Boomer Reflects on Privilege and Missed Opportunities

A white male Baby Boomer examines how his upbringing and societal advantages shaped his life and career path.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 9:30am

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A white male Baby Boomer reflects on how the world he grew up in was primed for his success, and how he didn't realize the price that was paid by others, particularly women, for his opportunities. He describes how he coasted through school and early career, enabled by his privilege, until changes in the job market forced him to compete more. This led to feelings of loss and resentment, until a simple incident made him realize how he had been rushing through life without fully appreciating the present. Now older, he sees things differently and hopes society evolves to give all people the chance to live fulfilling lives.

Why it matters

This personal reflection provides insight into how systemic privilege can shape one's worldview and life experiences, often without the privileged individual fully realizing it. As society continues to grapple with issues of equity and inclusion, stories like this can foster greater understanding and empathy.

The details

The author describes how as a white male Baby Boomer, he was able to coast through school and early career, enabled by the privileges of his gender and race. He didn't have to do as much domestic work as his sisters, and his father provided a model for avoiding household chores. However, as the job market changed in the 1980s, he found himself having to compete with women and minorities for the first time, which he resented. This led to a period of feeling like a "loser" who hadn't achieved his full potential. It wasn't until a simple incident of forgetting where he parked his car that he had an epiphany, realizing he had been rushing through life without fully appreciating the present. Now older, he sees things differently and hopes society evolves to give all people the chance to live fulfilling lives.

  • The author came of age in the late 1960s.
  • From the 1980s onward, the author faced a changing job market that demanded harder work.
  • The author retired, or "shifted into hurry-up mode", around age 60.

The players

Tom Bissonette

A retired Clinical Director, Psychotherapist, Developmental and Prevention Educator, and freelance writer who taught courses on Adolescent and Young Adult Development at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for 20 years.

The author's mother

Snatched a rake out of the author's hands when he was 10 years old because he was not doing the chore fast enough.

The author's grandmother

Offered the author sugary sandwiches to get him out of her hair so she could keep her home spotless, a showcase rather than a living space.

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What they’re saying

“Privilege does that too; it makes us think we are too important to participate in the mundane. Indeed, it is lonely at the top, especially when the top is a product of one's imagination.”

— Tom Bissonette

“Now I see it in my past and all around me. I know where my insecurity came from. It probably was shaped by many experiences, but I recall an incident when my mother, in a rage, snatched a rake out of my ten-year-old hands because I was not doing it fast enough.”

— Tom Bissonette

What’s next

The author does not mention any definite and predictable future newsworthy moments related to the story.

The takeaway

This personal reflection highlights how systemic privilege can shape one's worldview and life experiences, often without the privileged individual fully realizing it. As society continues to grapple with issues of equity and inclusion, stories like this can foster greater understanding and empathy.