"here is the essay question: can a generation—reared in affluence, schooled in self-importance, comparatively ignorant of national sacrifice—admit that the country can't support it as grandly in its old age as it did in its youth?"
Or will they steamroll over another generation's youth to maintain the lifestyle to which they have become accustomed?
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3 comments:
Ms. Kamenetz:
In all due respect, (you are an excellent writer) the problems of anyone in their 20s can not be blamed on the "Baby-Boom Generation". I am not a "Boomer", or a 20-something, but my own suggestion is to please "pipe-down" the generational warfare. It doesn't help anyone.
Respectfully,
Andrewx1966
Andrew, please walk 300 yards in my shoes to see how hard it is to advance through the American class strata when you aren't born into the upper-middle segment. Come back and talk to me when you had no choice but to run up $30,000 of student loan debt when you were only 21.
I just discovered 'Generation Debt' today and 'Strapped' when searching on Google by chance. I too feel there is a certain amount of Boomer irresponsiblity in terms of how it handles national economic issues (that affect their children).
Yet, as someone in their 20's, I cannot help but be skeptical of these books if thier critics are correct.(My final judgement after I've read them!) I think it is great that graduates of IVY league colleges care so much about the lower income students.*sarcasm* I, however, cannot take seriously authors whom claim to feel a generation's financial pain, While they temselves enjoy a profligate lifestyle choice. It appears one element of gen-y genuinely has to worry about being swallowed in debt (as in going bankrupt and being truly poor), while another group frets about how to finance thier latest expensive vacation or lifestyle indulgence or wedding. I'm glad that lower class angst is still going to be exploited by my generation's writers. Thank You and pass the latte'!
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