To my current, limited understanding, the one or two pre-boomer gens really produced the last substantial cultural frameworks that then got marred by the errors of the world wars. The boomers, perhaps traumatized, all too willingly shrouded themselves in esotericism and passed that on.
Discussion
Yes, Europe blew its brains out with the two world wars (the second being a direct extension of the first).
To be honest, my initial comment was too much of a reactionary rant to Jimmy's (moronic, in my view) assertion. I don't think there's too much value in comparing generations (the trap I fell into). Rather, the domains in which generations can 'shine' have shifted. I was too hard on the Boomers; certain members have shone in the field of technology, as has Gen X.
Need to think more about this before going off half cocked again.