The one thing that bothers me about these articles and people categorizing the entire group as "Boomers have a long history of gotta have it all now" is what angers me. Unless one has proof that each and every one of us is like that, the entire group shouldn't be chastised. Many of us Boomers spent our lives working to give our kids the things that we didn't have while growing up and then you get comments from these kids who turn out unappreciative for all that their parents did do for them. It's a group of Millenials, Gen Xs and Gen Y's that I see who are the ones that "gotta have it all now". I fall into the "Boomer" classification by birth and so does my sister but neither one of us have fallen into that "gotta have it now" category.
Not everyone despite the fact that we live in the good old USA have the same opportunities. As a single woman I couldn't get a mortgage on a condo, but I was told by the banker that I could buy it in cash because I had the money sitting in my bank account from my husband's passing. Not everyone is motivated the same and shouldn't have to be. Everyone has a different aptitude when it comes to learning. No one in my family ever took public assistance either and have worked their tails off, but none of us were able to afford to buy a home, nor do we have the 6th generation of IPhone, an IPad or anything else that the majority of the world has. Yes, I drive a newer car than my sister, but hers and her husband's are more than 10 years old. None of us wear designer clothes nor do we have HD TV's. I haven't bought furniture since I married back in 1969. Yes, I've had to replace a refrigerator or 2, a stove and an AC, but the first TV I had for my apartment was a brand new 25" RCA that I got for free for opening a CD back in the late 60s. I, myself, was able to buy a co-op apartment back in the 70s (I can't sell it, because no one is buying and hasn't been since 2008), I drive a newer car as I don't have anyone to help me care for it, but it will be my last (the majority of my other cars were driven 10+ years), did a fair share of traveling, and have decent retirement savings. My maintenance fee is about less than half of what a typical rent for a 1-bedroom apartment is in this area. I previously mentioned my furniture's age, my TV is 15 years old and works well, my cellphone is a TracFone for which I spend $100 a year for, and the majority of my clothes were purchased over ten years ago. I have helped my sister's family out to a tune of a great deal of money and I'd do it all again if I had to. I continue to work a full-time job and am the caregiver to our 94-year old handicapped, slightly demented mother. And, the funny thing about it all is that "I'm happy".
My sister and her husband on the other hand have not been so lucky. They have nothing and I do mean nothing and struggle every minute of every day to pay their bills despite the fact they both work jobs and collect SS. They only have "cable tv" because their apartment complex offers it as part of their rent. And my niece who lives with them and is trained as a medical and/or dental assistant is working P/T in a supermarket because she's been trying for the last 4 years to get a job in her field (and she's good at it), and no one and I do mean NO ONE will give her the time of day because she has no work experience at it yet all the minority groups seem to have gotten these positions.
I guess the point that I'm really trying to make is that unless you can prove something and statistics don't prove anything (they can be twisted to say anything that the users want them to say - and this I know from taking statistics in college is also a well-known fact) then try to be a little more open minded. Also, I doubt seriously that any of the group you mentioned who are ill prepared for retirement care whether they have others' sympathy or not. Be happy and proud of yourself that you've done so well, but don't condemn others because you think they failed because you truly don't know anyone's circumstances but your own.
