Are zoomers any better than boomers?

[Jingthing]

As a boomer I freely admit we failed the planet miserably. Started with sex, drugs, rock and roll and then on to greed is good and constantly kicking serious problems down the road.

 

By the way I started out really strong. I volunteered to help publicize the very first earth day as a young teen. 

 

But Greta Thunberg notwithstanding are the current young people any better?

 

 

Consider and discuss if you please.

[zzaa09]

Western civilisation is of a catatonic state.

Especially, among the English-speaking variety. 

[tgw]

2 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

Western civilisation is of a catatonic state.

Especially, among the English-speaking variety. 

you are not wrong.

 

and JT isn't wrong either.

 

I was very "greed is good" until I discovered almost everyone is better at greed than me.

[swissie]

They are not better or worse than we. They are humans and human behaviour hasn't changed for thousands of years. The communists have tried to produce a new "human-kind". Failed miserably.

Todays youth worships the same Gods as we did: Rampant consumerism, unrestrained economic growth, the accumulation of material wealth as the ultimate goal in life. All same same. Under these circumstances, nothing can change. They will be kicking serious problems down the road just like we did. Especially when good intentions are starting to affect the wallet negatively.

The Greta Thunberg crowd is representing only  a loud minority of our youth. The majority thinks and acts like we did and worships the same Gods. Given this unchanged framework, how would they be able/willing to do things "better" than we did?

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, swissie said:

They are not better or worse than we. They are humans and human behaviour hasn't changed for thousands of years. The communists have tried to produce a new "human-kind". Failed miserably.

Todays youth worships the same Gods as we did: Rampant consumerism, unrestrained economic growth, the accumulation of material wealth as the ultimate goal in life. All same same. Under these circumstances, nothing can change. They will be kicking serious problems down the road just like we did. Especially when good intentions are starting to affect the wallet negatively.

The Greta Thunberg crowd is representing only  a loud minority of our youth. The majority thinks and acts like we did and worships the same Gods. Given this unchanged framework, how would they be able/willing to do things "better" than we did?

Or as Trink put it 

Human nature. Manure.

[KhunLA]

Greta ... seriously, what a joke, a puppet.

 

Not much has changed, except a wee bit harder to be independent, self employed, but surely not impossible.  Not sure about rest of the world, but USA, then & now, still land of opportunity, IF, you apply yourself.

 

Today's youth, think they are entitled to a free ride.  NO ... HAVE TO WORK IT

 

Even Thailand, as hard as life can be being born here poor.  Opportunity knock, just answer it.  Know more than a few with poor roots, are doing just fine, actually quite nicely.  But WORKED FOR IT.

 

Stop complaining & get a job, they wouldn't have anything to cry about.  Bunch of snowflakes.

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Greta ... seriously, what a joke, a puppet.

 

Not much has changed, except a wee bit harder to be independent, self employed, but surely not impossible.  Not sure about rest of the world, but USA, then & now, still land of opportunity, IF, you apply yourself.

 

Today's youth, think they are entitled to a free ride.  NO ... HAVE TO WORK IT

 

Even Thailand, as hard as life can be being born here poor.  Opportunity knock, just answer it.  Know more than a few with poor roots, are doing just fine, actually quite nicely.  But WORKED FOR IT.

 

Stop complaining & get a job, they wouldn't have anything to cry about.  Bunch of snowflakes.

Your post sounds like you aren't responding to the video as you're talking about something entirely different.

[Salerno]

Excellent speech from Bill Maher 

[timendres]

Human nature and the bell curve.

The Internet is simply amplifying it.

Really amplifying it.

[ChaiyaTH]

How could my generation and younger be better with the horrible example you old guys set for us? Dumb question if you ask me. 

 

Regards to the girl, she is crazy herself and her parents are bought up actors.

[RichardColeman]

Considering Greta most used words appear to be 'blah blah blah' , I'd say boomers have it over zoomers since we can make a valid argument without resorting to using 'blah blah blah'

[zzaa09]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Considering Greta most used words appear to be 'blah blah blah' , I'd say boomers have it over zoomers since we can make a valid argument without resorting to using 'blah blah blah'

She just might be the definitive poster child for all those generations that haven't a clue - Xers, Tweeners as well the most fashionable and current Zoomers. 

A very sad state.

A plague on all their houses.

[Chad3000]

10 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Greta Thunberg notwithstanding are the current young people any better?

Better than what?

 

I think she's a duplicitious monster, fraudster, hypocrite and absolute establishment tool.

 

Cancel culture? No  it's cancer culture.

[Chad3000]

4 hours ago, Salerno said:

Excellent speech from Bill Maher 

Bill Maher has had a come round and seen the left for what it is. Interesting to watch his monologues last few months.

 

It's not the left of the 50-70s.

 

I despise what's going on ttoday in the US and the world.  It's so vapid, ephemeral and.iIntellectuallyvoid.

 

I used to be a fairly open minded pperson - but I'm no longer wanted ...so I'll take my vote and my money to the side where I am wanted.

 

I'm not going to feel shame for being born white lol. That will never happen. That is an insane position I reject out of hand.

[zzaa09]

11 minutes ago, Chad3000 said:

Better than what?

 

I think she's a duplicitious monster, fraudster, hypocrite and absolute establishment tool.

 

Cancel culture? No  it's cancer culture.

....and she has loads of company.

[atpeace]

All generations have created this wonderful world we live.  No major wars (excluding internal conflicts) in 75 years, extreme poverty at all time lows and continuing to plummet, live expectancy now at nearly 75, and many have the freedom to explore distant shores in ways that would have been a dream for all but a few.  Sure the rich keep getting richer and our planet needs to some tender loving care but confident these issues will be resolved or mitigated by all of us.

 

My concern is the online religion of "Group Think".  Most the over 40 crowd and some of the young have enough world experience to see the danger of this but do not have any ideas how to calm this storm of hate that seems to arise from good intentions. In the end, I assume it will be societal shift that creates enough space for those engaging in spewing hatred in the name of "good" to see their errors.

[atpeace]

3 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

How could my generation and younger be better with the horrible example you old guys set for us? Dumb question if you ask me. 

 

Regards to the girl, she is crazy herself and her parents are bought up actors.

I'm 50+ so one of the old guys but still remember being young.  I did stupid things and blamed others and did it far longer than I should have.  Even today, I lose my calm but am much better and let me emphasize "much", at seeing this anger.  We old guys are not the issue and are no better or worse than you.  Most of us see ourselves in the younger generation  and root for a good end to their struggles. 

 

Blaming old guys and spewing hate isn't he answer IMO.  It is what it is and now lets see what you do with "it".

[ChaiyaTH]

53 minutes ago, atpeace said:

extreme poverty at all time lows and continuing to plummet

Prior covid yeah, by now we have 500 million new people at poverty line. And we are at the brink of economic collapse and WW3. 

 

New generation cant even afford a house and is to their neck in debts before careers start. I wont even get a pension, as you guys will use up all money. Same for healthcare. 

 

But im positive for my own situation too ????

[Tropicalevo]

11 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

I wont even get a pension, as you guys will use up all money.

That is not how it works.

We paid for our parents' pension.

You are paying for ours (except that I saved for a private one).

Your children will pay for yours - if they bother to get a job instead of demonstrating.

 

This is the theory anyway,

[atpeace]

Just now, ChaiyaTH said:

Prior covid yeah, by now we have 500 million new people at poverty line. And we are at the brink of economic collapse and WW3. 

OK, heard this many a time. You may be right but seriously doubt it.  It seems all my friends back home are better off and bored with Covid.  Here I get the same feeling to a lesser degree but still don't feel the fear.  I seriously don't see mass fear/hunger and I'm in one of the poorest areas of Thailand.  I see people trudging through this Covid mess and hoping it ends soon.  Most are definitely not better off as my friends back home though.

 

As for me specifically, Covid has been a blessing.  Lost "lots" of money because of Covid.  Made me adjust to this new reality and the result is a person with an improved capacity to do the right thing which I have struggled with at times.

[ChaiyaTH]

3 minutes ago, atpeace said:

OK, heard this many a time. You may be right but seriously doubt it.  It seems all my friends back home are better off and bored with Covid. 

Yeah i forgot, we only consider rich countries and their people right. Wars dont exist, poverty doesnt. 

 

We just go in debt for another 300 trillion dollars and nothing will ever go wrong.

 

If dreams only became true. So naive. You never paid for your parents pension either, it was all debt. You merely paid interest on that debt.

[BritManToo]

17 minutes ago, atpeace said:

As for me specifically, Covid has been a blessing.  Lost "lots" of money because of Covid.  Made me adjust to this new reality and the result is a person with an improved capacity to do the right thing which I have struggled with at times.

Opposite for me, I saved loads of money because of COVID.

No school expenses or fees, no holiday expenses or fees.

Sitting at home drinking and watching TV is very cheap.

 

As for me as a boomer,

I had no effect of any kind on the world, for good or bad.

Never used excessive amounts of energy.

Never dumped rubbish or cut down forests.

Never started or participated in any wars (or police actions).

Was never mean/unkind towards any other person or group of people.

Didn't keep slaves, or oppress any minority groups.

 

I accept no responsibility for the bad things that happened (real or imaginary) in or to the world.

 

[atpeace]

4 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Yeah i forgot, we only consider rich countries and their people right. Wars dont exist, poverty doesnt. 

 

We just go in debt for another 300 trillion dollars and nothing will ever go wrong.

 

If dreams only became true. So naive. You never paid for your parents pension either, it was all debt. You merely paid interest on that debt.

OK, you think we are doomed. I can respect that.  Good luck and hope you never experience this doom. Cheers

[HAPPYNUFF]

Greta Funberg, a self serving little twit, with a face like a twisted prune.   Give her time, she will turn into yet another  politician,  willing to say anything  to get elected.

[atpeace]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Opposite for me, I saved loads of money because of COVID.

No school expenses or fees, no holiday expenses or fees.

Sitting at home drinking and watching TV is very cheap.

Yes, I am  poorer financially  but got back to doing the things I have always enjoyed.  Put a camper on my truck and explored Thailand with no crowds until that became impossible about 6 months ago because of non-specific restrictions in each town it seemed.  Fell in love probably for first time ( I know  - not your style and I respect your energy ).   Built a simple home with rice paddies and fish ponds.  Stopped my heavy drinking and now have only had a few beers in the last 6 months.  Don't need the high like I needed before.

 

I sound like flower child and still not comfortable with this less manly state but starting to accept it.  All the crazy things that put me in hospitals for long stints or had me chasing dragons are a thing of the past and so be it, I won't be experiencing those extreme highs which are incredible until they aren't.

[VocalNeal]

52 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

I wont even get a pension,

Sure you will if you save for it, like everyone else. UN employees excepted.

[sipi]

The radicals of our years seem like perfect gentlemen these days.

 

[ballpoint]

As a Generation X'er, I blame the boomers for the world I grew up in, the millennials for the world I'm getting old in, and the zoomers for the world I will die in.  'Nough said.

[Moonlover]

2 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Sure you will if you save for it, like everyone else. UN employees excepted.

That is incorrect. UN staff have to pay into their pension fund just as do most employees worldwide. The current rate is 7.9% of their remuneration.

 

 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

4 hours ago, Chad3000 said:

Bill Maher has had a come round and seen the left for what it is. Interesting to watch his monologues last few months.

 

It's not the left of the 50-70s.

 

I despise what's going on ttoday in the US and the world.  It's so vapid, ephemeral and.iIntellectuallyvoid.

 

I used to be a fairly open minded pperson - but I'm no longer wanted ...so I'll take my vote and my money to the side where I am wanted.

 

I'm not going to feel shame for being born white lol. That will never happen. That is an insane position I reject out of hand.

On the same show Amy Klobuchar gave a half decent summary of the specifics of what the democrats are trying to achieve including the key issue of negotiating cheaper medicines. On another part of the show they talked about the black white argument and in my opinion no democrat is trying to say you are bad for being born white. The argument is often around the degree to which there is a inherent racism today and I agree some exaggerate. Often it is students who have always gone to extremes, and have a high purity test,  but in 2021 they have a platform thanks to social media and the rest of the media amplify it further.

I try and look at the policies and not the fluff around the edges.  So maybe don't give up totally on the Democrats especially based on the intellectual wasteland of many on the other side.