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Vladimir Putin Is Not a Boomer
Predicting Russia’s Future with Generational Shifts and Historical Cycles Out of Sync with the West
I recently came across a post where someone made a great deal out of Vladimir Putin’s strange preoccupations as being attributable to his age cohort as a Boomer.
The “boomer” characterization, especially when used to decipher his motivations, seems misplaced. It is widely accepted that generational influences can shape individuals, including leaders, but the attributes typical of Boomers don’t seem applicable to Putin. Generational identities are deeply embedded in cultural and historical contexts, which vary significantly from one region to another. Russia’s historical narrative is vastly different from that of the West, indicating that the generational archetypes in play are likely quite distinct.
It’s plausible to consider that as a late Gen Xer, or “Xennial,” my connection with a contemporary from Russia — or indeed from many non-English speaking nations — might not be as straightforward as connecting with someone from my own cultural background. In interactions with my generational peers, I subconsciously…
