It occasionally crosses my mind that my age is working against me. The young have their growing concerns, and the shrinking ones of my own seem to be ever farther from their minds. The world is in their hands, anyhow. As years go by, my ruminations will become increasingly irrelevant. Until they become truly my own. Insular at best. From time to time, though, I realize that I am only at the forefront of my own bulging generation. And it is of an unprecedented size, for sure. As of this year, babyboomers have been retiring the world over, but they will hardly vanish as a force, political or otherwise. They will have ample time at their hands, as well. Ever since the end of World War II, they have been in the forefront of things, and this is likely to continue for a few more decades in spite of the generation’s advancing age. As well as its eventual demise. This gives me some comfort, but not for long. Competitive too boot, as babyboomers have perforce been from the teeming start, most of them will veer in every which direction. In their dotage, they will remain rather unpredictable and maybe even wild. My ruminations are thus likely to become increasingly irrelevant in spite of my own generation’s stunning bulk. Until they become truly my own.

Addendum (October 5, 2016)

Born between 1946 and 1964, babyboomers are between fifty-two and seventy years of age in 2016. In the countries where the retirement age is sixty-five, the oldest among them retired in 2011, and the youngest will retire in 2029. The higher the retirement age, the longer will they remain in employment, perhaps even through 2034. Having been born in 1946, I am at the forefront of the famed generation. As I argue in this piece, my ruminations about this world of ours will become insular at best, but my generation is likely to be all over the place, as it has ever been. My ruminations are thus likely to become increasingly irrelevant in spite of my generation’s size, as I conclude above. Five years later, though, I wonder. Chances are that ruminations of quite a few babyboomers will become rather insular with age, as well. And this is where many of them may well find my own close to their hearts. This applies especially to the oldest among babyboomers, who were born just after World War II. No matter where they come from, they will have much in common, for the postwar period was quite special across the globe. Most important, there was much hope for the human race. Another war of the same ilk was unimaginable. At any rate, these ruminations do not have to do with my longing for a readership. Not at all. Rather, I am longing for a few people with similar experiences who could be close to my heart. And this is where babyboomers are undoubtedly my best bet. Fingers crossed.