Gavin McInnes, The disgraced and cancelled Canadian grandfather of the hipster movement and co-founder of Vice once mused - Western Boomers do not know how to eat. They buy 40 person platters of dry dinner roll-bologna-and cheese buns for parties, offer no condiments other than mustard and ketchup, and for some reason have a hard time properly using utensils.
While I do not share the same rigid hard line criticism of older than I folks, I do agree that this generation likes what they like. Offer the wrong brand or foodstuff or something remotely foreign typically results in blank stares, wincing and disingenuous “No thank yous”. Since it is Superbowl today, One can imagine what a 68 year old has out on the table for guests. No name chips and dip, Cocktail weenies and perhaps an bland cheese and green onions only “nachos” platter. Gen-X on the other hand, are very much aware of their cultural, financial, and educational privilege and are more likely to offer a far greater abundance of spread involving a wide variety of food with interesting ingredients, twists, combinations and subtleties.
I think often about my career, the workplace, the market, and my lot in life working in 2022 under a rapidly aging and near retirement age boomer led working world. I cannot help but think that their stale and unimaginative ideas of something as simple as party hosting cuisine translates neatly into how a forty or fifty-something can possibly still struggle under the yoke of an old boomer asserting power, position and privilege with a Bologna mentality presiding over the mature and ready to lead Xer in their prime.
Now I know what could be said- “Buck up Josh, if you don’t like the scenario, start your own business!” This may be true, but I liken this sentiment to asking a millennial to “pull up their bootstraps” when complaining about not being able to afford a home when the average home price in my area is 1 million for a detached home and the mean income is still about $52,000 CAD. Its easy to comment from the cheap seats. Boomers had it easy - Cheap homes, Pensions, Little regulations, Little competition. The world was any hard working persons oyster. Not so in 2022.
My idea - Boomers- work with your Xer VPs, Managers, Second in charges and allow them to flourish - before you lose them. Allow them to bring the big ideas forward, even if they fail. How else will the next generation learn? Who knows, the second string quarterback may surprise you and throw a few touchdowns. The future of your legacy and your succession plan depends on it!
Boomers- You may be surprised to learn you like charcuterie, Bone Marrow or sushi platters after all!
I'm 68, as is my wife. We have a variety of friends of similar ages, all comfortable with smartphones, apps, laptops, cloud storage, avocado toasts and shrimp platters :)
Joshua, I love you, man, but you're way off the mark here...unless you're speaking of 80 year olds in, say, Topeka, KS. Horrible party food was common (exactly the items you describe) back in the 80's when we were all in our early to mid-30's. It always depended more on the ethnic background of the party thrower than on age or any other factor. For example, my Czech friends always served excellent open faced sandwiches with home-cured hams or even lobster salad. My Italian friends made amazing pizzas etc. Yes, our Anglo friends (I'm talking Southern Ontario) were partial to the fare you describe - but they made up for it by drinking copious amounts of beer to dull the taste buds.
As for the economics, my take is this: no doubt the EARLY boomers - I'm talking folks in their mid to high 70's now - did have strong economic advantages. But most of these people are retired, I would assume. By the time I was able to buy a house, in the mid-80s, prices had started to climb - though of course, no one could predict today's astronomical levels. I took advantage of the real estate collapse in 2008 and purchased an 800 sq f condo in Orlando for 50K (costs 225K now)
I do not presume to know what your working conditions are like and what asshole boomers you need to deal with. Just wanted to write a few friendly lines to tell you there's a lot (and I mean a LOT) of boomers in the music industry, in the arts etc. that have minimal savings or pensions and are working way past 65. I am one of them, despite having solid education and loads of experience. But I do love my sushi and sashimi, a nice espresso and most certainly stay away from weenies and cheese balls.
I'm 68, as is my wife. We have a variety of friends of similar ages, all comfortable with smartphones, apps, laptops, cloud storage, avocado toasts and shrimp platters :)
Joshua, I love you, man, but you're way off the mark here...unless you're speaking of 80 year olds in, say, Topeka, KS. Horrible party food was common (exactly the items you describe) back in the 80's when we were all in our early to mid-30's. It always depended more on the ethnic background of the party thrower than on age or any other factor. For example, my Czech friends always served excellent open faced sandwiches with home-cured hams or even lobster salad. My Italian friends made amazing pizzas etc. Yes, our Anglo friends (I'm talking Southern Ontario) were partial to the fare you describe - but they made up for it by drinking copious amounts of beer to dull the taste buds.
As for the economics, my take is this: no doubt the EARLY boomers - I'm talking folks in their mid to high 70's now - did have strong economic advantages. But most of these people are retired, I would assume. By the time I was able to buy a house, in the mid-80s, prices had started to climb - though of course, no one could predict today's astronomical levels. I took advantage of the real estate collapse in 2008 and purchased an 800 sq f condo in Orlando for 50K (costs 225K now)
I do not presume to know what your working conditions are like and what asshole boomers you need to deal with. Just wanted to write a few friendly lines to tell you there's a lot (and I mean a LOT) of boomers in the music industry, in the arts etc. that have minimal savings or pensions and are working way past 65. I am one of them, despite having solid education and loads of experience. But I do love my sushi and sashimi, a nice espresso and most certainly stay away from weenies and cheese balls.
Re McInnes - where is he hiding these days?