Boomer experts have found the edges of quantitative research. It’s called denial.
• Boomers who say they have no plans to ever retire.
• Boomers who say the younger generations in the workplace love and respect them, and will patiently wait their turn for leadership.
• Boomers who are sure they’ve saved enough money to travel the world whenever and wherever they want.
…and so on.
"For the rest of today's blog, continue at The Boomer Blog"
We’ve got the statistics to show that the majority of boomers report all of the above to be true. But I don’t buy it. Face-to-face in qualitative settings, participatory focus groups and ethnographic studies, another picture emerges. Beneath the upbeat veneer, there are often legitimate concerns. But it takes the willingness to go into uncomfortable places, not only on the part of the subject, but the researcher his/herself, to get closer to the truth.
Over a series of such in-depth conversations, I’ve put together what I think of as “the deniability index”, four stages of denial, that allows the research to view data through a more helpful lens.
The Four Stages of Denial:
1. Denial—Not necessary. The individual, more likely to be a trailing edge boomer, is still enjoying the protective coloring of youth. He or she is forty-something, but has thus far evaded serious illness, financial setback, relationship trauma. Obviously, this individual is in the minority.
2. Denial—Helpful. With the passing of time comes new challenges. This individual can be anywhere on the boomer age spectrum, with the criteria being two-fold. First, the individual’s issues are such that they can be handled, controlled, glossed over, ignored or gone around. Second, the individual’s role in life is such that it would be helpful to the achievement of their goals to not let anything get in their way.
3. Denial—If you still can. This is the quintessential boomer who denies even in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary. There is a certain combination of admiration and pathos one feels for this boomer. That said, from the short-term perspective, there can be a certain value in believing one can—an ornery tendency towards optimism—for as long as possible. (While wreaking havoc on long-term planning for the individual as well as statistical data for the researcher…)
4. Denial—Forgettaboutit. There comes a moment when denial breaks, and the boomer is face-to-face with what can no longer be ignored or managed. Within this category, there are four possible variations. The first: those who do so with grace. The second: those who whine. The third: those who blame. The fourth: those who blog about it.
Carol Orsborn