New Study Suggests Baby Boomers, Gen Xers Most at Risk for ‘Gray Divorce’

[Michie]

A new study from Barna Group out this week should raise alarm bells for a group of Americans who are now at high risk for so-called “Gray Divorce,” a phenomenon that recently made national headlines as Bill and Melinda Gates abruptly announced an end to their 27-year marriage.

This trend began with Baby Boomers, who have tragically surged in divorces at an older age and after decades of marriage.

Continued below.
New Study Suggests Baby Boomers, Gen Xers Most at Risk for 'Gray Divorce' | The Stream

 

[Crwth]

Well... correct me if I'm wrong - but if "gray divorce" is defined as divorce after the age of 50, doesn't that pretty much ONLY apply those two age groups? Not sure the import of making a distinction here. I mean, we could just call it "Baby Boomer divorce."

Meh.... I 'spect I'm just overthinking this a tad.

 

[mama2one]

.

 

[RDKirk]

Well... correct me if I'm wrong - but if "gray divorce" is defined as divorce after the age of 50, doesn't that pretty much ONLY apply those two age groups? Not sure the import of making a distinction here. I mean, we could just call it "Baby Boomer divorce."

Meh.... I 'spect I'm just overthinking this a tad.

That was my first thought.

And we have to remember that divorce has only been socially easy and broadly respectable since the Boomer generation came of age anyway.

I do agree, though, with this:

Boomers have, as a generation, largely abandoned the decision-based model of marriage and entered what psychology has named the “expressive individualism” marriage, only willing to be committed to the marriage if it makes them happy.

And that is a real social problem. The "expressive individualism" marriage right off the bat leads to poor choices of mates, and then poor reasons for ending marriages even with well-chosen mates.

 

[Fantine]

Hmmm...

Baby boomers might be married 40 years.

Gen X 30 years.

Millenials 10 years.

Query the millenials 25 years from now and you will probably find the same results.

Marriages can encounter lots of sorrow and even tragedy along the way. The longer the marriage, the more challenges it has weathered, and the more dangers it may have narrowly avoided.

The analogy drawn is like saying boomers have more arthtitis...or more wrinkles. Well, duh.

 

[Crwth]

Hmmm...

Baby boomers might be married 40 years.

Gen X 30 years.

Millenials 10 years.

Query the millenials 25 years from now and you will probably find the same results.

Marriages can encounter lots of sorrow and even tragedy along the way. The longer the marriage, the more challenges it has weathered, and the more dangers it may have narrowly avoided.

The analogy drawn is like saying boomers have more arthtitis...or more wrinkles. Well, duh.

Agreed.

And that was going to be my point until my addlepated boomer brain temporarily betrayed my dwindling consciousness with a bunch of befuddled, incoherent thoughts that simply couldn't be rationally linked into readable type...

...without my first cup of coffee.

 

[RestoreTheJoy]

A new study from Barna Group out this week should raise alarm bells for a group of Americans who are now at high risk for so-called “Gray Divorce,” a phenomenon that recently made national headlines as Bill and Melinda Gates abruptly announced an end to their 27-year marriage.

This trend began with Baby Boomers, who have tragically surged in divorces at an older age and after decades of marriage.

Continued below.
New Study Suggests Baby Boomers, Gen Xers Most at Risk for 'Gray Divorce' | The Stream

Well, since only primarily Xrs and Boomers (and a few older than that) even have gray hair, that kind of makes sense, eh?