Bad news

I presently have eight or nine tweed jackets -some with elbow patches, some without. About four are Harris Tweeds, which go for around $350-400 Canadian here.
Two are Italian - Linea by make, available at Harry Rosen, Toronto for about $1400 - $1700.

I bought them all at Salvation Army or other thrift stores. Average cost somewhere around $8. All perfect. I never taught, though I wore such jackets as a university
night student, after I retired - 1993 to around 2000. Just because I like the look - and they were cheaply available.

 

As a group, boomers kind of suck. But as with any group, it would be unfair to assume its characteristics lie in each individual. (Stereotyping.) My opinions follow. YMMV.

Boomers, as a group, swung too far away from public service. Sure, we have Vietnam to blame for much of that, not to mention the all-volunteer military which ditched the draft. I think this has had a tremendously negative effect on our politics and our sense of who we are as a people. We're not one people with different opinions anymore; we're different groups who experience America entirely differently. Public service used to provide a common experience, but really doesn't anymore. I don't know the full extent of that impact, but it feels pretty real to me.

Another complaint I would have about boomers is that we did a lousy job of preparing for retirement. With the destruction of defined benefit (pension) plans--coinciding with the erosion of unions and their influence on the workplace in general--boomers simply didn't prepare for retirement on their own. Defined contribution plans (like the 401K) were fine, but boomers didn't take advantage of them sufficiently. We can't afford to retire! So they stay, clogging up the system and keeping later generations from progressing "through the ranks."

(Also, boomers are living longer than previous generations. Except African-Americans, who've seen their average life expectancy actually shorten. This means we're able to work later in life, adding to the phenomenon.)

We killed the unions, we killed pensions, we drove up the public debt, we dropped the ball on the environment. On the plus side, we brought about a huge technological boom, advanced the human condition for many (but not all), and didn't kill millions in another world war. So there's that.

 

The latest:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7660305/William-Shatner-takes-millennial-task-heated-Twitter-exchange.html

Why has this OK BOOMER thingey suddenly gotten so much publicity over the past few days alone? That's a rhetorical question, since I don't really give a crap about it . . .

Do I think that millennials are worthless POS? Nope, just the ones who are acting so, um, ageist. They are being pathetically funny. They remind me of how much fun it is to be a privileged boomer that enjoys when they whine.

As for the presumption of an old man yelling at a cloud: Do any of the old-timers on DI or DD (meaning length of membership, not age) remember Uncle Janko? He had everyone convinced that he was a crusty old fart. But when he died, people were shocked to find out that he was only 50. Ageism is bullshit - it's apparently what a vocal minority of millennials moan about when they don't have a more substantive argument.

 

There has always been generational friction. Boomers had it with their parents. Boomers were the hippies, right? They thought their parents were idiots, or at least that's the stereotype. OK Boomer just means "You're out of touch" or "You've forgotten what it's like to be young and inheriting the mess your parents have made." They, in turn, refer to "Millennials" and ascribe all sorts of negative characteristics to this group. It's nothing serious and most smart people understand that the stereotypes don't usually apply. Steve promotes his crusty old fart image and so he shouldn't act surprised when someone simply agrees with him on that score.

https://globalnews.ca/news/6133526/ok-boomer-meaning-chloe-swarbrick/

 

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=whats+internet+katie+couric&&view=detail&mid=162CD41A31FFFA9D412D162CD41A31FFFA9D412D&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dwhats%2520internet%2520katie%2520couric%26qs%3Dn%26form%3DQBVR%26sp%3D-1%26pq%3Dwhats%2520internet%2520katie%2520couric%26sc%3D1-27%26sk%3D%26cvid%3DCAF054D39CA8424C81CF7FA30B07CD7B

 

Ok, boomer!

https://abc11.com/society/ok-boomer-viral-insult-casts-light-on-generational-divide/5679279/

 

And yet another . . .

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-11-07/-ok-boomer-phrase-says-more-about-the-kids-than-about-us-boomers

 

Okay...

 

I love the Battlestar Galactica reference

 

Frankly, most of the online courses I've taken (or my husband, or any of my sons- and we've taken hundreds from many schools) are almost always basic busywork handed down by a technologically illiterate instructor. Read this, type this, click here, answer that. BUT....
I'm totally good with it. I have a solid understanding of how to make it work FOR me instead of AGAINST me, it just took a little time to figure out. Mediocre quality online classes have allowed my family to rack up a significant number of credentials quickly and efficiently.
I also realize this is specific to the occupations represented in my family, but we have all gone "in person" to learn the hands-on portion of our trades and use online to fill it up with the degrees employers want. Best of both worlds over here.

I want to add that I would LOVE an opportunity to take a class live-streamed with a living breathing teacher on the other end of my computer. My son's high school math class is this way, and it's been great for him.

 

There are online synchronous courses and it’s true that they might have some advantages for some. Typically however they are seen as less desirable because of the scheduling issues they present.

 

Yet one more . . . I kinda enjoyed this one.

https://www.newsweek.com/ok-millennial-we-have-money-1471269

 

Certainly, if you have the availability - obtain a traditional education. If not, and you're very motivated, online works. I've never had ANYONE challenge my academic accomplishments.

 

TLR: Ground school faculty think online courses aren't as high quality as in-person courses. Online faculty think they're ok.
In other news: Sun rises in east this morning, expected to set in west. Water is still wet.