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I don't know if this is invisibility or just an ignorant snotnose kid, but a few months ago, I had parked in the train lot and was walking toward the kiosk where one pays for parking. I was about 20 feet away when this kid about 18 or 20 RAN around me from behind to beat me to the machine.
He did not look at me when I stood behind him to wait or when he finished paying and turned to walk/run toward the train as if I didn't even exist.
I refrained from saying, "Wow, aren't you something. Beat a 60-something woman to the parking machine. Go you."
There is a youtube guy in Florida named Jose whose channel is "Southern Life". His schtick is just driving through cities and commenting on them, focusing often on hood areas and homelss camps. It gets clicks and makes money. I guess that is what gets people off.
In his last two videos, he is trying his hand at driving for Uber.
After two days ferrying passengers for Uber, he concluded that young passenger have absolutely no social skills and don't know how to hold down a person-to-person conversation in the car. He said that older generations of passengers are easily engaged in running conversations. They don't get upset about it. The younger passengers are just glued to their phone and grunt with disapproval when he tries to strike up a conversation with him.
Just one data point. .
My granddaughters are Gen Z, daughter Gen Y. I am a Boomer. I sometimes wonder if this is the same child I raised. Not very communitive, my daughter called the other night to talk about what is going on in her life. Oldest GD, who I nannied at 12-16 mos old and was in her life til they moved when she was 12, came into the room. Daughter asked her if she want to speak to "Mimi". I heard her say "I don't know what to say". Prolly cuz her mother has told her "Mimi wouldn't approve of that" at times in her life. My daughter is more lenient than I was, and the GD's know this. That's fine with me, they are in their lifestyle, I am in mine by choice.
What have Boomers done to benefit Gen X, Gen Z or even their own largely Millennial (Gen Y) children?
You left us a terrible political situation, unchecked open borders, ridiculous inflation, expensive houses, expensive universities, rampant crime (which many of you even have sympathy for, aka "tolerance"), and overall an eroded standard of living.
We pay for your absolutely massive entitlement programs, which at this point are mathematically impossible to sustain over the long run. If they still exist by the time I reach retirement age they will be so diluted as to be virtually worthless. So I continue to pay, and you benefit, but I will not. And if I'm mad about this at 37....imagine how a 27 year old or even 17 year old feels (and don't think they're unaware going into adulthood in the current environment).
America used to have factories that anyone could walk up to and get a job in. Now the people who would've worked in them are strung out on drugs, living in parents' basements, or bunk-bedded in a group house with a half dozen room mates.
You inherited the greatest economy and living standards in the history of the planet from your Greatest Generation parents. You will leave the rest of us with crumbs.
For what it's worth, my wife and I are perhaps in the top 3-5% of Millennials, and perhaps the top 10-15% of Americans overall. And yet your generation screwed frugal and honest people out of so much more. It's not just about the money either, it's about the decay we see while driving around or walking down streets
in nearby areas.
That decay is wholly on your generation's shoulders. It's also about the unchecked crazies on the university campuses. It's about the politicians (on both sides) that take, take, take, while delivering absolutely nothing; but you won't care as long as you get your entitlements for a couple more decades.
"We’re Old, Retired—and Apparently Invisible
In recent years, it seems that young people don’t even see us. Are we imagining things?"
The above is the title of a recent first-person article written by a pair of 60-something retirees. They recount stories of being in hostels, in restaurants, at art galleries, volunteer events, etc - and the common thread is that younger adults won't engage - no eye contact, no one looking up, etc.
They continue at another event:
Or at a restaurant, where the server spends his time chatting with and taking drink orders from tables with younger adults, but mostly ignoring the retirees attempt to order drinks, order food, or even get the bill.
Retired. Too old to be relevant. Too old to be seen.
Have you experienced this? Do you sometimes feel invisible?
I never would have believed the stereotyping and discrimination of the elderly by the medical profession, govt and young neighbors. Ive been investigated for ins fraud because how dare I an elderly person own a horse and fall off and require some medical care! how dare I. I also have young neighbors who believe that the elderly have no right to own a single family house! All the elderly should be made to get out of their houses so the young have houses. and these are young neighbors who can afford to buy $500,000. homes. Nasty. They wont chevk on you or call the police if you fell in the street. They might run you over first. Also very hard to get contractors to work on your house cause the elderly have no money and wont pay their bills. the generalizations are terrible. I never would have believed it. and I live in a blue affluent state. terrible attitudes here.
What have Boomers done to benefit Gen X, Gen Z or even their own largely Millennial (Gen Y) children?
You left us a terrible political situation, unchecked open borders, ridiculous inflation, expensive houses, expensive universities, rampant crime (which many of you even have sympathy for, aka "tolerance"), and overall an eroded standard of living.
We pay for your absolutely massive entitlement programs, which at this point are mathematically impossible to sustain over the long run. If they still exist by the time I reach retirement age they will be so diluted as to be virtually worthless. So I continue to pay, and you benefit, but I will not. And if I'm mad about this at 37....imagine how a 27 year old or even 17 year old feels (and don't think they're unaware going into adulthood in the current environment).
America used to have factories that anyone could walk up to and get a job in. Now the people who would've worked in them are strung out on drugs, living in parents' basements, or bunk-bedded in a group house with a half dozen room mates.
You inherited the greatest economy and living standards in the history of the planet from your Greatest Generation parents. You will leave the rest of us with crumbs.
For what it's worth, my wife and I are perhaps in the top 3-5% of Millennials, and perhaps the top 10-15% of Americans overall. And yet your generation screwed frugal and honest people out of so much more. It's not just about the money either, it's about the decay we see while driving around or walking down streets
in nearby areas.
That decay is wholly on your generation's shoulders. It's also about the unchecked crazies on the university campuses. It's about the politicians (on both sides) that take, take, take, while delivering absolutely nothing; but you won't care as long as you get your entitlements for a couple more decades.
Wow! I guess you never heard of individual responsibility? Thats so true for many Americans today, not age related. You want to blame every one else for the misfortune that you see around you. Couldnt be the fault of the individuals themselves could it? I sure didnt have high living stds when I was a kid, lucky if I got a bowl of potato soup for a meal. I paid for my education by working. Can you imagine that? no scholarships, no loans, no handouts. The professionals I know , worked. Big time. Far, far more than 40 hrs a week. Your generation doesnt want to work. You want everything handed to you and if its not then it someone elses fault. Glad you dont belong to me.
I don't care if I am invisible. I get stares at the gym; I am the oldest person lifting weights. Either they are surprised I am not dead or they are thinking what is that old man doing here.
As the Elton John song goes, and as Joni Mitchell did it so well at the Gershwin Prize for John and Taupin:
I'm still standing after all this time
I'm still standing better than I ever did
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