“It’s All Your Fault” 10 Ways Boomers Have Left The Youth at a Disadvantage

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It’s no secret that the generations before us have left their mark on our world, but many fail to acknowledge the extent of influence Baby Boomers have had, and continue to have,  on the younger generation.

From economic to environmental conditions, this generation has created an uphill battle for today’s youth in ways we are just beginning to understand.

We will take a closer look at how many believe the Baby Boomer population has taken advantage of current resources for their own benefit while leaving young adults feeling negatively impacted and lacking opportunities.

So grab your cup of coffee and join us as we explore 10 key ways boomer behavior is leading us all towards a future of uncertainty.

#1. They’ve Given Younger Generations Hope Without Realistic Expectations

If you’re on the younger side, you’ve heard the pitch. 

Go to college, get a degree, get a job, get a house, start a family, and retire. 

The problem?

None of this is very achievable in the modern world. 

College degrees are expensive and less valuable than before, high-paying jobs are scarcer and much more challenging to get into, and the wealth you have to amass to live comfortably later on is immense. 

Put simply, the boomers created unrealistic expectations for youth and then shamed them for their lack of success.

#2. They Continued to Generate Debt and Have Handed That to the Next Generation

Boomers grew up during a time of financial prosperity, and many didn’t have to work as hard for what they received. 

Because of this, they spent and spent and spent, going into debt while putting us into a deficit and taking full advantage of Medicare and Social Security while judging others for using these social programs. 

Some may even pass on debt to their children or rely on them to pay off things they’ve taken care of. 

Unfortunately, this has left others in a precarious financial situation as the economy worsens and life remains far less affordable. 

#3. They’ve Refused to Acknowledge That Climate Change Is Real

Climate change has continued to be a contention between boomers and younger generations. 

Despite ample scientific evidence pointing to rising global temperatures and its disastrous environmental effects, boomers refuse to acknowledge it. 

Even worse, they continue to vote for individuals who roll back protective measures designed to preserve the environment or even make laws that are actively hostile toward the environment. 

They might even dump products that shouldn’t be dumped and engage in behaviors they know are bad but refuse to abandon. 

#4. They’re Uninformed About the State of the World

Many boomers believe that the world is the same as it was when they were growing up. 

They think that hard work gives someone everything they need and that those who can’t succeed fail because they aren’t working hard enough or doing something wrong. 

Because boomers have been out of the workforce, they haven’t seen the lack of opportunity, changes in pay, and other issues plaguing youth today. 

They remain steadfast in their beliefs, and they may choose to cut off the youth in their family and refuse to help them advance solely because of these beliefs. 

#5. They Aim to Dismantle Social Support, Believing It to Be Entitlement or Laziness

Boomers are a generation that has profited the most off of social support. 

However, they’re also a large group that believes this type of support is laziness, giving handouts to those who are able-bodied and capable of earning a living. 

Unfortunately, this has an impact on younger generations that are struggling.

Whether it’s food benefits or other forms of security, boomers tend to shame and seek to cut back on these benefits to justify their belief that hard work trumps all. 

#6. They’ve Stripped Away Any Benefits That Could Support the Next Generation

Boomers don’t understand how good they had it when they were members of the workforce.

Retirement accounts, investments, stellar health insurance, and other benefits characterized their time working for employers.

While jobs do exist that offer all of these things, you’d be hard-pressed to find them.

Even worse, boomers that do operate companies that should offer benefits instead offer low wages and none of these benefits, keeping the youth from getting the advantages they had.

#7. They Voted for Reagan

Reagan is often cited as one of the worst presidents.

While a long list of things made him a terrible president, one particularly pertinent to this discussion is his trickle-down economics.

He gave ample breaks and benefits to corporations and the wealthy, believing they would create jobs and improve the overall state of society.

Unfortunately, the wealthy hoarded more wealth, and boomers will still defend him and his politics because they voted him in.

#8. They Continue to Vote or Act in Their Own Self-Interest

The boomers b

enefitted greatly from all the hard work the silent generation had to tackle. 

From major world wars to the Great Depression, the silent generation understood what it was like to struggle. 

As a result, they wanted to make sure that their children didn’t have to struggle as much and that they were given everything they needed to thrive.

Boomers then received it all, and in one of the more prosperous periods in America’s history, no less. 

Unfortunately, that didn’t instill their desire to pass it on. 

Instead, many have remained entitled, voting for those who preserve their wealth and put their interests first at the cost of those younger than them.

#9. They Benefited From Things They Did Not Pass Down 

Inexpensive college degrees, a minimum wage that could support a single individual, low-interest loans, and affordable mortgages. 

These are just some of the things that boomers enjoyed during their time. 

This is also a list of things that today’s youth can no longer enjoy. 

Boomers benefited from a wide range of support in their time that they did not make sure to pass down to the next generations.

#10. They Exploit Those in Need, Engaging in Systems That Are Inherently Problematic

What boomers have either created for themselves or inherited is often quite exploitative. 

Take, for example, investing in housing. 

The previous generation (alongside mega corporations) has created an entire generation of renters by buying out available housing, driving up prices, and keeping people trapped through high rental prices. 

Another example is the new state of work, where low wages and things like lack of training and unrealistic hiring expectations exploit the younger workforce. 

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