The Baby Boomer Generation – Part 8 – On The Generations
These smiling and optimistic young faces are from the 1967 high school graduating class, baby boomers ready to set out and conquer the world. As the name implies, the Baby Boomer generation was huge, giving them great influence and importance as a cohort throughout their lives. What was in the interest of Boomers was what was in the interest of the single largest age group so those interests could not be ignored. What did they do with that influence, and why?
First let’s explore their ways of thinking, aesthetics, and values. These are determined by their generational placements:
The Baby Boom generation officially begins on May 16, 1942 and the last boomers were born on October 9, 1956. This entire period features Pluto in Leo – making it the most consistent placement – along with Neptune in Libra (other than an almost negligible exception in the first months). The first half of the cohort features Uranus in Gemini while the second has Uranus in Cancer. Let’s explore what these mean:
Uranus tells us how these people think
Neptune tells us about their aesthetics
Pluto tells us what they value
Leo is the fixed fire sign, ruled by the Sun. It is the generator and the individual identity. Leo is certain, consistent, and energetic. Pluto is the magnifier and it will exaggerate the characteristics of the sign which it is in. With Pluto in Leo we should expect strong individual values and dramatic extremes around that topic. The values for this cohort will be fundamentally linked with their sense of self and identity. Further, Pluto’s influence makes this a big deal as those values are fueling the sense of who one is. The steady, fixed, and consistent Sun shows a certain reliability and stubbornness around values once they have been established, because they have been forged in fire like iron. This placement will produce people who have great certainty that their values are the right ones. In times of challenge and disruption the Baby Boomer will choose to respond based upon their primary value and will invariably take the option that reinforces their identity and sense of self, as that is what is most important to them.
Libra is the cardinal air sign, ruled by Venus. It is interested in balance and receiving. Neptune is the dissolver and it will make matters in this area fuzzier, unclear, dreamy, and often delusional. Neptune is showing us how these people want things to be and how they wish them to appear. With Neptune in Libra we should expect an aesthetic sense rooted in fairness, the group, and wealth. It is a cardinal air sign so it will present as a bit shallow and very trendy, but always up to a certain standard. For this cohort shabby will not do and it will be transformed instead into shabby chic. They will be interested in the aesthetic of equality, fairness, and everyone coming together and getting along, as an ideal. Neptune’s influence will always obscure clarity and will produce in volume both the dream and the delusion. This cohort will greatly appreciate appearances and will expect everything to at least try and be beautiful, profitable, and popular. On the downside Neptune will deceive on these same topics. This cohort will be frequently incorrect on matters of what is valuable, what is beautiful, and what is balanced and just. They will struggle with discerning what “the group” believes and will be most easily deceived by marketing that tells them everyone else is doing it. Neptune in Libra fears being left out.
Essentially all Baby Boomers share these Pluto and Neptune placements and these traits will be consistent and generation-defining as a result. In regards to their ways of thinking there is an early group, born in the first seven years, and a later group born in the second. This is typical for generations and the two intellectual mentalities will be complimentary as they occur in consecutive zodiacal signs. We can think of them as the two sides of the same coin.
The first seven-year group has Uranus in the sign of Gemini. Gemini is the mutable air sign, ruled by Mercury. It is interested in ideas, innovation, and communication. Uranus is the disruptor and it will make matters in its sign more electric, shocking, and surprising. With Uranus in Gemini we should expect a way of thinking that comes on quickly and is multi-faceted, original, innovative and disruptive. The action of Uranus combines very naturally with Gemini, which is sort of doing the same thing already (moving around in the air). Uranus gives it a boost, sending those ideas out further than they would otherwise, encompassing an ever wider scope of possibilities. These people will be flexible, ideas-oriented and very communicative. When disrupted, this cohort will consider doing things differently, explore and invent what could potentially be done, and communicate about it. Their thinking will evolve quickly, consider multiple possibilities, and be very creative, if unfocused and out there. In my estimation this is one of the strongest placements for Uranus as Gemini is fundamentally antifragile when it comes to being disrupted. The main downsides will be an overly-intellectual orientation and some potential for getting distracted by inconsequential things.
The second seven-year group has Uranus in the sign of Cancer, a distinctly different experience. Cancer is the cardinal water sign, ruled by the Moon. It is reflective of that which it comes in contact with, emotionally-driven, and biased toward action. Uranus combines harshly with the Moon because its nature to disrupt contradicts the drive to nurture. This placement will be very emotionally driven and will think from the heart. When Uranus combines with the Moon it disrupts the natural order and tradition and this cohort isn’t so much open-minded as open-hearted. When disrupted, they will do what feels right without great concern for how things are “supposed to be done.” As Cancer is cardinal this cohort will not be shy about taking action. If they feel that things need to be a certain way they will make it so, and there is great bravery and strength possible with this combination. The main downside will be the potential to act out in irrational ways in response to emotional upset.
Within the zodiacal system there are three modalities – fixed, mutable, cardinal – and they proceed in order. With each generation of two Uranus signs there will be two of these represented, which gives some insight into the combined behavior of the two sides of the cohort and what they will work to accomplish. In the case of the Baby Boomer generation there is a mutable and cardinal sign present. They will therefore be a flexible group that puts their ideas into action. The ruling planets are Mercury and the Moon, so they will be clever and emotional in doing so.
The Baby Boomer thinks of themselves as crafty, emotionally wise, beautiful, and successful. If they perceive that they are failing to meet one of these standards then that will be the source of their discontentment. As is the case with all generations they will see these ways of being as normal, and if you understand what is normal for them you will have greater success communicating with them. When interacting with a Baby Boomer these are the key things to do for best results:
Uranus in Gemini – acknowledge their intellectual competence
Uranus in Cancer – acknowledge their emotional honesty and wisdom
Neptune in Libra – acknowledge and approve of their taste
Pluto in Leo – acknowledge their success as individuals
As with all generations, on an individual basis outcomes in these areas will be modified by personal planets and the dignity of the ruling planet of the sign. All born under this generational configuration will possess these traits but they may be expressed more positively, negatively, grandly or slightly, depending on the personal chart. We’ll discuss how that works later in this series but the foundational placements as presented here will always be present in those born under this configuration.
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