• Forbes, Friday, July 24, 2009 10:48 AM

In the year that celebrates the 40th anniversary of Woodstock and the moon landing, pollster John Zogby posed the following question in a recent poll: Would the legacy of the baby boomers be "helping to bring lasting change in social and cultural values and ending a war," or "ushering in an era of consumerism and self-indulgence," or "nothing at all, nothing really special."

Well, it appears that Americans believe that most boomers put away the love beads and bought into "diamonds are forever" shtick. Forty-two percent say the baby boom legacy is consumerism and self-indulgence; 27% say changing values and ending a war. The rest, 32%, are closely split among those who chose "nothing at all," some other legacy or just aren't sure.

But Zogby points out that boomer's children, whom he calls First Globals, are quietly accepting of the changed race, gender and sexuality behaviors for which their parents fought. The president and CEO of Zogby International also sees a trend toward what he calls "secular spiritualism," saying that "people are embracing the notion that the American dream is measured in spiritual, not material, fulfillment."

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