Boomers in the 80s and 90s were fucking depressed. They described their lives as a boring, soul-crushing existence where they did the same hollow shit day in and day out. They hated their bosses, they hated their jobs, their kids, their wife/husband. People had "Mid-life crises" where they tried to fill the void with "a fast car and a young hot fling." things capitalism told them would make them happy. It didn't.
Seriously listen to any media made by boomers when they were in their 30s-50s. It's all jokes about how fucking mundane life is.
Even at its peak, life under capitalism was hollow and soul crushing.
They were basically taught "as long as you keep your head down and play the game, we won't hurt you financially"
Sure, (if you were white and male) you had money, but it took everything else away. Community, friendship, family. Trapped them in a gilded cage. Having to watch their children having even that promise of financial stability ripped from them. And don't get me started on how terrible it was if you weren't a white dude.
I have to wonder if the "selfish, childish boomer" stereotype is something of a coping mechanism. Maybe some boomers are like that because thats their jokerfication.
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I think one major societal issue we have that is an impediment to building socialism is that fact that media is created by and about privileged people. Think about how many shows are about doctors, lawyers, detectives, successful entrepreneurs, etc. Or shows about writers or teachers where they don’t actually experience financial hardship. Compare that with how often you see a show like Maid or Roseanne. The majority of Americans barely get by financially (at best) but the dramatic over-emphasis in media on highly compensated professionals or people who have plenty of money creates this illusion that financial precarity is the abberation in American life and not the norm.
Even if the character(s) have "humble" origins, often the main thrust of the plot is that they are actually born special and are now exempt from all the burdens of humility and must take on the responsibility of being magic cops in service of the status quo.