AP

Review: OK, boomers, ‘The Aftermath’ dives into major shifts

Jan 23, 2023, 12:22 AM | Updated: 2:58 pm

This cover image released by Viking shows "The Aftermath: The Last Days of the Baby Boom and the Future of Power in America" by Philip Bump. (Viking via AP)

(Viking via AP)

“The Aftermath: the Last Days of the Baby Boom and the Future of Power in America” by Philip Bump (Viking)

At the outset of his book, columnist Philip Bump makes it clear that he’s writing about an America undergoing massive shifts as the baby boom generation ages.

“We are living through a historic disruption of the American empire,” The Washington Post national columnist writes in the introduction to “The Aftermath: the Last Days of the Baby Boom and the Future of Power in America.”

What that disruption means for the country remains uncertain in many areas, but Bump leaves no stone unturned as he takes a detailed look at the rise of the baby boom generation, its impact on the United States and the implications of its final days.

That look is bookended by the tale of Kathleen Casey Kirschling. She had been identified in a 1980 book as America’s first baby boomer, born just after midnight on Jan. 1, 1946. That date began the baby boom that has shaped the nation for decades.

To show just how many areas he explores, Bump even manages time to take a look at the evolution of James Bond during the baby boomers’ rise.

It would be easy to to get lost in the numbers as Bump takes a deep dive into as he looks at the cultural, political and demographic changes the country is going through. But there’s no shortage of charts and graphs throughout the book to help readers along the way.

Many of the consequences of the last days of the baby boom generation that Bump outlines are playing out in today’s headlines, including the increased strains on government services and employers as the generation ages.

Fittingly, the book ends with an exploration of how the fissures that have developed as the generations shift are shaping democracy. Bump describes an environment where hyper-partisanship, technology and distrust of institutions are combining to create an even more divisive environment.

The biggest unanswered question left is what will become of democracy in such an environment, especially as the baby boom generation’s power fades.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Image: A cargo ship is stuck under the part of the structure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after ...

Associated Press

Authorities identify 2 bodies recovered at site of Baltimore bridge collapse

A major bridge in Baltimore snapped and collapsed after a container ship rammed into it early Tuesday, and several vehicles fell into the river below.

2 days ago

Photo: Mountaineer Jim Whittaker has died at 95....

Gene Johnson, The Associated Press

Lou Whittaker, among the most famous American mountaineers, has died at age 95

Lou Whittaker, a legendary American mountaineer who helped lead ascents of Mount Everest, K2 and Denali, has died at age 95.

2 days ago

File photo: Former Sen. Joe Lieberman speaks in Washington on Jan. 18, 2024....

Associated Press

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP pick in 2000, dead at 82

Former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in 2000, has died.

2 days ago

islamic state attack...

Vanessa Gera, The Associated Press

What we know after the Islamic State group claims responsibility for Moscow massacre

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for an attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall that killed at least 133 people.

5 days ago

Moscow shooting...

The Associated Press

Russia: 60 dead, 145 injured in concert hall raid; Islamic State group claims responsibility

Assailants burst into a concert hall in Moscow on Friday and sprayed the crowd with gunfire, killing over 60 people, injuring more than 100.

7 days ago

Photo: Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge visits 282 (East Ham) Squadron, RAF Air Cadets, Cornwel...

Associated Press

Kate Middleton announces she has cancer, is undergoing chemotherapy

Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, says she is undergoing chemotherapy to treat cancer. She has been out of view since Christmas.

7 days ago

Review: OK, boomers, ‘The Aftermath’ dives into major shifts