I am thankful that I didn't grow up in my parents time, mine was a breeze compared to theirs.
Life is definitely easier now.
That I agree with. What my parents had to deal with and what my parents had to go thru is real hardship - and they weren't unique
But that is really the argument that these kids have today with Boomer and Gen-X. The idea that every generation has it easier than the one before them - a strong argument can be made that isn't true for them.
A strong argument can be made that it's different. Easier for previous generations...not so much.
For us, keeping a vehicle running was a major part of life's challenges. For millennials, all that involves is basically not being stupid. Different times....different challenges. The mental mistake a lot of young folks make is gaging their success on that of their parents. The notion that economies and living conditions should always improve is a departure from reality.
The assumption that today's difficulties are the new and permanent normal is also a mistake. The late seventies and the eighties pretty much sucked for the idea of upward mobility for the average guy. But that didn't last. This current trend to blame a past generation for today's problems might have some legitimacy, but we all inherited some problem or other. Today's is lifestyle, but yesterday's were more life-threatening. Given a choice, I'd take today's package deal (minus the socialist and statist trends) over the seventies.
If millennials think it's all so bad, they should put their money where their mouth is and fix it. I'd even go along with the ride - so long as it adheres to the proven methods of forward progress.....ie personal liberty and managed capitalism.
you look at some big hitting issues for them - health care costs which affects all of us of course, housing and education
its not they don't have options, they just don't have as many options. Yea, they can join the military or go to a trade school, they can live in rural America in a 3/2 ranch if they are earning a professionals salary - but do they have the same options to get head at the same age we did?
I don't think its as clear cut as it may seem to some.
Cost of education? I have to laugh about that. Yeah, in 1975 a year at a decent private college was $3500. But most of us were working for $2.10/hr after class and during the summer.
Sure, school cost has inflated drastically. But, if a kid can not find a job for $20.00/hr today for after school and summers, there is a good chance he/she is wasting their time and money in College anyway.
Using Michigan as an example....
In 1975-76, college loans comprised only 17% of financial aid dollars distributed to U.S. college students. By 2015-16, loans comprised 42% of financial aid.
In 1975-76, the maximum Pell grant (then called the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant) was $1,400 -- enough to cover tuition at a public university and some housing expenses. Today's maximum Pell Grant is $5,920, less than half the tuition costs at a Michigan public university.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor. , U.S. assembly-line work paid an average of $4 to $6 an hour in 1976, equivalent to $17 to $25 an hour in today's dollars.
Twelve weeks of full-time work at $4 an hour could generate more than $1,900 in summer earnings -- enough to cover average tuition, room and board at a Michigan public university.
You're saying hey, we made minimum wage in '76 and today they should get a job paying twice that much if they want to go to school - doesn't seem apples to apples
And more kids going to college than in the 60's, and many for the wrong reasons. Colleges have duped a whole generation with their scam, and the cost is their doingm as well. Don't blame that on anyone but the people perpetrating the scam, and those falling for it.
not sure who is blaming the boomers for more kids going to college.
The blame is about the cost, just like everything else.
