The Not-So-Great Generation

In a brilliant evisceration of Germaine Greer's latest attempt to garner attention, Australian columnist Miranda Devine takes note of a far more insidious bit of recent social evolution in Generation of taboo breakers are a selfish lot:

The eldest of the boomers are now 57, with crooked hips and arthritis. But they still see themselves as the rebels and the taboo-breakers, fighting against the strictures of their parents' generation. It is the young who are supposed to rebel but the baby boomers, selfish and greedy as ever, want to keep such trappings of youth to themselves, along with their groovy hair and taut skin.

Instead of moving over for the young, they expect their children to parent them, Saffy-style a la Ab Fab. Fifty is the new 15, in their minds. Hence we have almost-boomer Demi Moore, buff at 40, as she shows off her toy boy, Ashton Kutcher, 25, giving inspiration to all the Botox-laden, youth-chasing old ladies out there who insist on "growing old disgracefully", in the words of former staid gardening writer Mary Moody.....

[I]f the ultimate evolution of Western liberal democracy requires the removal of all taboos, the destruction of family life and religion, [Germaine] Greer's sanctioned pedophilia, sexualised children, and padded bras for eight-year-olds, then who wants it?

I would rather wear a burqa than have my eight-year-old child become a sex object.