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Are the baby boomers the most selfish generation in history?

(121 Posts)
AllYoungPeople Wed 20-Jul-16 01:46:55

You vote to cut free education, all the while increasing pensions and end of life NHS care. You stopped housebuilding (NIMBYs), and made even owning a house an impossible dream for most young people.

Then you Brexit us, stealing the future we wanted for ourselves, while you won't even get to see the effect.

You will go down in history as the worst, most selfish generation in the history of the UK. The books about your arrogant mistakes and stupid voting are already being written.

One choice now, vote to cut the NHS and pensions, if you don't, you know how the future will judge you. Selfish idiots.

puppytoe Thu 21-Jul-16 11:33:48

I've seen almost the same posting on the
Guardian . A troll.

Whoputthecatout Thu 21-Jul-16 11:39:09

Technically I am not a baby boomer, having been born in World War II. It's pretty much all been said, but just to point out an interesting statistic. We are told we have stolen the future of young people who wanted to remain in the EU and that a the majority i.e. 72% of the young voted to stay. What they don't tell us is that it was 72% of 36% - 36% of the population being the proportion made up of young voters.

That's a pretty big proportion of young people who couldn't be arsed to vote.
Perhaps OP you should be talking to them about how they couldn't care less about their future?

Oh, and grow up,

Rosina Thu 21-Jul-16 11:43:39

What a misinformed rant. We Boomers worked hard for what we have and did not expect half the things that are regarded as absolute necessities now. Your generation will inherit these houses we have worked so hard to buy - most of us will have inherited nothing. As for university education - it might have been free, but most of my generation needed to go out to work - only the lucky few went on to further education. Far more people go to Uni now, and I am, sick of the whining about paying tuition fees and debt. Mortgages are a debt too - we had one for years, or perhaps we should have expected someone to give us a house free? if you want to improve your future then get a part time job while you are at Uni - only 26 weeks a year after all - and pay your way. That is called realism. We remember life before the EU - and there is life after.

mich777 Thu 21-Jul-16 11:44:55

Dear All young people poster.

Your views were interesting thanks.

Maybe you can put your energy into lobying parliament to enable young people to build accommodation in their parents gardens or onto the side of their houses with a clause that it can only be sold onto another first time buyer at a % below the market rate. This way you will get to build an affordable home and help future generations with our growing housing problems.
I never got the chance to go to Grammar school as I wished as my parents could not afford the bus fares. I never got the acting, dance lessons or music lessons I wanted.I never got a chance to go to a subsidized university either but actually not sure at 18 I would have benefitted that much but would have in my mid twenties early 30's. What I did was worked and took experiential learning into my life in many ways to improve my total education as a human being. There are many forms of intelligence and one of the highest forms all of us will benefit from is not intellectual intelligence but emotional intelligence. The greatest teacher of this is life and our relationships with others. Don't worry..just think laterally about your issues/challenges.

All the best. Maybe do some voluntary work for victims of torture, amnesty international and animal charities...also learn to meditate and relax. Above all be gentle with your mind and your good self as this will enable you to show this to others.

I genuinely feel the EU was a highly corrupt cartel and I do not wish to be in that sort of unpeaceful situation which is ultimately what corruption causes,and greed, and unhappiness and a me,me,me ethos and a... I'm all right jack... type of behavior and thinking. I am 51 and about to start my own business after loosing everything but a good lesson is...on a daily basis..always work with circumstance and be kind to others..Also remember that nothing stays the same and life is short so be as positive as you can..it will grow you a fine strong character that other s will admire.

Once again thanks for your input and expressing your views so openly.

Lilyflower Thu 21-Jul-16 11:46:21

Is AllYoungPeople for real or a straw man to stir the 'intergenerational envy' pot?

Ill informed and intemperate views purporting to be the voice of 'All' young people merely stir up spiteful emotions and the most useful thing is to ask in whose interest is this'setting the dogs on each other'.

Envy serves those the interest of those who would tax away the assets of the older generation to serve those of the younger. Only governments can tax assets and it would indeed minister to their interest to have another jampotful to squander. Who really believes that money taxed to help the young would reach the young? it would be lost in the leaky sieve of administration, bureaucracy, middle men, agencies and other interested parties.

Many more older people are very poor rather than well off and many of those with and without adequate resources spend their time and money helping their children and grandchildren. This help is of the best kind and certainly better than the scatter gun aid of governments as it is targeted, waste free and comes with invaluable wisdom and advice. No one gives their grandchildren money to pay the rent if it is being spent on mobile phone bills or mini-breaks.

Personally, I will be hanging on to as much of my assets and cash as I can to pass on to my children and their children since I have raised them to be deserving of such an inheritance.

AllYoungPeople will not be getting a penny of my dosh if I have anything to do with it. Mannerless, ungrateful and ignorant behaviour does not deserve to be rewarded.

Nain9bach Thu 21-Jul-16 11:46:31

I'm a grandmother in my fifties and I voted Remain. I'm not sure who the remarks are meant to hit. My retirement age currently set at 67, and I fear that it will increase even further. I went to university and I have worked my whole life; started working when I was at school at the age of 14. My working life - always been within the European union so I have no knowledge of what it was like before we were in Europe. I noted that Wales was predominately Leave with the Remain areas coinciding with where the Universities are located. I could not understand the thinking as Wales has benefited greatly from EU money; I've witnessed the changes because living out of Wales but visiting regularly I could see. Lack of information and knowledge prior to voting is my only conclusion. However, my belief - no shame in not knowing but wholly unacceptable to prefer to be in the dark!

Linbrikat Thu 21-Jul-16 11:48:57

The OP is just a troll trying to get a reaction out of us. As they say 'Don't feed the troll'

HannahLoisLuke Thu 21-Jul-16 11:49:33

Like most of the kids at Glastonbury who forgot to vote and are now moaning about the result, I wonder if you even got off your backside to make it to the polling station.

Incidentally, nearly all of the young people I know who did vote chose leave.

PetitFilou99 Thu 21-Jul-16 12:01:26

@AllYoungPeople - I find your comment a touch condescending and slightly contemptible. Just because you and the other 48.1% did not succeed in getting your choice, it just seems very immature to question the intelligence of the 51.9% winning voters. Perhaps it is they who should be questioning yours?

To label the Brexiters (and I am not one of them by the way!) as having made “arrogant mistakes and stupid voting” is just showing what a bad loser you are, and actually showing your own intellect as questionable. You really need to do some more research before blaming the pensioners for all your woes...!!

Also you seem TO IGNORE THE FACT that more than a third of 18-24 years old did not bother to vote, so frankly, if you do not like the result of the Referendum, you only have yourselves to blame...!! Time to stop blaming everyone else and realise what happens when you are too lazy to get your butt out of bed to go and make your voice count. Far too late now to cry that democracy did not deliver what you wanted. Learn by your mistakes and accept you and only you are to blame.

As for calling us “selfish idiots”, I think it’s quite ironic really. If your generation had not behaved in such a selfish and idiotic way, and had bothered to vote, then you would probably not find yourselves in such a mess. Very easy to always blame someone else, when in actual fact you are even more accountable for the Brexit situation we now find ourselves in...!!

Worlass Thu 21-Jul-16 12:03:25

Agree totally with the above comments. I, too, was born during WW2 and had a 'Saturday job' to help out with finances at home. I earned 10 shillings for a 10 hour shift. Although I went to Grammar school, and therefore did not leave school until I was 16, there was no question of going off to Uni. It was straight into the workplace, where I stayed until I was 47, at which time I realised my ambition of going to Uni. Of course I travelled daily (a 4 hour round trip), as I still had family responsibilities. As my husband was working, my grant was minuscule, and by the time I paid travel costs I was well out of pocket. To cover this, I started a small business venture, which I could run alongside my travels/studies. My day began at 5.30a.m., and ended whenever.
Yes, we did own our house, which we had worked hard for, but we still supported our DDs in any way we could.
After graduation I returned to the workplace until my retirement.
Selfish generation? Grow up and get real!

Lewlew Thu 21-Jul-16 12:11:55

This site does not have posting status for members, so it might just be a troll post.

We had one similar on a wildlife site trashing the animals we were watching.

So maybe the mod can remove the post if it's a one-off? It serves no purpose.

We were all young once. This reminds me of that cult movie.. Wild In The Streets hmm

Juggernaut Thu 21-Jul-16 12:23:00

AllYoungPeople
I'll bet your parents are incredibly proud that their offspring turned out to be so polite, charming, and well informed!
If they had been less conscientious, you may have become a rude, ignorant, spoilt, ill informed, obnoxious little brat!
Enjoy your school summer holidays; you know, the time you get off when you should be working, paid or voluntary, but would rather sit anonymously at your computer proving beyond all doubt that you are, in fact, a moron!

Smithy Thu 21-Jul-16 12:25:35

I agree with view that AYP's post was deliberately planted. Some great replies from Gransnetters, but probably the best reply would be to have ignored it completely as it's a load of b------s.

muswellblue Thu 21-Jul-16 12:32:20

As I have said before on here- if you google "Intergenerational Foundation" you will find this is a think tank which has been founded purely to highlight the imagined unfairness between generations and stir up hatred of the Baby Boomers. I wouldn't be surprised if one of their lot started this thread.

sunseeker Thu 21-Jul-16 12:32:35

My niece, who lives in Australia, has just completed two degrees whilst at the same time buying a house with her partner. Of course, it did mean working two jobs and studying into the early hours but she knows that if you want anything you have to get off your arse and work for it.

silverlining48 Thu 21-Jul-16 12:54:03

Agree with Smithy. Appears the OP has made no further comment, and we have run with it now for 3 pages. I could (but I wont) put my pennyworth into the debate and would agree with most of the GN posters. However it is of concern there seems such ageist antagonism in shed loads at present.

Maggieanne Thu 21-Jul-16 12:59:14

Erm, does anyone know who this "Allyoungpeople" post is from, and why on GN?

peaceatlast Thu 21-Jul-16 12:59:45

Go to the local Accident and Emergency department from Thursday through Sunday evening and you find yourself rubbing shoulders with drunks and drugged up pensioners who have got themselves into fights as a result, costing the NHS an absolute fortune and stretching resources.

Lol. I think not.

Tessa101 Thu 21-Jul-16 13:10:02

COME ON GRANSNETTERS....... THEY'VE DONE WHAT THEY INTENDED..... THEY GOT 68

Tessa101 Thu 21-Jul-16 13:11:25

WHOOPS MSG WENT TO SOON REPLYS TIME TO IGNORE THEM NOW

misunderstood Thu 21-Jul-16 13:13:36

By your post alone it shows which generation are the spoilt, most arrogant and selfish one's. Stop spitting your dummy out buckle under and make this work, oh forgot everything as been done for your generation and work is a dirty word to some of you. Yes we may be on our way out so we probably won't be around for you to say "you were right" Things are already improving so I suggest you stop winging and do something positive.

Parsley44 Thu 21-Jul-16 13:37:02

Nothing more to add to you wonderful 'posters'!! Other than I am heartily sick of the accusations that Brexit was voted in by old people - I am 72 and I and my friends voted to remain! We remember being the pathetically sad 'poor man if Europe'. As a young teacher I earned a pittance and never a glimmer of hope in getting a mortgage - in 1968 I even had to ask my Dad to sign fir a hire purchase agreement to buy a TV - because I was/am a woman and not a houseowner! Ye gods - this pathetic worm hasn't a clue!!!! And after the result I fell into a chat with a young cashier in Sainsbury's who proudly said she and her friends voted to leave - because they want things to be 'like they were'!!!! Grrrrrrr!!!!

AnnieGran Thu 21-Jul-16 13:54:57

We should have ignored the little creep but instead we've given him 3 pages. Just what he wanted. Let's stop now.

chrislou Thu 21-Jul-16 13:58:04

How dare you! What do you know about anything except what you want. I wonder if you will change your opinion when you are getting a pension, or being persuaded at a certain age you should be off the road and perish the thought you might even be clogging up the NHS. I would hate to think that one of my own family felt and acted like you.

luluaugust Thu 21-Jul-16 14:07:26

Yes whoputthecatout they should have got out of bed and voted.