Baby Boomers and how they led to the dumming down of society: Part 1

I mentioned in my last blog that Toronto was still the same dull and boring city that I grew up in during the

50's and 60's.  I, however, was not aware at the times of just how stultifying the place was because I had

the good fortune of being born into a family of Jewish immigrants who had survived Hitler's inferno.  The

survivor community was very warm and close-knit and for a people who had lost so many of their real

relatives other survivors became part of their extended family.  It is remarkable that these people who had

suffered  such unspeakable evil, could walk out of the ashes and create whole new lives for themselves. 

They lost everything.  Their families, their homes.  Most had to learn a new language.    Whatever sorrow or

pain they felt they kept banked down deep inside themselves so they could get on with the job of living. 

Every new child that was born was a victory over Hitler.  I remember great joy and laughter especially when

the Bar Mitzvah's started in the late fifties.  What could be a greater symbol of survival and a greater cause

for celebration than the Bar Mitzvah of a son.  The family invited everyone they

knew and simchas with more than 400 guests were not uncommon.  Even though they were not people

of great means the majority being either garment factory workers or small shopkeepers, no expenses were

spared.  You never got by without at least an eight piece live band, liquor flowed, food was bountiful. 

The host family would greet all their guests in a formal receiving line, each person stopping to wave or say

something to the camaera.  Everyone was dressed in their finest.  Men wore tuxes and the perfectly coiffed

women were in long evening gowns and those who could afford it were wrapped in mink stoles.  The latter

were usually women.  And no matter what age they were no female went bare legged.  Sox for children and

once you reached adolescence nylons or pantyhose were obligatory.  To go without stockings would have

been considered to be the height of bad taste unlike today where even in the coldest of winter and

defying all common sense  you see females of all ages including those who should know better going sans

stockings.  There were no naked toes dangling over the edge of a summer sandal.  Thank God!

For me the moment in the evening that I looked forward to the most was when the dinner was over

and the tables were rolled out to make room for the dancing. I remember how exciting it was, everyone

dancing their tuchises off (butts in today's vernacular) to waltzes, polkas, fox trots, tangoes.  When I was

younger the Bunny Hop was a big deal for the kids, as was jive and the Cha Cha.  Our parents did not make

fools of themselves by trying to emulate their kids by doing the "new" dances.  Thankfully I never saw my

father do the "Twist" even though he was a great ballroom dancer.  Nothing looks more stupid today than

all those geriatric baby boomers who stand in the middle of the dance floor shaking to the Golden Oldies. 

Most of them couldn't dance then and what was acceptable in youth now looks like they are suffering from

Huntington's Chorea. 

That brings me to the  main purpose of my blog;: Baby Boomers and how they

ruined society.  My generation, those of us born after World War II, that is from about 1946 to the early

60's just refused to grow up.  Many of us will hold on to our childhoods until our dying day.  And we

produced a generation that has extended their childhood even longer than we did to the point where

contemporary society has created a culture by children and for children and where so called adults refuse

to put away their childish things.

J.



 
 

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