This is a great conversation. I'm one of those very late Boomers (born Nov 1962) who always felt more GenX. I was a late holdout on texting (preferring email)--only gave in when my adult son refused to communicate any other way--but now it's basically the only way I communicate too. I'm not on Facebook because I used to be super paranoid about anything on the internet linked to my real name, but I have an instagram. What can I say? I enjoy posting pictures of my cat, things I eat or drink, nice hiking scenery, and the odd gym selfie.
As far as layoffs, I worked for one hospital for 26 years when I lost my job in a department merger. When you work for the same employer for 26 years, you're at the top of the pay scale, capisce? I tried self employment and a different line of work briefly, but after a whole adult worklife of having a steady paycheck and good benefits like stellar health insurance and plentiful PTO, I couldn't adjust to poverty and uncertainty in my 50s, LOL. So I'm back working for The Man at a different hospital with a hellacious commute and soul-sucking schedule. But I'm monetarily secure and this job isn't going anywhere. I've been pretty lucky, but choosing the right field in college was a big part.
My best friend from high school, OTOH, graduated with a journalism degree, ended up in tech writing, went through a bunch of layoffs and contract-only jobs over the years, including two very long periods of unemployment, and had to declare bankruptcy at one point. Now she works as an admin in a local school department for less than $20 an hour. She's 54, single, no kids, just barely scraping by, and with very little retirement savings. A college degree and a whole life trying to work hard and she has a scary future. Well, scary to me, anyway. It's a shame.
