Older Baby Boomer: 72-80 years old.

CBS Documentary on 1966 High Schoolers and their parents in Webster Grove, Missouri, USA

1960s. Rich Missouri Baby Boomers Who Never Questioned Authority

https://youtu.be/3sBSNYNe2-0?si=KHplNHeBba1Ew8hL

What were you like as a teenager?

Be honest.

A “Socie”, Normie, Fringe/Wild One/Rebel or None of the Above?

Personally I was a mix of the first three: artist, rebel, intellectual from good middle class family. I wasn’t a good looking athletic elite. I didn’t want to live like my parents did beyond having a roof over my head, three squares a day and some money to spend. And a car. I like having a car. Always did. I didn’t want to be a tradesman, I wanted to work at a higher intellectual level, like an artist that charges lots of money to museums or maybe as a computer artist making computer generated videos. And oh, lots of sex, drugs and rock and roll. I got As on my grades but also was happy with Bs or Cs. Party on, I was sweet 16

Hilarious the slow-witted townsfolk's reaction to watching the finished documentary.

We acted like rich, entitled <deleted> who don’t question authority in the middle of the turbulent 60’s that we’re trying desperately to ignore and pretend it’s not happening...

And when we get to see ourselves acting like that on film, we don’t like it!

But oh, they liked saying those arrogant words to the camera, didn’t they?

Also funny that the one sensible, clear thinking individual in the town who almost had what could be considered an alternative viewpoint was the police officer, 555.

I was the good looking athletics star, but also with brains and intellectual, so I had it all back then. I sometimes think I peaked at 16. What a wonderful time the 80s were. Fortunate to grow up where others holiday and had beach, basketball, horses, friends. It was wonderful. But sometimes I wonder if growing up in the 50s or 60s would have been even better.

5 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

I was the good looking athletics star, but also with brains and intellectual, so I had it all back then. I sometimes think I peaked at 16. What a wonderful time the 80s were. Fortunate to grow up where others holiday and had beach, basketball, horses, friends. It was wonderful. But sometimes I wonder if growing up in the 50s or 60s would have been even better.

So a “Socie” and even though you hit the genetic lottery (looks, wealthy) you still had doubts and insecurities.

And you are not an older baby boomer, you are Gen X, very different generation, very different times with the Thatcherism and Reaganism destroying the middle class.

You're right that didn't happen in the 50s and 60s.

Of course, you already said you weren't middle class so you probably don't care.

I know a lot of rich people and how self centered they are. What a bubble.

1 minute ago, SiSePuede419 said:

not an older baby boomer, you are Gen X,

I have serious issues with these labels. I'm on the cusp and by these labels I'm a late boomer - but this is just so wrong.

I listened to 60-70s pop on AM radio, but as early teen into progressive rock and then new-wave/punk and micro genres. There were definitely boomers involved in this music in 1977-79 but it's not Boomer music.

While Vietnam was a huge concern to me as I headed into high School the war ended when I was still a good many years away from the draft.

To me classic boomer was like 16-18 between 69-74.

There's nothing about me that ever was hippie outside of the overall genre that kind of fell over the US like a cloud ... The feel-good do what you want to do 1970s

I did unfortunately for myself started smoking weed far too early in life I guess that's kind of hippie, but surfers love a good smoke too 🤷

3 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

I was the good looking athletics star, but also with brains and intellectual, so I had it all back then. I sometimes think I peaked at 16. What a wonderful time the 80s were. Fortunate to grow up where others holiday and had beach, basketball, horses, friends. It was wonderful. But sometimes I wonder if growing up in the 50s or 60s would have been even better.

I was born in 1951. From my viewpoint, the transition to the 60s was gradual until it wasn't, and by the mid 60s the world had changed. We had a music revolution, a cultural revolution, and an anti-war movement, all in the last half of the decade. The 70s were OK, from my perspective, as were the 80s. By 1975 the Vietnam war was finally over. Regan became president in a landslide in the early 80s and around that same time the computer revolution began. I'm not sure what decade I'd choose if I had to do it over. For me, they were all good, but with differences. You can't really knock the 80s.

At age 16, I was in an all boys prep school, I had a shiny red sports car and no adult supervision, to speak of. I had fun. I never made any effort to excel in school, although that didn't really hurt me at all, because I could always ace standardized tests. I ended up being in school for almost 20 years, after which I worked for 20 years, on and off, and then retired early.

I feel sorry for kids growing up today. They seem to have bigger problems to deal with than I ever did.

Just got on with life.........school/sixth form Mon-Fri, laboured on a building site Sat/Sun.

Left home to live with a girlfriend at 16 as her parents went to work abroad and left her and her sisters with a four bedroomed house.

Remember, a lot of those high school kids at 16 in the year 1966, went to Vietnam after graduation and never returned. Thanks LBJ and McNamara. Especially if you were poor (White, Black or Latino).

45 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

I was the good looking athletics star, but also with brains and intellectual, so I had it all back then. I sometimes think I peaked at 16. What a wonderful time the 80s were. Fortunate to grow up where others holiday and had beach, basketball, horses, friends. It was wonderful. But sometimes I wonder if growing up in the 50s or 60s would have been even better.

Naah, the 70's and 80s were the best.

My children are always saying that they'd wished they grew up in my generation.