Not only did the survey bust the myths that Americans between the ages of 21 and 83 are ageists and that young people have no respect for older people, but also provided another perspective on the stereotype that Boomers are self-indulgent, and even greedy.

The survey, weighted to reflect the demographics of the United States and thus to be representative of all Americans’ attitudes, found that Boomers are widely viewed as the opposite of their generational stereotype. Boomers got higher marks than other generations for having a positive effect on society, being productive and socially conscious.

The generations included in the survey – just to keep up our marketing cred here – included the Silents (ages 63 to 83), along with Generation X (ages 32 to 43), Generation Y (31 and younger), and Boomers themselves (ages 44 to 62). Given that the survey also touched on the 21-year-old crowd, presumably these attitudes also reflect at least some among the Millennials.

Interestingly, the more negative assessments were given about the youngest generational groups. For example, the survey found Gen Y was seen as “most greedy” (mostly by the under age 31 respondents themselves!) and most self-indulgent.

It got me to thinking.

Boomers were dubbed the “Me Generation” when they were in their teens and 20s. At that point, the Baby Boom generation was labeled a bunch of self-indulgent slackers who didn’t give a fig for anyone but themselves (“never trust anyone over 30”). Remember?

Could it be that these oh-so-human tendencies to pamper ourselves, live for today, and avoid thinking about the needs of others tend to strike most when we are young, and give way to more socially and societally responsible qualities as we get older?

Is it possible we are also seeing in these inter-generational surveys of attitudes the honorable accumulation of judgment and wisdom?

Donna Rohrer