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This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 11 January 2022 and 6 May 2022. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Walkman316 (article contribs).

On 14 March 2024, it was proposed that this article be moved to Boomers. The result of the discussion was not moved.

We should probably challenge and define, again, what "baby boom" actually means

Defining generations by the year they were born is pretty silly, but so is astrology and there you go.

I think it's time to revise the timeline a bit. Boomers may feel a bit unloved in this but that's not the point being made. the point is that people born in 1946 had a very different experience than Generation Jones who were actually born during major social unrest, societal stressors both political and economic throughout their teens and young adult lives. Their experience was completely different.

"Baby Boomer" Generation: 1946-1954 1) People tend to agree that the Baby Boomer timeline begins in 1946 when the US birth rate spiked from 20.4% in 1945 up to 26.6% by 1947.

2) After WWII men and women returned home to start families, the war was over. This was a time of national pride, parades, and getting busy at home. This period carried on for almost 8 years through the Korean Conflict (1950-1953) and was a distinct period up until 1954 when two things happened. a) We realized we weren't invincible at war and that not all was roses and parades at home. b) When the Supreme court ruled on Brown versus Board of Education and civil society started to tangle with each other over how we treat each other in this country, the mood had changed across the US.

By 1954 the changing times were now bold headlines, and the US was transitioning as a society with big generational change. By 1954 the birthrate declined from the boom of 26.6% down to 25% and held there for several years there after only to decline further over time. Enter the next generation:

"Generation Jones": 1955-1964 3) Between 1956 and 1964 Generation Jones is either a distinct generation of its own, or it is a new branch of the Boomers. Gen Jones is the group that was born during major civil unrest in the US, they experienced as children and teens, assassinations, political unrest, social unrest, and a major division in the country. They aren't really part of the WWII boom because birthrates are dropping. The birthrate is slowly declining year over year during this period, and By 1964 the birth rate has declined almost to where it was just before the baby boom of 1946.

"Generation X": 1965-1980 Where is all of this concern coming from? Some would like to see the Gen X group start in 1961. Others say it starts in 1965 and try to cite all kinds of sources to prove that the dates are accurate. Of the Gen Xers that challenges the idea that 1965 is the start date, one idea that infrequently rises to the top is that the Boomer generation simply cannot be the Prince's, the George Michaels, the REM's, the U2's, or the Police's of their music collections. It may seem overly simplified as an argument, but it makes sense when you really look at how we have not only over looked Gen X, worse the Generation Jones was completely assimilated and all their efforts were claimed by the "Me Generation". Hmmm TraderJohn3000 (talk) 03:04, 23 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia doesn't define things; it reports what sources say. AFAICT all the sources still say that the baby boom was 1946-1964 and Generation Jones is (most commonly) defined as the younger half of the Baby Boomers. Dan Bloch (talk) 15:15, 23 July 2024 (UTC)[reply]