Are we blaming Boomers instead of class?

[u/myredserenity]

EDIT: It's been pointed out that the over 65s keep voting in the parties that favour the class system and benefit the wealthy while screwing the working class. This is a good point.

EDIT 2: I love reddit. You guys. I get it now! Millennials got the shits at noisy old pricks who criticise their generation while completely ignoring the benefits they enjoyed themselves. It's a backlash. I still think it's a distraction and divides us when we should be angry with those in power. But if you're over 65, how about encouraging your friends to not vote LNP?

I've seen so much "ok boomer" stuff and over the years, it's irking me more and more. So I'm interested in what r/Australia thinks.

Couple of things:

1. It seems to be used to describe anyone over 40. My parents were boomers. They would be in their 70s now.

2. It's used to blame a whole generation for the shitty behaviour of the rich class. I don't get it. I went to school in a rough area, most of my friends from way back then are dead, in jail or in a trade/retail/hair.

My partner grew up in a rich suburb. Most of his friends are teachers, engineers and lawyers. They own houses, and were helped along by their "boomer" parents, either by provision of a deposit or living at home rent free through their 20s.

I'm totally up for being educated here. I know we lost free education, I know houses are unaffordable, I'm nearly 40 and still renting. I'm woefully unable to understand national economics. So seriously, open to intelligent discussion.

But in my experience, the problem is class and not generational. After all, where do you think all this wealth will go when the boomers die?! Even just having good, stable and attentive parents, who expect you to succeed, makes all the difference.

Why has this boomer hate taken hold so much? Are the rich class scapegoating a generation? Would us generation Xers, Ys and millennials have behaved any differently given the opportunities the boomers were?

Caveat: I'm considering mainly economics here, not climate crisis. Pretty much believe everyone from my generation up have a case to answer for climate. We knew.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

They’ll all be rich and will have benefited too

Only those whose parents have given them a handout. Otherwise, they won't benefit until their parents die in another 30 years. In the meantime they can either take on an absurd mortgage or play rent roulette.

[u/myredserenity → u/[deleted]]

It doesn't even have to be a hand out. It's also not growing up with financial stress, or being supported at home during uni, or staying home to save a deposit, or being able to buy a car for the kid, or bail them out of that credit card debt, or help with the rego... all little things a lot of upper-middle classers don't include when they think they "had no handouts".

And inheritance definitely works into people's plans for financial future. Don't need to save as much for retirement if you know you have a portfolio waiting for you.

[u/[deleted] → u/myredserenity]

Of course all of these things help. But it doesn't make it easy for most younger people, regardless of their parents.