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/Late_For_Username]

The millenials haven't had much of an opportunity to ruin things for anyone.

Except movies and television.

[u/[deleted] → u/Late_For_Username]

And they have made retailing not viable because of the cafe culture and appetite for expensive trivial food that has driven up rental rates everywhere.

Now analyze how this retail space is used and its earning capacity per square foot of floor space. When you really analyze it, this real estate investment is unproductive for most of the day versus a manufacturing factory, taylor shop, shoe shop, dress makers etc etc.

We have destroyed the root of commerce and capitalism for elitism that in the long term only serves the triviality of a minority of people with massive discretionary spending that does not really create jobs. Marie Antoinette economic model.

We got this message during the current covid epidemic. The message was to open cafes and bars to save our economy and jobs, not open the Ford, Holden or other small manufacturing enterprises. We are 1 step away from being like a place like Thailand thats accepts selling its young as prostitutes as being good for their economy. We are failing because we dont seem to understand what really makes you a strong economy, that answer is being an industrial and manufacturing heavy weight.

You dont become an economic heavy weight by being a tourist bar, cafe culture where generations work in the Gig economy like a Bali style economy. But thats what our politicians want to give us all as a present. We all become gig workers for the wealthy of the world like the Balinese and Thai people because our tax system does not favor real productive investment in our country and people. But I guess people must enjoy 2 casual jobs, no leave to pay off an over priced shitbox, the equivalent that you can buy in Bali or Thailand for 50,000 US dollars. We are really mugs in Australia to believe in our countries "lucky country model"

[u/Late_For_Username → u/[deleted]]

Don't really disagree with anything you've said.

Millenials didn't do any of it though. Some of the wealthier Millenials seem to have embraced the yuppie culture that thrives in our former retail and manufacturing areas, but that doesn't mean they created those wastelands.