THE GREAT RESET

[Kiltyman]

Society has changed in all respects. Compassion, accountability, respect for others and moral compasses are things of the past for most. I'm 73 and feel I have actually outlived my world. Money, me first attitude and total lack of human interaction now replaced by social media. And this is really exasperated when you have mental issues. God help our grandchildren. Fortunately I'll be long gone by then.

[Blueruth]

I don’t agree respectfully. The young adults I know IRL are all kind and intelligent. They care about a clean future…which I remind, the bad air and warming oceans they didn’t create. One trend is to not participate in SM. I think its power is waning. 10 years ago they called this the empathy century. We took a slide but there are still 80 years to get there.

If you spend too much time online and in particular on SM and news it is no wonder you feel that way. I can relate. But at 73 you have a good 20-30 years if you take care of yourself mentally and physically. I know a few irl who are an inspiration. I hope I will be doing yoga and traveling like them. Heck I go on hiking trips and I’m always seeing someone well over 70. There’s plenty of time to teach young people, become a steward for the planet and volunteer for something that means something to you. Don’t waste it away on a computer or a bad attitude.

[Kiltyman in reply to Blueruth]

Thanks for your input. I work full time still. I am a volunteer at our Children's Hospital and I have and still travel the world. I'm definitely not a SM junkie. Have no time for that stuff. Glad you know some people. I have found few among tge younger generation. All 3 of my children are university educated and have familiar. As a Boomer guess they are Millenials. So I have been exposed to many. Of couse it is just my opinion. And you know what they say about opinions...they are like bellybuttons...we all have one.

[Blueruth in reply to Kiltyman]

boomers are the richest generation in history. Millennials struggle financially like many boomers never had. Financial advisers tell anyone under 45 to not count on SS. I love travel and plan to do a lot but if we don’t get our act together there won’t be any affordable travel in as little as 3 years. I may have to change the way I travel by the time I have time. So if they are pissed they kind of have good reasons. And yet I feel they care more than boomers.

[hypercat54 in reply to Blueruth]

I disagree actually. I am a boomer and out of my fellow pensioners only a couple are well off and own property. Most of them still rent and have only their pension and a little bit of savings. Mind you it might be different in your country as I live in the UK.

I do own, but only a small flat, with not much in the way of savings.

[Blueruth in reply to hypercat54]

FT says different. ft.com/content/c69b49de-136....

Our stock exchanges are closely influenced. I read the other day that one of the challenges is there are no more pensions. We transitioned away from that over the last 3 or 4 decades. So now when social security is gone there will no longer be a guaranteed stream of income. It is whatever you saved. Assuming you didn’t invest badly

[hypercat54 in reply to Blueruth]

Which doesn't mean that most pensioners are super rich. It also says 'household wealth' ie those who own properties which have shot up in price. It is only paper money as you can't sell a door or a window when you need money.

Like everyone in this country, under the Conservatives, the already very wealthy have seen their incomes soar. Those with the least have even less as the gap between the have and have nots is at it's widest level for many years now,

No one is denying there are some very rich pensioners, but by the same token there even more who aren't and are struggling, paying rent and living in near poverty.

I agree with property prices shooting up many youngsters can't get on the property ladder so they have a greater chance of being a poorer group as a whole.

Final salary pension schemes were stopped several decades ago so most now are not on them.

Oh and the FT is politically more right wing than left so they will present facts to fit their agenda.

[Blueruth in reply to hypercat54]

”also says 'household wealth' ie those who own properties which have shot up in price. It is only paper money as you can't sell a door or a window when you need money.”

Right so however hard you find it imagine raising kids or trying to get together a down payment. We have property. I’m grateful for that. However painful you find it now it is worse for every younger generation. That still makes boomers the richest. Facts are facts. You are the richest gen in history. The reason I read that publication for some things is the quality of journalism is good. I despise WSJ opinion but they also have good journalism. If they are conservative that is in line with many financial publications but the fact is this has been in the NYT too. They are considered liberal but also employ good journalists

Talking about the one percent with an American? We have .001 percent that has some ridiculous portion and power. Oligarchs. Doesn’t change “richest generation “ facts.

[hypercat54 in reply to Blueruth]

I am not going any further with this. I live in the UK so I know. End of.

[Platesofmeat in reply to hypercat54]

I agree with you, the other clown has no idea. I did a YTS when I began work turning 16 years of age for £17 a week in the 80s ( I worked illegally in Prestos before that at 14 years of age part time whilst at school because of lack of money in the family home) and was "lucky" to be one picked out of 30 others to be one of ten apprentices. There were no certificates for second place or attendance back then, you were immediately in competition with others and that was just to have the 'privilege' of working.

I've actually worked hard all my life and the building trade isn't as forgiving as sitting behind a laptop and I had to compete in a cut throat, not watered down by political correctness hard game on crap money for the privilege.

Younger whining generations look to blame particularly 'the boomers' for their own inadequacies and would not have survived the cut throat world of 80s Britain when it was just coming out of being called the poor man of Europe.

We climbed out of that dark time through hard work, discipline and respect for others.Something that is massively missing today. That is why millennial indoctrinated Britain with its Marxist totalitarian woke society is rapidly going down the sh*tter.

[lostgirl75 in reply to Blueruth]

What I see today that’s different is that the younger generation doesn’t understand work ethic , morals, family values, respect and accountability. Plus most are living home at age 20 still living off of their parents not paying rent or groceries and probably not paying for their secondary schooling . I’m not saying they are bad but things are different I know as soon as high school ended I was on my own with no one supporting me but myself I was 16 years old and worked two jobs through the summer and went to university and worked for 5 years with no help because I was not raised by computers and video games. I also bought a house at 18 years old because back then you started working at 13 if you wanted anything. I’m 47 retired and have severe depression, cptsd, anxiety, social anxiety and lots of other issues. But if you could help me understand today’s young adults I’d be grateful because I just smile and nod at my grown kids. I have 4 boys with a 19 yr old still home with no intentions of leaving.

[Blueruth in reply to lostgirl75]

I can try to help. I don’t remember the exact increase but college was less than 10k. Less than 5k I think in mid 90s. It is now 40plusk. They started going up around 1998 because “they would pay”. I know it was then because I squeaked past at 97. For years up until 2007 you could get a mortgage with little down and low credit. Not saying you had low credit just that you could do it. Do you remember McJobs? The 2001 and 2010 Great Recession hit as they started college and/or ready to buy. So that is economic reality.

Re work attitude… why are we working 40 hours for companies that pay the c suite 500 times what we get and crap healthcare? When we have technology that is supposed to make life easier? Minimum wage should be 25 to meet COL back when we made minimum wage. I share their frustration. I felt what it is like to work 30 hours a week …hourly pay is great. I actually work with three very motivated young people. But they work smart not a ton of overtime. Contrast that with someone my age who probably won’t make it to retirement without some sort of stress related illness. That’s what they see. Hope that gives you some idea.

[lostgirl75 in reply to Blueruth]

I get work smart not hard but are our kids doing this because they watched us work our asses off?

[Blueruth in reply to lostgirl75]

no they watched you work and get something for it. Think about or research it. The numbers show that wages have been flat for years while ceos (boomers/x) get triple digit % more. College tuition has risen so much since 1997 that it isn’t even worthwhile given the debt rules. Its the only debt you have to keep paying even if you go broke and claim bankruptcy. Wages have been flat for years until the pandemic but now the “experts” think they should go down to get us out of inflation…back in the day you could expect a yearly raise. The expectation now is you switch jobs to get a raise. That’s riskier especially when you enter the world of ageism. On the other end..Restaurant workers haven’t seen a raise in minimum wage since the 90s because the lobbyists are fast food chains. Restaurant meals should be double the price they are so guess who is benefiting from those lower prices…you! All of these statements are backed by hard numbers.

I didn’t even get into subsidized mortgages and housing prices. Nobody builds real wealth on wages. If I were a parent I would help with the down payment because that’s how the money will grow…not once you hit retirement and live to 100. I could go on but I’ll leave it there for now.

What are they working their asses off for?

[Blueruth in reply to lostgirl75]

honestly college isn’t worth it. You don’t need a degree to work in many careers that pay decent wages. Electrician, construction, plumber, IT, solar industry. These all pay well and little time in school. Encourage your son in those directions. College debt is the worst kind of debt you can get.

[Platesofmeat in reply to lostgirl75]

I agree with you. I did a Y.T.S when I began work (turning 16 years of age) for £17 a week in the 80s ( I worked illegally in Prestos before that at 14 years of age part time whilst at school because of lack of money in the family home) and was "lucky" to be one of ten picked out of 30 others trainees to be kept on as an apprentice. There were no certificates for second place, attendance, or stars for good behaviour back then, you were immediately in competition with others and that was just to have the 'privilege' of working.Alot of the tradesmen were no BS ex services who had either seen conscription or war in Malay or Korea, you went from boy to man pretty damn quick or you wouldn't last the then five years to stick the apprenticeship. Political correctness and the new deranged religion of wokeness certainly didn't exist back then, and I truly believe it built up character albeit a hard but disciplined one.

I've actually worked hard all my life and the building trade isn't as forgiving as sitting behind a laptop and I had to compete in a cut throat game on crap money for the privilege.

Younger whining generations look to blame particularly 'the boomers' for their own inadequacies and would not have survived the cut throat world of 80s Britain when it was just coming out of the darkness of being called the poor man of Europe. What do youngsters know of such times?

We climbed out of that dark time through hard work, discipline and respect for others.Something that is massively missing today. That is why millennial indoctrinated Britain with its Marxist totalitarian woke society is rapidly going down the sh*tter.

[Blueruth in reply to Platesofmeat]

didn’t the gen before say that about boomers? Hippies whining, peace nik sleep with everyone, weird horrible psychedelic rock and roll, druggies. And changed the world in a lot of good ways except climate change… what happened?

[Rachmaninov2]

Completely agree. There’s no escaping it Mandy it’s happening everywhere, I don’t expect respect or consideration now and if If it happens it’s a welcome surprise. Sorry you and your mum have thoughtless neighbours. 😩😫😖😣

[Rachmaninov2]

It’s good to have a bit of a moan, gets it off your chest. Sounds like thoughtlessness on his part if he is otherwise OK. Is there a tactful way of letting him know how loud it was? Trouble is with moving somewhere that might be quiet now, it might not stay that way. But in truth I feel the same as you. 😊

[Rachmaninov2]

True, glad your mum is feeling better now. 😣

[Rachmaninov2]

I know that frustration catgirls, what a relief for you when they moved away.

[Rachmaninov2]

I think if you are brought up to have respect it stays with you throughout your life. My parents were the same.

[Rachmaninov2]

True to form.

Yes, good neighbours are like gold dust.

[hypercat54]

Ah you have a house though and don't have to put up with a small flat like mine. Mind you I am an end terrace so only have neighbours one side.

There are 4 flats in my block, my sister, David who is early 50's now and been here nearly as long as me. And an elderly poorly chap in the other. So it is nice and quiet normally. Thank goodness.

[fauxartist]

Yep... I completely agree... the bar has been lowered so low by politicians and social media, that the new norms or what is acceptable behavior is bombastic and over the top. The exaggerated sense of self-importance and narcissistic selfies astounds me. Like... every thing you do needs a selfie doing it and a post... Private parts pics. have become greeting cards, and a date is a hook-up on tinder. Yeah... I'm glad I am an old hippie and have the memories of peace and love and free concerts in the park... but all we worked for is now being reversed.

People need to get off their phones and vote for those who have humanities interest at heart and bring back giving a crap about someone else but themselves. Or one day they will wake up to a dictatorship telling them what to do and when to do it.... Democracy dies in darkness..

[Beater in reply to fauxartist]

I hope it's not too late.

[Rachmaninov2 in reply to fauxartist]

George Orwell’s 1984 springs to mind.

[lostgirl75]

I’m 47 and I have a very hard time with how people are now. It really does seem like no one has morals anymore. People don’t lift each other up anymore and that’s sad.

[lostgirl75]

maybe ask him if his pot helps with sleeping because you’re been having a hard time getting to sleep.

[WayOutThere]

Hi, Kiltyman. I feel the same way. I am a 72 yr. old female. It's a cold hearted world out there. At this age, I feel kicked to the curb. Invisible to the world. It's all about phones, electronics, selfies, money, looks. Neighbors don't know each other. I, also, worry about my grandchild, and even my grown sons. And don't even get me started on politics!

[Kiltyman in reply to WayOutThere]

I feel exactly the same way. Just seem to be putting in time until the inevitable. So sad.

[Platesofmeat]

I totally agree with you.

[Rachmaninov2]

Understood catgirls.

I’ve been in a similar situation. My local council dealt with the matter.

[designguy]

As they say, the only constant is change and our unfortunate default as humans is to look at things in black and white terms. I think every major generation throughout history thinks there's is the last good one and the world is going to hell. At the time of the industrial revolution the Luddites were convinced civilization was going to end and we all know countless people, including us benefited from it.

I think social media has brought about a lot of good but also a lot of negative. I live in the US and one of the most distressing things I see is the increasing use of social media for propaganda and fake news all preying on the base fears of people. I'm continually astounded at the lack of critical thinking by people and the increasing amount of people that unknowingly vote against their own best interests.

[Kiltyman]

I do that a lot more now for sure. Agreed

[Trainchaser]

I share your thoughts. I am 63 and the world I grew up in is long gone

[Kiltyman]

Well put👍

[Kiltyman]

And as hard as that world might have been it was a helluva lot better than today. I sure miss those days and even the coudroy pants with the knee patches

[Goopy5467]

Good post. Society has changed and the “Me” culture is rampant these days. Many people don’t say what they mean; others manipulate without remorse. I now take the good with the bad. For instance, I am glad we have internet so we can communicate with people that are in the same boat with us.

[Beater]

I am a boomer! I grew up in dire poverty and started working at a bag factory at the age of 12 for .70 cents an hour. It seems to me at the age of 64 that I have become irrelevant. We never referred to our elders as a derogatory generation but rather respected them for fighting the war and weathering the great depression. It seems to me that because of electronics and social media that many younger people have made more money than many of us will ever see. Good old Silicone Valley and the likes of Zuckerberg ect. seem to be doing just fine while us "boomers" struggle on our pinchy little pensions that barely even pay the rent. In my childhood, we took care of our aging parents.