General Election

[9goals2hattricks3pen]

This tired old trope has been trotted out since the year dot.

The younger generation always think that the older generation had an easier time than them and the older generation tend to moan about “todays youngsters” blah, blah, blah!

Back in the 70’s my own grandad ( born 1910 ) constantly referred to me as a “long haired layabout” and moaned about the “pouffs” on Top Of The Pops like Marc Bolan and David Bowie.

The older generation has a habit of holding the younger generation to a far higher standard than they themselves reached.

At the moment you’re of an age where you’re in the middle ground, you’re yet to reach “old” status.

I think you’ll find that in 20 to 30 years from now, you’ll be amongst friends and a portion of conversation will involve many of your peers moaning about the t e e n a g e r s and 20 somethings of that era.

Todays 40’s and below constantly bang on about “how easy it was” for my generation, well I was there 123 and I’ll confirm yet again, it wasn’t.

My mum and dad would’ve been classed as “aspirational” I guess but life was incredibly basic.

I didn’t go away for a proper holiday at the seaside for a week until I was in senior school at 11 years of age in 72 and that was only to Butlins.

My brother and I were constantly informed that money was tight and not to ask for stuff outside birthdays and Xmas, when I was 14 I finally got a Scalectrix set for Xmas ……it was second hand from a jumble sale. I was so pleased and grateful, the fact it wasn’t new didn’t matter.

As kids in the 70’s we dealt with power cuts, no electricity from 4.00pm in an afternoon in winter, cooking by candle and reading books by torch all evening because the TV wouldn’t work.

The difference for the vast majority of younger people today compared to 40 to 50 years ago is almost impossible to explain to someone who wasn’t around at that time.

And for those who say how easy it was to buy a house, I didn’t own one until I was closing in on 28 and that was only because my wife to be was a divorcee which sorted out our deposit.

If I picked you up and plonked you back in 1974 you’d be gobsmacked at the difference and how mundane and challenging life was.

You’ve never had to queue for bread for 3 or more hours or been rushed out of your classroom due to the IRA phoning up and saying they’d planted a bomb there, I lost count if the times we were stood on the playground, often in PE kit in mid winter whilst police searched our school.

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t swop my life for the life of someone today but that’s only because I can appreciate what I experienced.

The opportunity afforded to younger people today is enormous though.

Many get to travel and experience things that would’ve felt like space travel to me at 18.

I think you’ll be surprised at 60 plus as to the attitude towards you from people 30 to 50 years younger than you.

You’ll be told how easy YOU had it.

Thanks for posting that I had many similar experiences. Just to add both my older brother and I had to leave school and go to work at 16 as mum and dad needed the income. Leave school at 16 'shear bl00dy luxury' I hear the previous generation shouting. 'You went to school' with a note of inrcedulity from those before them.

I can accept 123's lack of understanding coming from ignorance of what we 'suffered' but I can't accept that our generation WANTED this generation to suffer. I think you should take that back.

[WBA123]

Thanks for posting that I had many similar experiences. Just to add both my older brother and I had to leave school and go to work at 16 as mum and dad needed the income. Leave school at 16 'shear bl00dy luxury' I hear the previous generation shouting. 'You went to school' with a note of inrcedulity from those before them.

I can accept 123's lack of understanding coming from ignorance of what we 'suffered' but I can't accept that our generation WANTED this generation to suffer. I think you should take that back.

Nope, you're okay.

This is my opinion. That's what this board is all about.

[9goals2hattricks3pen]

Nope, you're okay.

This is my opinion. That's what this board is all about.

I try not to get too personal on here but I find your statement that me and my generation WANT today's youth to suffer not only widely inaccurate but also extremely offensive.

I've never wanted anyone in life to do better than me. Then along came kids and that all changed.

Have you got kids?

[WBA123]

I try not to get too personal on here but I find your statement that me and my generation WANT today's youth to suffer not only widely inaccurate but also extremely offensive.

I've never wanted anyone in life to do better than me. Then along came kids and that all changed.

Have you got kids?

I'm not talking about your kids, most people want their own children to succeed. My point was wanting today's youth as a whole to suffer.