Baby Boomers have set a high standard for creating many different products and services to attend to their desire to stay youthful. They want to look young and this yearning has resulted in a great deal of profits in the plastic surgery and cosmetic markets. It is easy to make light of this desire and call it vanity but wanting to hang on to youth goes deeper than just vanity. It is also about a certain frame of mind.
Baby Boomers grounded their identities in the youth movement, which took place for them in the 1960s and 1970s. Before the boomer generation, there weren’t any youth movements. Youth culture pretty much took over American and world culture in that era and things haven’t really been reversed since.
The culture of the 1960s and 1970s adored youth. The longing to put age on a pedestal and love everything about being young has permeated the culture. As the boomer generation moved into their middle age, the desire to stay youthful stayed strong and the boomers are about to create the biggest ever retirement generation.
Not all of the youth worship is just about looking hot and not wanting the physical changes that age usually brings. Some of the passion for the youth concept is about commitment to causes and idealism. Changing the world and making it a better place was largely what the 1960s youth culture was all about. These values are important and supported by many, so we can’t really complain that the baby boomers want to stay youthful-looking as well.
The pursuit of youth often manifests itself in attempts to stay young, whether by cosmetic surgery or by using lotions and potions to smooth and tone the skin. The appeal is easy to understand because we all like to look our best. The real source of youth, however, is not wrinkle-free skin or tight abs. An inner youthfulness can be reflected by having a youthful outlook on life and looking after yourself with a good diet and taking enough exercise. This should keep anyone well and healthy into their senior years.
When baby Boomers use cosmetic means in order to stay young and have “inner youthfulness” to boot, they do retain a lot of their youth more than you would expect from someone of that age. We have all met an elderly person who is full of life and vitality, enjoying every day, and sometimes they can make us feel old with their great zest for life! Their curiosity about the world going on around them and their idealism and optimism are things that you currently associate with much younger people. When a senior citizen is like this, it is truly inspiring. And why shouldn’t they feel and act that way?
This is the what the real youth movement is all about, as pioneered by the baby Boomers. You can see that it involves more than just using anti-wrinkle cream, Botox and hair dye. It is about being a strong role model to the current youth and encouraging them not to give up on their dreams. It is also about reminding younger people that age is just a number and if you are creative, curious and find excitement and joy in life, you can remain young at heart, whatever your real age. This is a great legacy for the Baby Boomers to leave behind and for the future youth to enjoy and appreciate.
Mike Hepburn is absolutely passionate about his health, protecting it and remaining independent into his twilight years. He also wants to spread the word how this can be done naturally and inexpensively.
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