Baby Boomer Puts Generation on Notice

Age is Just a Number: Agitating Our Way Through Life at Seventy

Life at Seventy: Moving Fast and Flipping the Script

So here I am, at the ripe age of seventy. It feels like just yesterday when my father reminded me that life zooms by faster than you can say “hippopotamus.” He’s almost ninety-one now, and he still can’t believe that he’s reached that number. I’m convinced he’ll make it to a hundred, thanks to some extraordinary genes. My mother nearly reached eighty-nine, so maybe I lucked out in the genetic lottery. But hey, I’m not leaving my fate solely to genes; I work hard on that other 80 percent, which consists of exercise, a decent diet, and taking care of my health.

As a proud member of the boomer generation, sandwiched between the ages of fifty-seven and seventy-five, we are a significant force to be reckoned with. We make up 71.6 million of the U.S. population, representing a proud 20.5 percent. Sure, the millennials have recently surpassed us in numbers, standing at 72.2 million, but we boomers don’t plan on fading away quietly.

Boomers: Rebels with a Cause

Throughout our lives, we boomers have been called self-centered, ambitious, and maybe a tad obsessed with our careers. And you know what? It’s all true! But let’s not overlook the fact that without our collective agitations, the world might not have witnessed much progress. Unlike the previous generation, who we saw as suburban-seeking conformists, we decided to challenge the status quo. Perhaps we didn’t follow through on everything we fought for (Earth Day, we’re talking to you), but we did ignite meaningful change.

We championed women’s rights, civil rights, and gay rights. Sure, sexism, racism, and homophobia still linger, thanks to some far-right individuals, but let’s take a step back and appreciate the monumental progress we’ve made. Without the boomers stirring the pot, who knows what state we’d be in right now? We also ignited fitness and wellness movements that led to a healthier overall generation and, of course, fed our vanity along the way.

Oh, and let’s not forget our quest for sex (disguised as “free love”) and experimentation with drugs. Long before Taylor Swift and Beyonce, 400,000 of us descended upon Woodstock in 1969. We danced and listened to thirty-two performances, engaging in activities that would have made our parents faint. We also coined phrases like “Give peace a chance” and “Don’t trust anyone over thirty” – because, let’s face it, we had all the answers!

Trauma, Resilience, and Optimism

As a working-class kid, the first in my family to attend college, I remember fearing that a low draft number would derail my future, sending me straight into the grasp of the military and possibly off to Vietnam. Both my parents had served in the Air Force, so it seemed like my civic duty. But life’s lottery spared me, while some of my classmates were drafted right out of school. It’s hard for younger generations to grasp the impact of something like the draft on the lives of us boomers and those who came before us. Thankfully, the draft ended in 1973, but not before many of our peers were sent to Vietnam, with some never returning home. Regardless of our stance on the war, we honored and respected them, believing in the values of our nation.

Now, every generation claims to have experienced some form of trauma, and we’re no exception. When JFK was assassinated, I watched my father, a first-generation Irish-American, sob for the first time. Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy soon followed, leaving an indelible mark on our hearts. Then there were the recessions, the oil crisis, runaway inflation in the seventies, Watergate, and the devastating AIDS crisis. Today’s young gay individuals have a hard time grasping the full extent of that time because of available medications and preventative measures like PrEP.

Yet, despite all these challenges, our generation remains resilient and optimistic. We’ve weathered many storms and still believe that overall, we’ve made remarkable progress. But how do we secure a legacy that we can be proud of, inspiring future generations to carry the torch?

Activism in the New Age

To my fellow boomers, I say it’s time to channel our activist spirits once again and make an even greater impact on the world. Did you know that people over fifty-five in America hold a whopping 70 percent of all wealth and assets? That adds up to a mind-boggling $92.3 trillion! We were fortunate enough to grow our assets during a period of economic growth, building our American dream. But now, what’s the plan?

I propose we stop obsessing over accumulating and bequeathing massive inheritances to our children. Instead, let’s put that money to work for social impact right now. There’s no shortage of pressing issues, from climate change and social justice to food insecurity and more. Some of my fellow boomer friends and I have already started foundations and scholarships to help those in economic need. But the world needs us to step up on a grander scale.

Don’t worry if money is tight; you can still invest your time and energy in ways that have a meaningful impact. Take my friend Anh Yu Sawyer, for example. In her sixties, as a refugee herself, she volunteered to help kids in the refugee community navigate the path to higher education. She coached them on college essays, finding scholarships, and applying to schools.

Let’s remember that our generation enjoyed affordable college tuition and built successful careers, gaining wisdom, perspective, and experience along the way. Companies should tap into the value older employees bring through intergenerational work projects. With five generations in the workplace for the first time in history, seasoned employees have invaluable mentoring and advisory skills. Instead of pushing people out at sixty, companies should find new ways to keep them engaged.

As a generation, we excel at shaking things up, and there’s a laundry list of issues we can confront: protecting social security benefits for future generations, ensuring extended healthcare, safeguarding our democracy. Together, as a voting bloc, we can demand these changes from politicians. Let’s raise our big-mouthed boomer voices and beat the drum for our kids and grandkids’ future well-being.

Script Flip: Rewriting the Rules of Aging

While we’re busy agitating for change, I have a suggestion for our next revolution: redefining aging in the era of the New Longevity. Forget the notion of retiring at sixty and spending our days playing golf or hosting grandkids. With modern advancements, a healthy sixty-year-old today has a good chance of surpassing ninety. The Stanford Center on Longevity has already published “The New Map of Life,” revealing that the hundred-year life is no longer a dream but a reality. In fact, today’s five-year-olds have a 50 percent shot at reaching a hundred.

So let’s throw out the old script and embrace new careers at sixty and beyond. Become entrepreneurs, go back to school, start new relationships, stay fit and healthy, and become role models for everyone. I, for one, ran a marathon in Antarctica at sixty, pursued a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management at sixty-four, became an entrepreneur at sixty-seven, and to celebrate turning seventy, I hiked to the Everest base camp and ran the Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon! There’s plenty more on my list, filled with action and achievements. And yes, I may annoy a few people along the way.

But here’s the beauty: there are countless individuals like me rethinking their sixties, seventies, and beyond. Take my friend Alan Patricof, the “godfather of venture capital.” He launched a new business in his eighties, completed the New York City Marathon at eighty-eight, and is about to tie the knot again as he approaches ninety. Trust me; you want to be like Alan, who has a plan to live to 114.

Just as the women’s movement changed the narrative for women everywhere, it’s time for boomers to lead the charge in The New Longevity movement. Regardless of gender, race, religion, or political beliefs, everyone will experience this period of life. Let’s collectively redefine what it means to live longer, in the most inspiring and dramatic ways possible.

I’ve surrounded myself with like-minded age innovators, the frontrunners of this new revolution. In fact, I’ve even started a business called ROARforward to promote this idea. Future generations should witness the endless possibilities and choices that await them in the second half of life. Remember, if you can’t see it, you can’t be it. Perhaps that’s the final element of our legacy of agitation.

As I gaze into the next twenty years and beyond, I ask myself, “What more can I contribute?” Whether it’s to myself, my family, community, or the world, I aim to be of service. While I might make it to a hundred, I’m also a realist, aware that our bodies and minds may begin to falter, and mortality becomes a contemplation.

In recent conversations with my father, we marveled at how time seems to speed up as we age. This realization has led me to scrutinize how I spend my days and years. People my age will tell you that we’ve become masters at editing out the nonsense, focusing on what truly matters. It’s about embracing authenticity and pursuing activities that bring us joy. The key is to keep reinventing ourselves relentlessly.

So I’m here to agitate, reject the outdated conventions, proudly flaunt my age, and rewrite the script for the second half of life. At seventy, I’m committed for the long haul.

Michael Clinton
Special Media Advisor
Author of “ROAR into the second half of your life”

Baby Boomer Puts Generation on Notice