I know a huge thing that you see online is talks about different generations, and it almost seems as if to me that for some folks, “generational conflict” has replaced class conflict. Furthermore, I worry that the American dream was supposed to die so everyday baby boomers could buy houses and see their property values go up hundredfold and invite otherwise working class folk into an “honorary bourgeoisie” system. But ultimately this is still a class struggle rather than a generation struggle. Like I’m gen Z and I do not see baby boomers as my oppressor, there’s plenty of millennial landlords ready to rip me off because LinkedIn told him to liquidate his assets’ or whatever idk I don’t speak Porkuguese.

I’m no exception, I’ve made my guesses on why any given generation is the way it is, but I can’t help but wonder when did this focus on generation over class all start? Did baby boomers grow up identifying as baby boomers, and when they were in their 20s-40s was there this idea that millennials were going to be their designated bagholders? If so, did baby boomers always have a consistent culture and identity?

Sorry if this is a dumb question, it’s just that the generational struggle seems really flimsy upon further scrutiny.

  • Adkml [he/him]
    ·
    6 months ago

    Socrates told Plato the younger generation was doomed because they relied on the new fangled technology of writing to rember stuff instead of just learning oral tradition so literally forever.

    Although smaller scale the greatest generation originally reffered to boomers ad "the me generation" because they were so selfish until boomers outnumbered them and colloquially changed it to baby boomers.

    So short answer: forever

    Long answer: forever but baby boomers are uniquely spoiled and entitled because they've fought with every generation before and since

    I know people say generational conflict is reactionary bitten I see 100 polls in a row where 90% of boomers say they support setting younger generations on fire for warmth instead of paying $20 for a communal heat source that would work perfectly.

    There's deffinitly way more solidarity between millenials and gen x against boomers and millenails have mostly managed to avoid the same pitfalls of talking too much shit about gen alpha.

    • Diuretic_Materialism [he/him]
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      6 months ago

      know people say generational conflict is reactionary bitten I see 100 polls in a row where 90% of boomers say they support setting younger generations on fire for warmth instead of paying $20 for a communal heat source that would work perfectly.

      Reagan won the youth vote. People like to point to the counter culture but they were a small and despised minority. Also most based boomers were early boomers, late boomers, ie: most of the boomers still around today, had the silver spoon of the 80s economy shoved up their ass.

      Generational politics is mostly bunk EXCEPT for Boomers, they do actually consistently suck enough that hating on them is totally justified.

      • Adkml [he/him]
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        6 months ago

        Reagan won the youth vote.

        Yea, as soon as boomers were all old enough to vote Reagan won 49 states.

        Then as soon as boomers got a little older the youth vote went back to not being for the worst president in the last two generations.

        The generational infighting is mostly bullshit literally except boomers, they really are just that shitty.

    • GrouchyGrouse [he/him]
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      6 months ago

      As an older millennial I sure as shit don't understand gen alpha but I don't dislike them. I find some of their antics to be cringe and dumb but I was cringe and dumb at that age. I'm sure the majority will grow up and be fine.