patrick.net

To argue a little with Wookie, all of the boomers I know tried to get by while the Arabs fucked the world economy up, Soviets threatened to destroy us, and unemployment, interest rates and inflation were each 12% or higher.
The job market sucked badly, so a lot of guys were scrambling for a career.
I know guys who went to college and ended up firemen, or went into the trades because there were no professional jobs.
Some became shyster lawyers for lack of employment.
Jimmy Carter scared everyone with his lousy speeches to make things worse.
The most capable guys I know are boomers, they might not be the richest.
Addendum
Several of my boomer friends worked at businesses that their parents owned although they had excellent education. They likely felt it was their only choice.

richwicks says

There are very little real charities.

That’s why I always give only to small charities dedicated to helping widows and orphans… or the modern day equivalent of the like. Battered women shelters and programs/shelters for teenagers at risk. These are the helpless and the needy who can be actually helped. Usually the charity is religious in nature, and most of those are fairly conscientious about how donations are used.

Onvacation says

Don't hate me because I am a boomer. That is playing right into their hand.

I don't hate individual boomers. Your leaders suck though. Every leader will make a bad decision. The Boomers have made more bad ones than any generation I can think of and they seemingly want to hold onto power forever.

My comment isn't about the working man/woman of that age. Though on average most are technically poor and can't retire, yet try to dictate how younger generations should behave, invest, etc. I guess maybe that's my issue. Dictating how I should live and them not having had to live that way because they're older. I'm sure with Covid vaccines and decisions the average person is 33... lol. No way. Boomers are dictating all this shit that had you locked up in your home (or boat if you sleep there) for a year.

And again, it's not the average boomer, but for some reason the generation has produced egotistical crazy people that somehow get into power positions. Politics. Corporations. I mean come one, Bill Gates for fucks sake? No discernible skill beside putting a computer together which any 13 year old can do and is now a person people look up to for this vaccine shit??? That's bat shit crazy, pun intended.

clambo says

Soviets threatened to destroy us

They were never a threat and that's part of the problem. I'm no fan of the "greatest" generation as war isn't great. They are the ones that created the modern day MIC essentially. That wasn't great by a long stretch. There's a difference between having a strong military and using it all the time. We're like the dude on roids with the military. I like having it, but there's no need to try and flex that muscle when you don't know how to fight. We've failed in almost every engagement since WWII. Most under the leadership of Boomers besides Vietnam which they fought in. Clearly didn't learn anything from that.

WookieMan says

They were never a threat and that's part of the problem.

LOL

Shaman says

richwicks says

There are very little real charities.

That’s why I always give only to small charities dedicated to helping widows and orphans… or the modern day equivalent of the like. Battered women shelters and programs/shelters for teenagers at risk

I'm Charitable direct, I don't give to charities, none I don't donate money to any organization period. I was going to make an exception for Trump. But I was holding out for high-profile people going to jail, or the Swamp getting visibly drained.

That being said, I know many Charitable people, who wouldn't give their family or friends a dime. When a Family member or Friend comes to me to borrow money. I always give it to them, under the condition, they never ask me again. And I'm giving it to them, for the sake of a relationship, and in the spirit of charity. I have seen and known far too many people with siblings and once close friends, become bitter mortal enemies over money someone didn't pay back.
Anyone in a Restaurant or Store asking for money to eat, I'll buy them anything on the menu. Sometimes they leave, because they were panhandling cash so they could buy drugs or alcohol. But I have brought many to tears for my generosity. I've watched people in fast-food line ignoring someone begging anyone to buy him something to eat. These were people who look like they write off donations to tax exempt charities.
Which brings me to another point. Almost all charitable people, only do so, so they can claim it on their taxes.

That stupid exemption benefits billionaires and they use it to not pay any taxes on the scale that they are playing. While most people like us, it wouldn't have made or broke us if we didn't write it off on our taxes.

I once in a Walmart parking lot, and had a black kid in his late teens or just turned 20, ask me for money to buy a pair of Dickies work pants, because he was starting a new Maintenance Job for a Condo building. I was on y out to get in my car. Without hesitation I took him in the store, went to the bin where he got his size, then told him to get two. Walked with him to the cash register, paid for them, got the receipt. Told him good luck and walked back to my car. I didn't stick around to get Selfies and post it on Fakebook, and Twister. I didn't even get his name.

Charity has become a financial transaction for most, and not something they would just do to help out their fellow man.

Eric Holder says

WookieMan says

They were never a threat and that's part of the problem.

LOL

It was overhyped. It's always overhyped. No different than now how Trump was a Russian puppet. Fear controls people. Soviets were never a threat to mainland US no matter what you've read. It's all bullshit. MAD existed the minute 2 countries had nukes. Even back in the days of physical newspapers, hype sold. The Soviets were not an actual threat.

The game changed after WWII. We were the fuckers crazy enough to use a nuke on people. What ensued was a biggest dick contest that no one was willing to die over. So yes, either parties were not a threat to each other. It was media hype at the time like we get on social media and the tv today.

WookieMan says

Eric Holder says

WookieMan says

They were never a threat and that's part of the problem.

LOL

It was overhyped. It's always overhyped. No different than now how Trump was a Russian puppet. Fear controls people. Soviets were never a threat to mainland US no matter what you've read. It's all bullshit. MAD existed the minute 2 countries had nukes.

They had credible plans and means to roll through Europe all the way to English Channel in mere weeks though. I once talked to a former Soviet Colonel who was stationed in Eastern Germany back then. He confirmed that they were constantly planning and working on a blitzkrieg scenario wrt West Europe and calculation whether or not US would resort to use nukes to stop them. The thinking was if they manage to move fast enough and present US with a fait accompli US would let it go, because using nukes is MAD and another D-day type of operation is practically impossible nowadays.

Eric Holder says

They had credible plans and means to roll through Europe all the way to English Channel in mere weeks though. I once talked to a former Soviet Colonel who was stationed in Eastern Germany back then.

I don't dispute your claim. You're also under the assumption he knew the final plans. He could have been lied to as a moral booster for his troops. It's a strategy of every military higher up. If you think your leaders believe a blitzkrieg scenario is possible, you buy in and it builds confidence. Trickle down so to speak.

And again, not saying it wasn't true what you mention, just saying it's unlikely the Soviets were ever an actual threat to our mainland. Iraq was a threat from all the Saudi terrorists. So there's that. Media and government lie to cover their tracks or make money.

WookieMan says

the Soviets were ever an actual threat to our mainland.

Well, if we are to go this route neither Germany nor Japan were never a threat to our mainland. Neither in 1917, nor in 1941.

PS. I think the cucked behavior of US leadership towards Soviets all the way up until Reagan kinda confirms they thought that the risk to lose Europe was credible. Reagan turned the whole thing on its head by deploying middle-range missiles in Europe thus neutering the whole "leap to the Channel" idea.

WookieMan says

Onvacation says

Don't hate me because I am a boomer. That is playing right into their hand.

I don't hate individual boomers. Your leaders suck though.

@Onvaction - what WookieMan is saying is true. Look at who runs our nation today. They are AWFUL. Our news media is controlled by your generation now - we've always had propaganda, but YEEESH - it's nothing but propaganda now. Blatantly obvious, they don't even try to be credible, they MOCK us "Look, we're in control, fuck you!"

I wrote a long rant on this, but I need to solidify my thoughts on it. There's plenty of GREAT people in the boomer generation, I know quite a few, but the leadership of that generation that runs this nation now.... It's abysmal.

I have to do more research to have a more coherent opinion, but I thought the "anti-war" generation wouldn't drag us into war, after war, after war, after war. That's my greatest disappointment with the boomers. It seems to create a lot of bloodshed and misery. The generation that was old enough to live through the Gulf of Tonkin Incident and the Pentagon Papers - I expected them to be more resistant to propaganda and I'm bitterly disappointed that it took them 20 years to realize it's all bullshit. That's nearly 1/2 my life - they had a headstart.

richwicks says

I have to do more research to have a more coherent opinion, but I thought the "anti-war" generation wouldn't drag us into war, after war, after war, after war.

It's quite simple really - as long as they can send someone else to fight and die for their goals of conquest, they support it. Pure, solopsistic, narcissisistic self interest.

So, the OP succeeded once again in pitting the generations against each other, and dividing us when we should be consolidating to fight the real foes. Congratulations for falling into the trap.

stereotomy says

richwicks says

I have to do more research to have a more coherent opinion, but I thought the "anti-war" generation wouldn't drag us into war, after war, after war, after war.

It's quite simple really - as long as they can send someone else to fight and die for their goals of conquest, they support it. Pure, solopsistic, narcissisistic self interest.

It's not a generational thing, so much as it's the sociopaths versus the indifferent.

I do not wish to alienate anybody. I know some GREAT boomers, but I know a lot of awful ones too They didn't seem to listen to their parents, and they don't listen to their children. In my experience, generally, they are the most difficult generation to talk with. I can have a discussion about 9/11 being a false flag with Generation Y, but a boomer, quite often they will go ballistic on me.

They are the most propagandized generation in our nation I think. They're victims too but they've been programmed to victimize as well. Its very hard to communicate with them, to convince them they are wrong, or have been fooled.

I'm in X, we'll see if we're monsters soon enough. We created the internet to make it possible for people to connect their thoughts and learn from one another. We may have actually inadvertently created a surveillance state. The one good thing about my generation is I think we've created a lot of waves. We're the generation that is pushing back the hardest on this woke bullshit, and the degradation of education, we do the most to expose propaganda, and the dishonesty of government but we may ultimately lose the fight. If we do, our generation will be villains.

Ceffer says

So, the OP succeeded once again in pitting the generations against each other, and dividing us when we should be consolidating to fight the real foes. Congratulations for falling into the trap.

No, the divide exists. We need to talk about it, and resolve it.

I'm in X - you want to criticize my generation - go ahead. I want to know where other people think we fucked up, because we HAVE fucked up. I know we have created the infrastructure to make a police state. We did this with the intention of making a world wide communication system.

When I was in college, I was at a party with another engineering student who said "we're gong to eliminate EVERY culture with the Internet" and I was shocked, and told him that, then he responded "you don't understand, once we do this, there's nothing to fight over, no disagreement" - that is what we were aiming for. We NEVER imagined that what we made would be turned against us. But we will reverse it.

We were used, I'm sure the boomers were as well. Tell us how we fucked up. If we don't know how we fucked up, we can't fix our fuckups. We have to know the problem to address the problem. I can't be offended. I'm smarter than that. Let's address our problems honestly, that's no division - it's just a brutal discussion, and nobody should be offended when a mistake is pointed out to them.

When people take offense, that's because they suspect they are wrong, or are outraged that they have been slandered. This is basically an anonymous forum, if you say I'm fucking farm animals, why would I be offended? I don't care if you slander me. You should never take offense from somebody you don't personally know - and when you do, it's because you suspect - well, they made a good point. The real person that has offended you, is your previous self that has been lying to you this entire time. We all live in different levels of self delusion. My asshole 25 year old self, was an asshole, what a fucking idiot. I'll be saying this to my current self in 10 years.

Onvacation says

It's not about age. That is just a number. There is a group of people that have been fucking things up for the common man since before Columbus "found" the "new world". They are multi generational and have been accumulating power since time immemorial. They manipulate markets and ALWAYS have contingency plans.

Can't disagree at all.

This is why people need to talk. Different people have different ideas and knowledge, we must work together to understand the true nature of society.

Eric Holder says

WookieMan says

They were never a threat and that's part of the problem.

LOL

This doesn't explain how WoookieMan is wrong. You're just mocking somebody. Explain how he is wrong.

People are RARELY stupid, but they can be naive or ignorant. No sin in that. When I'm wrong, I fucking want to know why you think I'm wrong. If you give me a ridiculous explanation, I'll explain why I think it's a ridiculous explanation.

I'm INFINITELY naive, but I'm not stupid. There is so much to goddamn know.

RC2006 says

What a surprise, boomers pretty much got there wealth selling out future generations

That is the general thinking, I realize. Is it true?

Is X not doing the same thing?

You don't exactly call a standing army with 5,5M active personnel, 35M in reserve, 90M total available for conscription, 40K tanks, etc. "overhyped" and "insignificant", m'kay? The threat of "steamrolling" Europe was very real.

Eric Holder says

You don't exactly call a standing army with 5,5M active personnel, 35M in reserve, 90M total available for conscription, 40K tanks, etc. "overhyped" and "insignificant", m'kay? The threat of "steamrolling" Europe was very real.

I'm like Trump, fuck Europe. Fuck defending them. It also wouldn't have been easy because Soviets/Russians aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer. They have zero issue stabbing each other in the back in a moments notice. Just because you have numbers doesn't mean it's functional. And just because they can defend their homeland when they put the bottle down doesn't mean they have offensive prowess. Russians will protect the homeland, but they're not well known for being effecting in taking things over outside of tiny regions/countries that no one cares about really.

My point was they were never a threat to mainland USA. Maybe Alaska or Hawaii. Or Guam after we took that. They have/had no offensive power since they got nukes. They've really never been a threat. The cold war was hype. Testing nukes doesn't equate to it working in the real world on foreign soil and getting it across an Ocean at the time.

It's probably likely that what they did in Cuba was standard missiles. We have no clue really. They puss'd out either way. So in reality it wasn't a threat. Because they likely weren't nukes. That's just what we're told to instill fear. Russians or the USA could win a conflict in minutes. No one chooses to do so. MAD is possible, but who knows. Like I said, it's a big dick contest that no one is willing to die over. And frankly during and after the cold war Russia has shown its micro penis.

You know they’ll just spend it on socially fashionable shit like gay rights, social justice, equity… fund destruction of America paved with good intentions.

I'm not a subscriber so I could only read the first few paragraphs.

1) The average wealth of the 70+ bracket is up 7% in part because life expectancy has increased by 5 years in the past 30. More people over 70 = longer until their wealt is passed down and more opportunity to build wealth since many are retiring later than 30 years ago.

https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/USA/united-states/life-expectancy

2) Given the average inheritance cited in the article, I wonder how much of that wealth is due to the sale of the deceased primary residence by their heirs. I'd be willing to bet the 45% rise and home prices correlate closely to the gain in average inheratnce, but I don't have the latest Case Schiller charts on hand.

I don't see how givong away once wealth in advance helps. Remember the parable about the prodigal son?