Michael Bywater has long been one of my favourite social critics – though I am sure he would disown that title. So I was really pleased to see an article in the New Statesman, “Baby Boomers and the illusion of perpetual youth” and to see he is continuing this theme in a book to be published November 2, “Big Babies: or why can’t we just grow up?”
The opening to his article gives a flavour:
“If we want an image to sum up the spirit of the age, it would be this: a middle-aged man playing air guitar. A mime; a simulacrum; a declaration of unearned, shared identity; a banner of fake democracy; a determined declaration of youthfulness indefinitely prolonged. The air guitar is the Baby Boomers’ swastika, their marching banner; the Boomers, now growing old, are running the show; and they are making big babies, not just of themselves, but of the lot of us.”
Can’t wait to read the book.