Originally Posted by
boozehound
I think that the baby boomers are a real shit generation. Their parents' generation won WW2 and basically handed them all good paying jobs on a silver platter during a period of unprecedented growth in the United States. WW2 devastated the productive capacity of the world, and created a huge need for rebuilding. The US was in a great position to take advantage of that because they were essentially the only developed Nation (at the time) that hadn't had to fight on their soil. We got 30 years of insane benefit from that. They walked right out of high school into factory jobs with great benefits and pensions. They worked those jobs for 30 years and retired with great pensions and retiree benefits. Those who went to college similarly presided over unprecedented prosperity. They all then assumed that it was just because they were so awesome, and not at all lucky.
What they also did was preside over a massive wealth transfer from workers to corporations. Elimination of pensions. Benefit reductions. It helped the investment portfolios, but certainly didn't help the next generation of workers. They allowed China to rise to power unchecked. That was great for people who had amassed some wealth - they got to buy stuff cheaper with the money they had accumulated.
They take full credit for the prosperity that they were largely gifted from their parents, but no blame for what they did with it our how they raised their children.
Obviously there is plenty wrong with millenials etc, but I think that the boomers deserve a healthy portion of blame for the predicament we are all in.