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Richp's Reviews > The Greater Generation: In Defense of the Baby Boom Legacy
The Greater Generation: In Defense of the Baby Boom Legacy
by
by
Steinhorn wrote this to counter the "conventional wisdom", at least what one sees published in various media, about the contributions and weaknesses of the baby boomers as compared to their predecessors labeled the greatest generation. His overall argument I find correct and (mostly) well supported with references. In the sense of importance in understanding modern US social history this is a 5 star contribution.
However, I find the book flawed in two ways. Steinhorn overstates his case. The progress on social issues is very real and the boomers deserve the bulk of the credit. Many scholars and politicians have noted the public leads on these issues and the politicians follow. It is in power politics, economics, war, and journalism that Steinhorn misses the big picture. The boomers may have led the way in ending large colonial wars in SE Asia, although Steinhorn fails to mention that their greatest contribution may have been dying in sufficient numbers for the US public to take notice. However, the boomers played a huge role in executing the transition from a long term Cold War permanent military to a long term neocolonial hot war permanent military. This imposed a tremendous cost on the target nations. The cost to USA was much lesser but still very significant, and is a leading excuse to cut social welfare spending, and negating some of the social gains and civil liberties of the prior decades. In terms of corporate control of government, the boomer generation joined the mainstream acquiescence by almost completely refusing to support any leftist party. While this is more obvious now with the political disaster of the 2016 election cycle, it was also clear when this book was published in 2006.
Steinhorn is correct when he cites the rise in alternative media. He fails to note the pull to the right of the mainstream media, partially driven by the lack of an opposition party with sufficient power to demand attention from the MSM. William Greider in his 1992 Who Will Tell the People presented an alternate view, one I find far more believable. While journalism exists here and there, most reporters just report what the In parties and corporate shills say, and almost always write as if they know almost none of the history of what they are writing about.
The second flaw is that this book is overly repetitious, which is not a major flaw but is annoying.
However, I find the book flawed in two ways. Steinhorn overstates his case. The progress on social issues is very real and the boomers deserve the bulk of the credit. Many scholars and politicians have noted the public leads on these issues and the politicians follow. It is in power politics, economics, war, and journalism that Steinhorn misses the big picture. The boomers may have led the way in ending large colonial wars in SE Asia, although Steinhorn fails to mention that their greatest contribution may have been dying in sufficient numbers for the US public to take notice. However, the boomers played a huge role in executing the transition from a long term Cold War permanent military to a long term neocolonial hot war permanent military. This imposed a tremendous cost on the target nations. The cost to USA was much lesser but still very significant, and is a leading excuse to cut social welfare spending, and negating some of the social gains and civil liberties of the prior decades. In terms of corporate control of government, the boomer generation joined the mainstream acquiescence by almost completely refusing to support any leftist party. While this is more obvious now with the political disaster of the 2016 election cycle, it was also clear when this book was published in 2006.
Steinhorn is correct when he cites the rise in alternative media. He fails to note the pull to the right of the mainstream media, partially driven by the lack of an opposition party with sufficient power to demand attention from the MSM. William Greider in his 1992 Who Will Tell the People presented an alternate view, one I find far more believable. While journalism exists here and there, most reporters just report what the In parties and corporate shills say, and almost always write as if they know almost none of the history of what they are writing about.
The second flaw is that this book is overly repetitious, which is not a major flaw but is annoying.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
March 21, 2017
– Shelved
March 21, 2017
–
Finished Reading
