10 Feb 2025 The Golden Ages
Each generation is given a moniker to describe the group’s overall behaviors. A generation is marked about every 20 years, with our newest humans referred to as Generation Beta. They will be born between 2025 and 2039 and, as is referenced in their name, they will use technology in nearly every aspect of life.
This month we highlight several generations that fascinate me. The issue is about “The Golden LIFE” and focuses many articles on people from the Silent Generation (1920-1944) and Baby Boomers (1945-1964). I feel fortunate to have been influenced by grandparents who listened intently and thought before they spoke. This group lived through the Second World War, and either fought or sacrificed in other ways so wartime needs could be met. Like so many, my grandfather didn’t meet my mother until she was nearly three years old because of his military service.
The Silents know how to persevere and be thrifty, but don’t be fooled by their name because from this group Martin Luther King Jr., Gloria Steinem, Elvis and the Beatles emerged. These and other vocal icons waged war on the status quo, forever impacting the way people think and want to be entertained. Like every generation after them, this generation wished for a better life for their children.
Enter the Boomers. The youngest boomers turned 60 last year. According to Nasdaq’s online publication, in 2023 they owned 51% of wealth in the U.S. They are in a position of consumer power, and this group wants to eat at great restaurants, travel, read and enjoy great TV.
Speaking of which, a hugely popular sitcom with Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials alike is “The Golden Girls,” which aired 180 episodes from 1985 through 1992 and then found a new life in syndication and streaming. Americans fell in love with four older women sharing a home in Miami and giving one another support, jabs, jokes and advice — both solicited and otherwise.
We recreate a classic scene from the sitcom on our cover. At the end of a day, the ladies would congregate in the kitchen, pull a cheesecake from the fridge, and hash out life’s problems over a sweet indulgence — which seems to be the answer to every generation’s woes. Fortunately, we found a group of beautiful ladies who meet at Julie’s Sweet Shoppe twice weekly for the same reason! Talented Chef Don Bingham made them a New York cheesecake as a nod to “The Golden Girls.’” That recipe, along with multiple other cheesecake recipes, is featured in his column in this Golden LIFE issue and on our website, because friendship and a love for sweets know no generational boundaries!
Stefanie Brazile
Editor/Publisher
