Boomers Quote by Bruce Cannon Gibney
““The Boomers were the first modern generation to harbor really negative feelings about reality and science, and their success in undermining these goods has been tremendous. And by reposing ultimate truth solely in feelings’ subjective dominion, the Boomers were able to discount and dismiss the entire concept of expertise, scientific consensus, and elite opinion, previously a source of restraint on impulse gratification.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The End of the Rational Economy, Bruce Cannon Gibney, 2022
Boomers prioritized feelings over objective facts, eroding trust in expertise and scientific consensus, leading to unchecked gratification.
In simple terms: Boomers chose feelings over facts, weakening trust in experts.
Key Takeaway
Question the value of feelings versus evidence.
Themes
generational conflict
truth
expertise
science
subjectivity
Mood
skeptical
concerned
critical
Type
analytical
commentary
When to use this quote
- political discourse
- public health decisions
- education curricula
- personal decision making
Key Concepts
Epistemology
cultural shift
media influence
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance emotional intuition with factual evidence?
- What mechanisms can restore respect for expertise?
A Different Perspective
Feelings can be persuasive but may distort reality.
![“By the time [of modern] generation was coming of age sexually, there was already this idea of safe sex. But that didn't exist for me. I came out of the free-swinging '60s and '70s. It was free love, baby. That was it. We had very liberal sex-ed classes in 1973, a yearlong environmental science…” quote by Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d65/michael-stipe-6714_age_by-the-time-of-modern-generation-was-com_2424111.jpg)
