Another Boomer Invasion

Baby Boomers have done it again.
We have used our overwhelming numbers to take over another segment of society.
This time, it’s Facebook.
Boomers have discovered the on-line social network and are flocking to it.
It’s probably not what Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg envisioned when he and some classmates started the web page in February 2004.
For most of its five-year history, Facebook has been the province of college-age students. Not anymore.
First, people in their late 20s signed on after leaving college campuses. That was intrusive enough. Now, the 78-million-member Baby Boom generation has discovered the phenomenon. It’s officially an invasion.
Facebook has 150 million members. Its fastest growing demographic is people over 30. In fact, there’s been a 276 percent surge in Facebook sign-ups of people ages 35 to 54 in recent months.
I enrolled last fall. Since then, I’ve been joined by my relatives and high school classmates as well as former co-workers at my television station. Baby Boomers are flooding onto the site and, more importantly, are using it.
What is our generation’s fascination with Facebook?
First off, we’ve never liked to be left out. Even in middle age, we want to be part of whatever wave is washing over the country. That was true with rock ‘n’ roll and it’s still true with technology. As a generation, we are not afraid of e-mail, cell phones or Tivo. We may not know how to work the new electronic devices as well as the younger folks, but we want to at least have our fingers on them.
Second, let’s face it, we are a self-absorbed generation. That was true when we were teen-agers and it’s still true today as we approach retirement. Facebook is perfect for us. We can post our photos and tell everyone what we had for lunch, what movie we saw last weekend and what we plan to do tomorrow.
Third, we’ve always been a generation that’s placed an emphasis on friends. We hunkered down in the bunker together during our protest years. Now, we can get back in touch with some of the former flower children we lost track of.
Facebook is also relatively simple. Many Baby Boomers get a little overwhelmed at MySpace and they aren’t sure yet what Twitter is. Make no mistake. At some point we will get those destinations, much to the chagrin of the younger folks. Heads up, generations X and Y, most of us are still working. Wait until we retire. You won’t be able to get rid of us anywhere.
It’s fine and good Baby Boomers are staying connected. However, society could also benefit if the country’s largest generation put some of the time and energy it’s using on the Internet into something that benefits our communities.
Baby Boomers do volunteer more than any other age group, but we could do more. There are plenty of classrooms, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, social agencies and foster children who could use our expertise, knowledge and understanding.
So, go ahead. Write on that former college classmate’s wall. Nothing wrong with that.
But also do a web search on volunteer groups in your area and give them some face time, too.