No Boomer, We Can’t Just “work hard”
“OK boomer.”
These two iconic words uttered by Chloë Swarbrick, a 25-year-old New Zealand Lawmaker, to an older heckler is a perfect encapsulation of three generations’ frustrations with the baby boomer generation. But what’s the reason behind all this hostility? There’s a myriad of frustrations that the younger generations have for the ignorance of the boomer mentality: “Everything will be okay if you work hard”. This is completely, utterly false.
It is important to understand the background of the boomer generation. These old folks were born during 1946-1964- the period after WWII. This was a time of postwar prosperity, and the veterans returning home began to have children. As a result, 77 million babies were born, comprising of 70% of the population. Being raised after the war, they did not experience trauma from the Great Depression and the war, instead they were spoiled with the post-war financial boom. With wealthy parents and the assistance of the GI Bill, American families moved outwards to the suburbs where they could raise their children and achieve the American dream. The Boomer children experienced a life of great prosperity in which businesses were successful, consumerism was on a rapid rise and wages were rising. In other words, they had it easy.
An American family during the post-WWII era Photo courtesy of History Hub
This is a completely different story for the millennials. During the 70s, minimum wage would be $1.36, or $9.02, while today it is only $7.88 (in 2018 dollars). Furthermore, the CPI (Consumer Price Index) has increased over 482% from January 1970 to January 2011. This means wages are lower and expenses in general have increased. Furthermore, college tuition has skyrocketed tremendously. To make things worse, the average tuition has increased from $7,883 to $19,548 (in 2015 dollars) and continues to rise. Furthermore, during 1970, paying for tuition would be reasonable as one would have to work 14 hours a week, while in 2010, a student would have to work 35 hours a week. With the total US student debt sitting at $1.4 trillion dollars and with the average student debt at $37,172, a typical college graduate would be expected to pay this off over the course of many years. Top that off with a competitive job market with a mere 41% of jobs accepting employees with a high school diploma, as compared to 1973, which was 71%. The cherry on the top is that housing prices have also increased tremendously since the 70s. During the 70s, it cost about $98,036 to purchase a house while today it costs $178,737. The typical homebuyer is now 44, while it was 25-34 during 1981. The reality is that today, millennials are struggling with with lower minimum wages, high student debt, a more competitive job market, higher expenses and higher house prices. The younger generation has to work harder for the same things enjoyed by their parents when they were their children’s age. Life is not easy anymore, and this is an issue that will plague so many students into their future.
Tuition Vs. Other Price Indices since 1990 Photo Courtesy of Today
However, boomers can’t seem to accept or believe in today’s financial struggles:
“The boomer mentality goes like this: get a good education. Get a well-paying full-time job. Find a stable partner. Buy a house and a car. Preferably, have a child. Failing any stage of this process is a reflection of your self-worth and indicates a lack of moral fibre”-
Eleanor Robertson, The Guardian
Below is a compilation of ignorant Boomer comments from a Reddit thread:
“When I was in college, my dad’s constant advice for how I should get a job once I graduated was to just “go on down to the hospital and ask them for a job and they’ll train you and you can work your way up” as if I could just walk into the hospital with an English degree and they’ll be like yeah, let’s make you our head neurosurgeon in a few years. I couldn’t even see openings for receptionists that didn’t require medical training of some kind as a prereq”
Adyrah, Reddit
“You know, your generation doesn’t understand that you have to buy a house as young as possible to pay it off quickly”. No old man, we get it. We’re broke as **** making 1/3 of what you do in the same work place”
[deleted], Reddit
“The boomers and Xers got told the same thing. About 20 years ago, I remember this old guy dissing his daugher: “She makes $35,000 a year as a teacher and she says she can’t buy a house! When I was her age, I made $35,000 and I could buy a house!”
Inflation and housing prices totally skipped by him. He would have been making $35K in 1970 when housing prices were around $50K. She was making $35K when housing prices were $300K.
But damn, he knew he was right”
Tall_Mickey, Reddit
In the meantime, the future looks grim for the Millennials and Generation Z. If one does not come from a wealthy family, they can only pray to God that they can survive the massive financial burden they will have to endure in the years to come. Boomers grew up during a time of unprecedented prosperity after WWII. Experiencing such privilege, wealth, immense freedom caused them to hold onto their fairytale view of a wealthy, perfect world which doesn’t exist anymore. Life is not easy for the young ones anymore.
Featured Image – A depressed, financially ruined MillennialCourtesy of SBS Life
By Wesly Wong