The speaker is Steve Allen, actor, comic, writer, musician, creator of The Tonight Show and so much more. The dialogue with him was recorded in 1989. He was a prolific talent on radio, TV, composed thousands of songs, acted in movies, wrote books, was a wellknown science skeptic, and the allaround good guy. He is a cofounder of the Tonight Show where he had as guests many of the most famous folks of his time including Elvis Presley and Jerry Lewis. His second marriage was to Jayne Meadows. He died in 2000 after being bumped by another car which broke three of his ribs and caused internal bleeding at 78 years old. I was fortunate to have interviewed him for my TV series on the 1960s. He knew the depression era and the 1950s and was uniquely articulate in presenting his point of view. Search his name on my YouTube channel to find other clips from his interview.

The American economy during the Baby Boomer upbringing in the 1950s and early 60s was characterized by a period of postWorld War II economic expansion and prosperity. This era often referred to as the Golden Age of Capitalism was marked by high rates of economic growth, low unemployment, and a rising standard of living for many Americans.

One of the key factors driving this economic boom was the widespread investment in infrastructure and technology following World War II. The US government funded a range of largescale projects, including the construction of highways and airports, the expansion of telecommunications and electricity networks, and the development of new industries such as aerospace and electronics.

This period was also marked by a significant expansion of the middle class, with many Baby Boomers growing up in households that enjoyed a comfortable standard of living. Increased access to education, along with rising wages and job security in many sectors, allowed more Americans to achieve financial stability and upward mobility.

But remember that Baby Boomers were not a monolithic group and there was a good deal of diversity within the generation in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class, and other factors that influence their life experiences.

While some Baby Boomers enjoyed certain advantages and opportunities that were not available to previous generations, it is important to recognize that many boomers faced significant challenges and struggles including economic downturns, social unrest and political turmoil.

As my subscribers and others know, I have gotten a huge amount of comments on the issue of the baby boomers. Some commentators see the baby boomers as the generation that destroyed the planet, wrecked the economy, destroyed America, was the last generation and everything after it, caused by it, got worse. Baby boomers commenting often feel that they are incorrectly judged by millennials and were in fact just like any other generation although if you admit to having more money than most teens did before or have today. Others feel that the parental generation that raised the baby boomers spoiled them, babied them, made them think that life was easy. Others commented that in fact for them, growing up at this time, life wasn't easy at all with violent parents who were violent in the home and girls/women being constantly positioned to be submissive and all of the other parental behaviors that restricted children growing up at that time. Others feel that those restrictions are needed again in order to control young people/teenagers and even people in their early 20s.

Steve Allen had four children with his wife Jayne Meadows. His reputation at the time when his children were being raised was that he was a devoted father who was actively involved in his children's upbringing. In his book "Dumbth: The Lost Art of Thinking," Allen discussed his parenting philosophy emphasizing the importance of nurturing curiosity and creativity in his children. He believed that children should be encouraged to explore their interests and pursue their passions, rather than being forced to conform to strict rules and expectations. His approach to parenting was shaped by his own experiences growing up, as well as his personal values and beliefs about the importance of intellectual curiosity and creativity.

Steve Allen is considered brave by many commentators on my YouTube channel because he took responsibility for how badly he felt he had raised his children doing part to the time in which they lived and impart to his own time commitment to his career which often took precedence over his time spent with his family. That was true for a lot of working men at all income levels at that time.

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Thank you
David Hoffman filmmaker