Strauss and Howe

[freepcrusher]

but has anyone ever read the books by Strauss and Howe? I think its interesting about defining generations and knowing where each one starts and the other one ends. One of the generations listed in there is the Silent Generation. I've always been interested by that. It defines that generation as anyone born from 1925-1942. Who are these people? No one in my family is of this generation. My parents were too young to be in this generation (both being born in 1950) and my grandparents were too old as they were born in 1918, 1920, 1921, and 1924.

I also noted that some of the boomer icons were born at the tail end of the silent generation such as John Lennon (1940) and Jimi Hendrix (1942).

[Sibboleth]

Yes, of course (and I would recommend Irving Howe's works to anyone), but... what?

[Lunar]

Yes, of course (and I would recommend Irving Howe's works to anyone), but... what?

Sorry, the "but...what" came from me renaming the thread when I moved it to a title that might attract the right audience. 

The thread's original title was "not sure if this fits in here or the off topic board"

[Stranger in a strange land]

The Silent Generation is a misnomer because they really weren't silent at all, it's just that most of its notable figures ended up being appropriated by the Boomers. Name just about any 60s icon: the Beatles, Johnny Cash, Willy Nelson, Joan Baez, even Dylan; chances are they were part of the Silent Generation.

[Rockefeller]

The only Silent Generation president is Jimmy Carter, but McCain would have been too if he was elected.

The Silent Generation encompasses individuals who experienced the Great Depression as children, were too young to fight in WWII, and entered young adulthood during the Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy years.  The oldest members of this generation were much like the G.I. Generation and were among the first suburbanites of the '50s, while younger members of this generation probably aligned more closley with the Beatnik and "Hippie".   

The most famous American to be a member of the Silent Generation is Martin Luther King, Jr. 

[Beta Ray Bill is the best pony]

Carter is Silent Gen? Bush Sr. was born in the same year, is he a silent?

Also, even though no presidents were born in that generation, some not-so-silent men like Ralph Nader, Ron Paul, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and Pat Buchanan. Also, VP Walter Mondale was a Silent, and he was the first "powerful" VP.