Optimist Economy Boomers Didn’t Ruin Everything. Really.
Mar 10, 2026
They question the narrative that baby boomers alone caused today’s economic problems. They unpack how generational labels are made and misused. They explore who actually benefits from blaming a whole generation. They highlight racial and income differences within the boomer cohort and why perceived wealth can be misleading.
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Generations Are Storytelling Labels
- Generational labels are invented for storytelling and marketing rather than strict demographic reality.
- Catherine Edwards notes only the baby boom (1946–1964) is an official demographic spike; other names (Gen X, Millennials) were coined by authors and advertisers.
Greatest Generation Myth Busted By Social History
- Catherine Edwards recounts reading Kenneth's Myth of the Greatest Generation and discovering the era's messy realities.
- She lists high wartime divorce, abortions, racism, desertion, and labor strife that contradict the 'greatest generation' myth.
Boomer Blame Oversimplifies Policy Responsibility
- The common boomer-blame narrative simplifies complex policy histories into generational scapegoating.
- Catherine Edwards argues boomers are painted as benefiting from government then dismantling it, obscuring that policy choices (like tax cuts) reflect partisan politics.