It's clear enough that the particular form of society we're used to follows the demographics of its largest generations. For the US, that means the Boomers have defined the conversation since the 70's when they started to vote and have careers, and a lot of foundational sociocultural premises about "how the world works" were set back then and remained untouched until just now.
I can see it in my parents: they're increasingly upset and blame a so-in-so in government for being "an idiot", but it's not over the same things that my generation is, and it's not wholly defined by party politics or culture wars either, though they are drawn to the messaging and engage with the soap operas of the news cycle. It's a much bigger affront for them when something new is being tried that "obviously doesn't work", because their opinion was set back when the options were different and fewer - and the people who thought differently back then didn't survive: surviving sets norms.
Combine that with the looming pains and fears of age and now they are just axiomatically conservative. No change, change doesn't work, change is a grift. Invest in winners. Faced with a broad reinvention of the world that ignores their opinions and shuffles around policy and value chains pragmatically with the available constraints, they are terrified.
No, older people aren’t axiomatically conservative any more than young people are axiomatically liberal or radical. It might be a reasonable bet, but I see young people at right wing rallies and old people at left wing ones. Don’t assume.
Some people give a shit about others. Some do not. If you don’t like how things are or how they’re going, act to change them. Other people are.
Might put a downward pressure on stocks due to shifting asset classes and just getting liquid when entering retirement. There were age concerns re covid which probably allowed people to judge their desire and need to work vs retire. There will be medical issues which will drain off some cash and possibly keep boomers working to 65 but I’d agree they’re getting out of the way.
The issue with many staffing shortages being due to the baby boomers demographic is that we should expect it to worsen for a minimum of 8 more years.
And some degree of this age bracket and the workforce also correlates with health issues, disability, and recent decreases in life expectancy (not excluding the opioid epidemic and covid impacts).
toomuchtodo|3 years ago
https://boundless.substack.com/p/the-great-contemplation-not...
syntheweave|3 years ago
I can see it in my parents: they're increasingly upset and blame a so-in-so in government for being "an idiot", but it's not over the same things that my generation is, and it's not wholly defined by party politics or culture wars either, though they are drawn to the messaging and engage with the soap operas of the news cycle. It's a much bigger affront for them when something new is being tried that "obviously doesn't work", because their opinion was set back when the options were different and fewer - and the people who thought differently back then didn't survive: surviving sets norms.
Combine that with the looming pains and fears of age and now they are just axiomatically conservative. No change, change doesn't work, change is a grift. Invest in winners. Faced with a broad reinvention of the world that ignores their opinions and shuffles around policy and value chains pragmatically with the available constraints, they are terrified.
jleyank|3 years ago
Some people give a shit about others. Some do not. If you don’t like how things are or how they’re going, act to change them. Other people are.
unknown|3 years ago
[deleted]
jleyank|3 years ago
smileysteve|3 years ago
And some degree of this age bracket and the workforce also correlates with health issues, disability, and recent decreases in life expectancy (not excluding the opioid epidemic and covid impacts).
Geonode|3 years ago
fzzzy|3 years ago
vba616|3 years ago
English major?
1946 + 65 = 2011.
The boomer vanguard is going to be in their 80s soon.
And the millennials are starting to turn 40.
"...then one day you find ten years have got behind you"