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Actually, that's not why they did it. They did it for two reasons. 1) Americans demanded cheaper and cheaper products and labor is cheaper abroad. 2) by moving abroad, they would employ locals and, literally, create an emerging market for their products.
There's a saying: Be careful what you wish for because you might get it. We wished for cheap goods and we got them. Now we have to live with the repercussions of that folly. We now have lots and lots of cheap goods we can buy but no jobs to earn money to buy them with.
Given we now operate in a global economy, things won't change any time soon. What is going to happen is every nation is going to have about the same standard of living. So average the standard of living worldwide... In other words, get ready to down size BIG TIME. The industries that are coming back to our shores are purchasing robots over hiring people so even if we demanded goods made here, the impact will be minimal now (it's still worth it but it won't bring us back to where we were. We threw that baby out with the bath water.).
The name of the game has changed. We will work until we drop because many in my generation will not be able to retire. If we had any brains we'd embrace the multi generational household where each generation works towards improving the family situation but we value independence and individuality too much to do that. That could actually be our solution. Go back to the days when the older generation took care of the kids while the generation in the middle worked to support the family. With grandma and grandpa living with the kids, they don't spend the money they have on senior housing so something just might be left for the kids to inherit.
We need to accept that the American dream is dead. It died when the economy went global. We now have to figure out how to live more frugally but if we work to pull each other through we may find we are richer in other ways.
I for one dread the day I'm useless. I keep telling my youngest daughter that if she doesn't have MIL quarters on her house, I'm building them. I don't want to end up alone and I'd love to take care of her kids while she works. I'd love to make sure what I've worked for is inherited by her and her sister and not spent on a senior apartment. I'd love to know my grand kids. I'd love to be surrounded by family until the day I die, if possible. But our society sees this desire as selfish...
Ivory,
Than you for your sincere response. I wish more people think the way you do. Your state of mind and reasoning tell me your children love you.
This I have noticed a lot lately. All generations eating up China made products. I have new found respect for Ford auto. They are making new sturdy reliable cars built to last.
But, interestingly, people only keep them a few years and then they want a new one.
I find it interesting that the Japenese were able to undermine our automakers by bringing in products to last when people don't keep them. The US attitude, prior to the emergence of the Japenese to the auto market, had been deliver flashy new cars every few years for people to buy. Our behavior hasn't changed. Just the price tag of the car.
The good side is the poor can now afford cars because they do last longer so they can buy them several years down the road.
However, we now think of other things as disposable that we used to think of as long term purchases like clothing. We expect to replace appliances, like TV's, stereros, phones, computers, etc, etc, etc,... not when they break but when we want a newer, flashier one. We now treat everything else like we did cars back in the 1950's. As disposable. Somehow, I think the Japenese and Chinese played us.
Last edited by Ivorytickler; 01-20-2013 at 07:23 PM..
But who are these people that moved significant numbers of "good" jobs abroad so shareholders would earn more and CEOs would earn a lot more
There are a significant number of good jobs here, but, corporations are also importing thousand into the U.S. (MyVisaJobs.com) who have a different value system than Americans. Those jobs are high paid so I hope they are taxed well. More and more companies are moving to all temporary workers since they can send low paying jobs out of the U.S. while importing new ones through the back door. In California you don't have to be a legal citizen to get free college or "entitlements". It isn't the average Baby Boomer who raided Social Security and is now expected to pay for it again in the form of reduced benefits. Our children's future is eaten by the foreigners demanding more and more, not our seniors who built this country and so generously gave to the rest of the world when they were in need.
Government social programs is simply buying votes to keep one party in power. Keep people reliant on handouts and they'll keep voting for them to get them.
Government social programs is simply buying votes to keep one party in power. Keep people reliant on handouts and they'll keep voting for them to get them.
Short, sweet and to the point. Excellent observation and isn't it sad that's what become of our country?
O.P please search as this thread title has been beaten into the ground.
Did baby boomers eat their children's future?
Yes!
Did they do it intentionally ?
No!
Does generation X&Y need to quite crying over spilled Milk and move on?
Yes!
End of thread!
O.P please search as this thread title has been beaten into the ground.
Did baby boomers eat their children's future?
Yes!
Did they do it intentionally ?
No!
Does generation X&Y need to quite crying over spilled Milk and move on?
Yes!
End of thread!
I disagree. I think for a entire generation it will be close to impossible for NOT ALL but MANY of them to move on. The American middle to upper middle class lifestyle that they grew accustumed to will no longer be
achievable even with a four year degree and a 40 hour workweek. Tell me, what is the next step for all of these people?
Tell me, what is the next step for all of these people?
The next step is to readjust their wants and desires. Wake up to the fact that life isn't fair and bad things happen. If they need help learning that, go and talk with those who lived through the Great Depression (the ones that are still alive). Can't find any alive? Then, read, read, read. There are a multitude of books about what life was like back then. The best thing about that generation is they didn't go around whining and crying about how bad life was. They got up every day and kept going. They worked two and sometimes three jobs to put food on the table. If they needed temporary assistance, they took it. But they didn't make a way of life out of it. They had more integrity than the moochers of today. That generation didn't like government intrusion in their lives. It's not that way today. People today want the government to do everything for them. Okay, not all but a good portion of them and if you don't believe it, read some of the comments, not only here but on other sites. It's a generation of crybabies and everything is me, me, me.
Just stop complaining and blaming the generation before them. Many of the people you refer to have re-invented their lives, started new businesses related to today's times and doing quite well. All this whining about how the boomers are responsible for their downfall is nothing more than a pity party. Some of these people you refer to, that have their college degrees, obtained those because their parents paid for it. And, in case you didn't know, a lot of boomers suffered huge losses in this last recession. They're the ones who can't start over.
Good post. Can genX or Y really relate to people culturally from the great depression? The contrast is so extreme!
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Excellent observation and isn't it sad that's what become of our country?
