Millennials blame their problems on Boomers

jujube said:
I can only say that I have a couple of Millenials in the family (granddaughter and her husband) who have their heads screwed on tight and their priorities in the right order.
Click to expand...
Was it really necessary to spoil our "pile on the millennials" bash? :ROFLMAO:
I don't even know what a millennial is.
 

Sunny said:
I have the opposite opinion of millenials. I think they are terrific! I admire their upbeat can-do attitude, their lack of fussiness and worry that was such a big feature of my generation, their comparative lack of prejudice and generalizations about people, etc. They cheerfully take on the "slings and arrows" of life (since we're getting Shakespearean) and don't let the disappointments get them down. We should all be more like them!
Click to expand...
But that's opposite of the reality of millennials complaining that Boomers caused all their problems, which is what this thread is about. :unsure:
 

StarSong said:
Maybe so, but it meandered pretty quickly.
Click to expand...
I actually don't see a problem with millennials who are professionals. They seem to be very competent and hard working. I think all these stories about problems are by millennials who either don't have a college degree or don't have a marketable degree, and on top of that, they're laden with massive debt. Those are problems of their own doing, and they're trying to find someone to blame for their screwups.
 
Economics, politics, and social issues change over time, and each generation has to adapt to them. I think "generations" are more statistical myth than reality. To me, it's hard to believe everybody, born between two arbitrary dates, all think and act alike. Supposedly Boomers were continuing complaining, 'hippy', drug filled, lay abouts with "flowers in their hair", who were destined to be 'commie slaves'. When you hear the chatter about Millennials, it's remarkably similar to what Boomers were called. And, of course, when we were in our 20s, we thought the previous generation had perfected the ideal balance in their lives, and we wouldn't dream of changing a thing.
 
Millennials and GenZers are pretty screwed — especially GenZers. Just look at the circumstances in which they're coming of age:
  • Climate change with record heat, storms, and flooding
  • Prohibitively expensive housing
  • An economy that requires a minimum of a four year degree in order to get a decent paying job
  • Exorbitantly expensive higher education along with the high cost of housing demands student loans and decades of debt
  • Dysfunctional government that all too often doesn't represent the will of the people
  • Massive federal debt that will one day result in cyclopean inflation and perhaps the collapse of our economy
  • Civil unrest and disobedience on both sides of the political spectrum with a potential for civil war
  • Crappy music and literature
Of course, there is a lot of good going on today, especially in the realm of technology, but the promise of the American dream is out of reach for too many people, and that's far more important than a big screen TV.
 
Another thing we left millennials and GenZers with is expensive health care.

Of course, millennials and GenZers have the power to change their circumstances by voting, which they don't seem willing to do. Thus, all their complaining is just whining.

Here's the PBS NewsHour episode that got me thinking about this issue:

‘OK, boomer’: What’s behind millennials’ growing resentment for their predecessors?
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/o...als-growing-resentment-for-their-predecessors
 
Baby Boomers, out of ignorance or just plain negligence, destroyed natural resources, discarded hazardous waste and toxic chemicals in water, air, ground and space. In pursuit of waste and the American Dream. Let's face it folks, I, we could have done better for future inhabitants of Mother Earth
 
Aunt Marg said:
........

We have neighbours with a Gen Z son. He's 22, has had a few jobs, moved away for a time last year, couldn't make it, is now back living at home. We see his mother and father mowing the lawn, shoveling in the winter, watering... none of which Gen Z son partakes in. Shame on Gen Z son with parents both in and around age 60.

If he was our son, living in our home, he'd be pitching in and helping, and if he didn't, we'd show him the door. Why Gen Z's parents haven't shown him the door is beyond both hubby and I, though we chalk it up to today's generation where parents seem to foot the bill for most everything, and everything revolves around poor baby this, and poor baby that.

Neighbours Gen Z son is a pygmy of a man, and arrogant to boot.

Hubby and I both get the impression that Gen Z son feels the world owes him something already. Boy, is he ever in store for a rude awakening
.......
Click to expand...

They're not too domesticated in house or out in public. One thing I notice is plain old litter is becoming the problem it was until anti polluters made it an issue in the 1960s. Reckless and ignorant. And won't even pick a simple piece of debris with in a few steps of a trash can or dumpster-that's lazy and shows they've become used to others doing for them.
 
From reading all the "old people kvetching" on this thread, all I can say is you must know an entirely different bunch of millennials than I do. Most of the ones I know are my grandkids (who are, of course, perfect)... well, maybe not "perfect," but pretty good by anyone's standards. They all go, or went, to college, they are all gainfully employed and managed to keep their jobs even throughout the pandemic, they all seem to have tons of friends and are extremely devoted to their parents and siblings, and my oldest granddaughter and her husband are happiest parents I've ever seen. They adore their baby and send the whole family daily pictures and videos, and welcome everyone to visit their beautiful home (where they don't throw litter on the floor!) and travel all over the country with the baby so we can all get together. They are fun, friendly, and very mature, competent adults. What's not to like?

I can only sympathize with the complainers of the older generation, who apparently have met an entirely different group of millennials than the ones I have seen. (Not only my grandkids, their friends are delightful also!) So, why the difference in perception? Maybe part of it is the "glass half full/ glass half empty" aspect. Some people who are unhappy with their own life for whatever reason look for someone else to blame their unhappiness on, even if it means blaming an entire generation. Or some some people may have had particularly bad luck with the people in their family, or the people they meet.

To get back to the OP, I have never, not once! heard any millennial of my acquaintance "blame their problems on boomers."
 
Last edited:
Sunny said:
To get back to the OP, I have never, not once! heard any millennial of my acquaintance "blame their problems on boomers."
Click to expand...

Same here. Our kids and grandkids fall into these "brackets", but they are all doing ok, and leading reasonably good lives. They work hard, and spend their money wisely. Those who complain, and blame others for their problems are probably just expressing their own Shortcomings.
 
Irwin said:
  • An economy that requires a minimum of a four year degree in order to get a decent paying job
Click to expand...

There are very good jobs in the 'trades' without a college degree that apparently young people don't recognize as good opportunities, not sure if that is from us older people harping on 'get a good job' and disrespecting trades-type jobs, or just from lack of familiarity younger generation might have (older people probably grew up seeing some maintenance work done by parents tho not me, my dad would try and then start saying bad words! ha ha).
 
Irwin said:
Millennials are definitely screwed as are Generation Z. Many of them are deep in debt from college loans and the "American dream" of home ownership will never be more than just a dream because of the high cost of housing. But why are they blaming Boomers?

Well, we did come of age in the '70s and '80s when jobs began to be outsourced in great numbers overseas. Factories were shutting down and those jobs — many of them decent paying union jobs — were lost forever to Americans and sent to underdeveloped countries where labor was dirt cheap.

During the '90s, housing prices took off and they've been skyrocketing ever since. At the same time, taxpayer funding for higher education has dropped off precipitously — thus, the student debt problem. The '90s were when GenXers came of age so why aren't they being blamed for the problems during that time?

Millennials came of age in the 2000s, thus their moniker, so they're partially to blame for the Great Recession, but the causes really date back to the '90s and GenXers.

So what exactly are Millennials doing to fix the problems they're experiencing? Not a damn thing unless complaining counts as action.
Click to expand...

I've noticed this online in the past 5+ years or so. Never heard any of it before that. I don't know the source of it, but I know I never trashed my parents' generation, quite the opposite.

I think it's just a bunch of excuse-making. There are all kinds of jobs out there for the taking, including well-paying jobs in skilled trades (which I was in). With overtime, and some years of experience, they could make $100k per year (although I never did). Forget college, they're just indoctrination centers.

They probably think they should be able to start out at a high wage. That's stupid thinking. Inexperienced help starts at the bottom, and if you pay attention, show up on time, have a good work ethic, you will move up the ladder. I've talked to various people I know in recent years, most in the construction business, and their biggest problem is finding kids who will show up and actually work when they get there.

And shifting the blame to us? I started working part time when I was about 15, (1965) still in school, graduated in '68 and have been working full-time and paying my own way since. I've recently been forced to quit and close my business because of severe hand/wrist arthritis and I'm not happy about it. I'll be 71 next month, enjoyed what I did and planned to keep going. But I physically cannot.

Through careful self-taught investing over decades, and living below my means, I have funded my own retirement (aside from SS). I can live quite comfortably just withdrawing interest and dividends.

And MY LIFESTYLE has screwed the world up for younger generations? I don't think so, to hell with them. Maybe someday they'll figure it out.

A side note: Most things do not cost more than they ever did, as they are apparently whining about. The only thing that has changed is the value of the dollar. Blame Washington for that.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Numbers are rough, but tell the story:

In the early '60s, they built a new housing tract near us. Brand-new, 4-bedroom, 1.5 baths, two-car garage homes in the 'burbs were selling for around $30,000. Multiply that by 10 for today. Skilled tradesmen were making about $3.00 per hour.

I bought a brand-new '68 Camaro when I got out of high school. It was stripped, but the sticker was $2,700. Multiply that by 10 for today. I started my toolmaker apprenticeship for $2.72 per hour in '68, which was higher than most places.

Gasoline during that era was around 26-28¢ per gallon. Ignoring the recent spike and going back to last year, multiply that by 10 for today.

Cry me a river.
 
I see it among neighbhors, store employees etc. and some of the stuff they do or try in public. Was in a park the other day with a picnic area, walking trail, playground etc and here come these young adults in brand new shiny off road vehicles. No tats, jeans, leather dressed like they were going to gym class and they wonder why people were staring at them and police were called. The sort of ignorance takes a special or non special kind of person. They had money for some very expensive toys though.
 
WhatInThe said:
Was in a park the other day with a picnic area, walking trail, playground etc and here come these young adults in brand new shiny off road vehicles. No tats, jeans, leather dressed like they were going to gym class and they wonder why people were staring at them and police were called.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry, perhaps I missed something. Why would the police have been called? Were they not permitted to be in that area with off road vehicles? If so, then yes, authorities should have waved them off from that park.

How they were dressed and whether they had tattoss should not have been a factor.

p.s. Who wears jeans and leathers to a gym class?
 
Mr. Ed said:
Baby Boomers, out of ignorance or just plain negligence, destroyed natural resources, discarded hazardous waste and toxic chemicals in water, air, ground and space. In pursuit of waste and the American Dream. Let's face it folks, I, we could have done better for future inhabitants of Mother Earth
Click to expand...
Actually, that was the generation before Boomers. Boomers cleaned up the air and water.
 
Boomers left a lot of great things for Millennials and GenZers
  • The personal computer
  • The Internet
  • Great literature, music, and movies
  • The VCR, although now obsolete
  • Cellphones
  • Cleaner air and water
What else? I have to go take a nap now. :)
 
StarSong said:
I'm sorry, perhaps I missed something. Why would the police have been called? Were they not permitted to be in that area with off road vehicles? If so, then yes, authorities should have waved them off from that park.

How they were dressed and whether they had tattoss should not have been a factor.

p.s. Who wears jeans and leathers to a gym class?
Click to expand...
Point is these young 'adults' got new toys and wanted to play in an area clearly signed and chained off ie no motor vehichles I mentioned the lack of other attire because these weren't tough guy or clic want to bes. 'No' tats, jeans, leather etc nothing but expensive gym clothes. Not even helmets, gloves, knee pads. The shine/newness still on their vehicles.
 
WhatInThe said:
Point is these young 'adults' got new toys and wanted to play in an area clearly signed and chained off ie no motor vehichles I mentioned the lack of other attire because these weren't tough guy or clic want to bes. 'No' tats, jeans, leather etc nothing but expensive gym clothes. Not even helmets, gloves, knee pads. The shine/newness still on their vehicles.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but the more you're talking about these young people, the more confused I get. It the area was "chained off ie no motor vehicles," how did they get in there with their shiny new cars? Did they break the chains?

I don't see what the jeans, leather, expensive gym clothes, etc. have to do with anything. (And how do you know how expensive the gym clothes were?) And you are bothered by the fact that they were on a walking trail in a park without helmets, gloves, or knee pads?

You are calling them "ignorant." Why?

You seem unduly bothered by the fact that their cars were new. Why do you care? A bit of jealousy, perhaps?

And of course, they could have been car dealers, or worked for car dealers. Or were thinking of buying the cars and were taking them for a test run? Or could have borrowed Dad's car? There are umpteen explanations.

WhatInThe, I realize you are trying to make some kind of point. But you really should get your thoughts together a little more coherently, if you want to be taken seriously. I still have absolutely no idea what they were doing wrong that bothered you so much.
 
Sunny said:
Sorry, but the more you're talking about these young people, the more confused I get. It the area was "chained off ie no motor vehicles," how did they get in there with their shiny new cars? Did they break the chains?

I don't see what the jeans, leather, expensive gym clothes, etc. have to do with anything. (And how do you know how expensive the gym clothes were?) And you are bothered by the fact that they were on a walking trail in a park without helmets, gloves, or knee pads?

You are calling them "ignorant." Why?

You seem unduly bothered by the fact that their cars were new. Why do you care? A bit of jealousy, perhaps?

And of course, they could have been car dealers, or worked for car dealers. Or were thinking of buying the cars and were taking them for a test run? Or could have borrowed Dad's car? There are umpteen explanations.

WhatInThe, I realize you are trying to make some kind of point. But you really should get your thoughts together a little more coherently, if you want to be taken seriously. I still have absolutely no idea what they were doing wrong that bothered you so much.
Click to expand...
Shinny new dirt bike and atv-those are off road vehicles in the op. I should specified I guess because I think dirt bike or atv when I hear off road vehicle not a car. Those off road are still considered motorized vehicles.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top