structures. Nice pay off for the studious student - greater exposure to known cancer causing agents.)

What happened to our communities? As population continues to grow, Canada keeps shuffling its almost-limited people and numbers to ever newer housing areas. Are they still communities? What makes a community?

Now the Boomers are 60+ and will come into seniorhood for the next 20 years according to some demographics. Twenty years of an aging population. They were the ones with the 'work ethic' and an acceptance of less family and community contact in favor of money and things. Yuck! Uh, thanks. Good choice. Teach us to overvalue youth and money and then get old and poor. Oh they think they're rich, but the great thing about aging is the realization that money is the wrong focus and freedom is free for the taking. We were right in our youth. We always are.

Simplicity and poverty are true freedom. The very thing a 17 year old relishes. Gimme dirty jeans, an open road and not a penny to my name.

Their poet Bob Dylan asked it best.

"Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul"