General Election

[baggieal]

When you write 'totally agree' does that include the bit 'we the older generation ie you and me WANT the younger generation to suffer!' that's the bit I can't accept

No obviously! Don’t think many would want the younger generation to suffer but can’t stand this - everything was harder years ago! It’s complete bollox.

Opportunities with good schools for bright kids - free uni - great NHS - in the EU - easier to be an entrepreneur- much much easier in terms of salary to get on the housing ladder - many women had the luxury of staying at home - no threat of world destruction - no drugs rarely around - less crime and murders.

The only hardship was an outside bog for a
s hit! Dislike those who bleat - so much harder years ago - this or that was good enough for me so it’s good enough for my Johnny now!

Any real parents would want to see better opportunities and education for their kids more so than ever!

[mickd1961]

You might very well be right Mick. When I am a pensioner, perhaps the younger generation will feel like I did have it easy compared to them. Does it say something about declining living standards?

I'm lucky in that I do have property and will have a nice retirement (I've been planning for it long enough). But I'm uniquely different to most, because a lot of people feel squeezed out of everything. We currently have the highest taxation level since WW2, but probably the worst public service levels in my lifetime - I can only go back to the early 90s from memory. If you compare the NHS now compared to 2010, its like night and day. We know what the common denominator is, but where is this extra taxation money going? I really don't know the answer to that.

Also, I think I will always have the philosophy that I want the next generation to succeed. I'll want them to have nice things and great holidays. I don't get that feeling from the older generation and some on this board, in fact I sense the opposite. People (not you specifically) think 'well I had it tough, they should too'....which is an attitude I just don't understand.

I'm not trying to tar everyone over 50 with the same brush. But it does aggravate me when I see elder people moaning about younger people, and I do see how difficult it is for people in their 20s, with the job market, housing market and lack of public services. These things would be improved had we not left the EU, for example. Or politicians had made better decisions (£33bn on track and trace for instance)...

Anyway, there's my two cents.

On another note, I'm glad you re-joined posting on the board. Much more activity now that you're here than when you weren't.

I appreciate your comment on a personal note 123, thank you for that.

As a father of three and grandfather to three, I think I’m like most of my generation who want to see the next generation’s doing well yet not being envious of them.

To this end my wife and I have already passed a large portion of our wealth onto our kids so that they have vastly easier lives than we had.

I will say this though, I’m often surprised when talking with friends and family as to how little they help their kids financially whilst they themselves are very comfortable or in some cases, very wealthy.

I feel that too many of them are happy to go on cruises and on a lot of material goods for themselves and meanwhile their kids struggle to buy a house and to get through daily life.

By most peoples standards I would be classed as “well off” but in truth a lot of mine is tied up in property and business, even so, I would feel uncomfortable to be even better off whilst having two of my three kids living in council accommodation given their financial circumstances.

I get more pleasure out of helping them out than I would in having a seafront glass mansion in Malaga which I could’ve done if I’d kept it all for myself.