It’s hard to imagine now, but there was actually a time in the not-so-distant past when a single person, working full-time, could not only support themselves with a single job but actually buy a house too.
With the economic state of our society, it’s natural to be upset with the way things are. It’s even caused many to question how things have gotten this way and who has let them get this way.
A member of Gen Z incited arguments on Reddit about which generation is responsible for the crises we face today.
The title of their Reddit post read, “Thanks boomers/Gen X for:” assumably a sarcastic remark referring to the hardships that younger generations face today.
According to Business Insider, boomers are now approaching retirement in record numbers but leave behind a stingy economy that millennials and Gen Zers are tasked with reversing for any chance of prosperity.
Many members of the younger generations, especially Gen Z, are feeling hopeless about their futures, with many wondering how they’re going to afford the cost of living the older they get if they can barely afford it now.
: The Great Deprogression Of The Baby Boomer Generation
“Boomers will be looked back at as the generation of shame,” one Redditor replied. “They will be highlighted as the worst generation to ever come out of humanity.”
The did not stop there as they continued on to say that “it’s evil and apathy mixed, they are just greed filled horrible creatures that allowed the world to get close to its end just to fatten themselves and their wallets.”
It seemed many were upset with the fact that boomers are unwilling to acknowledge how their behavior impacted the state of the world today. Many argued it was their direct actions that made it close to impossible for younger generations to succeed.
Some boomers have even argued that Gen Z has it easier, even though that’s not the case.
Realtor and associate broker Freddie Smith broke down rent and wages in 1980 versus 2024 to prove the difficulties people coming out of college right now are facing in response to hearing boomers complain. Basically, a college graduate is spending nearly the same percentage of their income on housing as a minimum wage worker in 1980, but they are also saddled with crippling debt. Translation: There is no comparison when it comes to the potential for prosperity between an ’80s economy and our current economy.
: Baby Boomer Says Younger Generations Can’t Afford To Buy Homes Because ‘They Don’t Make Sacrifices’ — ‘I Never Did Brunches’
As one commenter noted, “Keep in mind, this is the same generation that fought in the Vietnam War, struggled with the daily anxiety of nuclear holocaust during the Cold War, and suffered through one of the worst inflationary periods, recessions, and oil crises during the mid-1970s. Weak men they are not.”
Another took a more global perspective, sharing, “Here in Poland boomers created the good times because they freed us from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1989.”
And while these few defenders were quickly shot down, the truth of the generational wars is every older generation gets blamed for the problems that come after it. Are times hard now? Yes. No one would debate that.
The real question is, if Gen Z was given the opportunity to trade places with boomers and live during their years of prosperity would they have done things differently?
At the end of the day, the truth is that no matter how messed up the world is and no matter whose fault it is, we’re all going to have to work together to create a better future for the generations that come after.
So yes, of course, feel free to complain about the state of the economy and how you can’t move out of your parent’s house, but know that to see change, we’re going to have to stop the blame game and work towards creating a society in which no one deals with the struggles of today.
: Gen Zer Calls Out Their Generation For Being ‘Toxic’—’We Need Each Other Now More Than Ever’
Sahlah Syeda is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news, and human interest topics.
