He could not make them understand that he was a crotchety old fogey of twenty-eight, that he belonged to another generation, another era, another world, that having a good time bored him and was not worth the effort, and that they bored him, too. He could not make them shut up; they were worse than women. They had not brains enough to be introverted and repressed.
In the quote from "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller, the character expresses feelings of disconnection and frustration with younger people. He sees himself as an old-fashioned individual, despite only being twenty-eight, and feels overwhelmed by their exuberance and lack of depth. He struggles to communicate his disinterest in their idea of having fun, which he finds tiresome and pointless.
Moreover, the character is troubled by the thought that the younger generation lacks the introspection he values. Their constant chatter and carefree nature irritate him, reinforcing his belief that they do not grasp the complexities of life or the necessity of introspection. This sense of alienation highlights a generational divide where he feels he belongs to a world that appreciates deeper meaning over superficial entertainment.
