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I seriously doubt that people created due to policies that are reinforced with public funds are competing for the same jobs as the millenials on this forum.
I think it has a lot more to do with the culture of instant gratification promoted by society at large/media and some Boomer parents themselves.
Besides, if I look at our 4 children. The only one who is struggling(in a decidedly first world kind of way) is struggling largely due to his own choices.
In fact, every millennial I know who is struggling is doing so because of their own choices.
Very true, the perfect example is my nephew and his friends. Friend A had a full-ride, academic scholarship to one of the top business schools in the Northeast. He dropped out because he felt like he wasn't getting what he needed out of college. He now works at a fast food restaurant and lives at home. Friend B was attending college, blew off his classes and dropped out without telling his parents, wasting thousands of dollars of their money. He also lives at home. My nephew dropped out of college after one semester, works 20 hours a week for minimum wage and lives at home. Noticing a pattern here?
Yes, the economy isn't great. Yes, it's hard to find a good job nowadays, but if you aren't making good choices you really can't blame anyone but yourself if you can't get ahead.
The older generation is fully responsible for the plight that millenials find themselves in today. It's a cop out for the older generation to assume that all, or most, millenials have been handed things on a silver platter for most of their lives. That's simply not true. Life is more challenging today than anytime since the Great Depression.
The cost of college has gone up tremendously, leaving many millenials, even those with professional jobs, with insane amounts of debt that they will not pay off until their 40s, 50s, or later. Why has the cost of college risen so precipitously? Why hasn't the older generation done more to keep the cost in check? So many people from "older" generations will talk endlessly about how they worked their way through college. Yes, when college was several hundred dollars a semester, I am sure that was more than doable. College can now reach into the tens of thousands of dollars a semester. Few, if any students, are going to be able to work, attend school, and cover that entire amount. We are no longer in a time where most can expect to make a decent living without a college degree either.
When saddled with tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loan debt, home purchasing becomes unattainable. Instead of the older generation chiding a growing chunk of millenials for living with mom and dad well into their 20s, the older generation should recognize that this isn't because millenials want to be coddled. It's because some millenials simply can't afford to pay Sallie Mae $1000/month, eat, and afford rent. Some millenials also want to get out of debt quickly and living rent free is a way to fast track out of student loan debt. Why the older generation seems fine with bailing out banks, but not the next generation, is a question I have had for a long time.
We are coming out of the worst job market since the Great Depression. Instead of the older generation retiring between 55-65 like they have in past decades, a large chunk of older folks are now deciding to work until the wheels fall off, preventing the natural movement of people in middle management positions from being promoted into higher management positions, people from entry level positions being promoted into middle management positions, and college graduates from being hired into entry level positions. While many older folks continue to work because they can't afford to retire, there are many older people who just refuse to leave the workplace and let this natural progression occur.
Older folks have also been responsible for electing the people who have destroyed our economy. As their senility deepens, so do their terrible political choices. They are selfish in thinking about their quality of life for the relatively short time they have left on this earth, while the younger generation is left to pick up the pieces after they're six feet under.
I am not bitter at the older generation, as much as I am just frustrated at the smugness and aloofness of many older people who fail to recognize that life is not as simple as it was in the 50s-90s.
College attendance is at an all time high - the highest percentage of high school graduates ever that go to college. Too many people are going to college, and borrowing money for degrees that are nearly unemployable.
The cost of higher education is rising faster than inflation because of a) demand, and b) easy money. Colleges are luxurious places today - far nicer than when I was in school. Who is demanding this luxury? Not me. It is people the age of my children.
Very true, the perfect example is my nephew and his friends. Friend A had a full-ride, academic scholarship to one of the top business schools in the Northeast. He dropped out because he felt like he wasn't getting what he needed out of college. He now works at a fast food restaurant and lives at home. Friend B was attending college, blew off his classes and dropped out without telling his parents, wasting thousands of dollars of their money. He also lives at home. My nephew dropped out of college after one semester, works 20 hours a week for minimum wage and lives at home. Noticing a pattern here?
Yes, the economy isn't great. Yes, it's hard to find a good job nowadays, but if you aren't making good choices you really can't blame anyone but yourself if you can't get ahead.
LOL definitely a pattern. I have a nephew who quit a job because he didn't like it and moved back home while he dabbles at finding a job in CALI or Seattle where of course all hip young millenials want to be. This is the second job he's quit that he didn't like.
One of our sons bounced back after 5 yrs to graduate. Fortunately, we were smart enough not to pay for that extra year. Still all living at home did was give him money to fund more instant gratification in the way of cars and electronics. We decided to retire and move about the same time we were contemplating kicking him out lol.
One son working on an MBA turned down a six figure salary because it didn't work with how he and his wife saw their plans as far a location, her job etc. Husband and I were appalled lol. Fortunately, it worked out and last week he received an offer higher that works for their plans. If he didn't, I would have no sympathy lol.
I hear that about college debt a lot, but for the most part the people I know PAID for the kids college. The kids aren't the ones carrying the debt. It's the parents.
The other thing to add about college debt is that it's not just college expenses -- because education lending is not dischargeable, there is a greatdeal of predatory lending going on.... and a lot of that is for crappy Heald type "colleges" and encourage the borrower to finance a lifestyle -- sure get a new car, you need to get to school... get a nice apartment, you need a place to study...
You can still get a good college education with out staking the rest of your life. But it's not the easiest way, and you'll have to work rather than party your way through school.
True this. One of our sons graduated with way more credit card debt than student loan debt for the part of his tuition we didn't cover.
Banks should not be allowed to hand out credit cards to kids with no credit history while they are registering for class.
Still its his poor choice to run up debt to fund his instant gratification needs that we weren't willing to fund.
We solved the problem of college grads returning home. We sold the house, moved into an RV and headed West for parts unknown.
The thing that kills me with my nephew isn't so much that he lives at home, but that he lives at home and does nothing. Doesn't pay rent, doesn't buy food, doesn't help clean or walk the dogs, doesn't pay for his cell phone, doesn't have his driver's license etc. It's like he's perfectly content to be an underachiever for the rest of his life.
BTW, I am so jealous of you and your RV. That is my retirement dream.
The thing that kills me with my nephew isn't so much that he lives at home, but that he lives at home and does nothing. Doesn't pay rent, doesn't buy food, doesn't help clean or walk the dogs, doesn't pay for his cell phone, doesn't have his driver's license etc. It's like he's perfectly content to be an underachiever for the rest of his life.
Actually it's just another case of tribal warfare. I am in the boomer generation and hate to be pigeon-holed. As many of us do. And I know it works both ways. Millenials hate to be stereotyped too.
Tribal warfare is an obvious sign of stupidity. We each are unique individuals. I laugh when people start talking about As versus Bs.
I made a good impression on my boss, I made sure to show him respect and I was an overall good person. That's why I started out as a senior manager. Plus I DID have management experience. Jobs are out there young man. You can end up just like me.
Why were you up at 2 in the morning posting this???
Why were you up at 2 in the morning posting this???
My own post indicates it is 10:52 pm but my watch says 8:48 pm - and I posted that awhile ago. So I would not judge a post of whoever it was based on the time stamp. This one says 11:50 pm (I'm editing) so the city data servers must be on the east coast.
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