Paul McCartney at 64
“Will you still need me; will you still feed me when I’m 64?"
The Beatles captured the question of the baby boomer generation well in this
1967 classic. It would be interesting to find out what Paul McCartney is
singing now that he is 64. We desired to find out what his contemporaries
are singing. “As
baby boomers (or just "boomers") growing up in the 1950s and 1960s,
we had only ourselves to think about. Since then, our focus has widened,
with thoughts of ourselves being sandwiched between concerns for our children
and
for our parents.” (Abrams, Burke, Casserly, Nodiff, pg. xviii) Boomers,
the largest generation that America has seen, are entering the new and
mysterious lifestyle of retirement. How is the church answering the growing
number of
needs of this unique group? Our target group is generally between the ages
of 55 and 62 and influenced by Vietnam, Woodstock and affluence. Although
commitment is, in some cases, foreign to them, compassion and responsiveness
to life are not. Their motivation comes from self-fulfillment and family
safety. (Easum, pg. 18) Since we live in areas where retirees seem to settle,
we are
attempting to look at this group as they enter, or have entered, retirement.
We want to hear their thoughts and concerns, and understand their needs
as an apparently disposable income becomes a fixed one.
The Method
We compiled questions and conducted short individual interviews to seek an
understanding of how a person of the Baby Boomer generation acts and reacts
as a retired person. What are their hopes in their new lifestyle? How do they
view other generations? How do other generations scrutinize them?
The Web Site
We will be presenting our findings in an abridged form consisting of key
quotes and concepts. This format is a represntation of a boomer's lack
of commitment—as they are not often willing to sit in one place for too
long and gather
information from another person. So if you are ready to do something else,
please click on one of the links at the top of the page.