Am I the only one getting pissed off by people pitting generations against each other?

“Young people these days don’t know how good they’ve got it. They don’t know how to work hard.”
“Ok, Boomer.”
“Millennials are so cringe.”
“Gen Z live their lives online.”

Why is it such a constant back-and-forth with all of us???

I saw a TikTok of a girl telling about how, at 30 years old, she was hired for a job she’d had 11 years experience in yet she was spoken to and treated like she was a teenager and a burden on the older staff. Even if she were younger than 30, why should that matter, especially when she acted professionally? Safe to say she left after two hours and wrote a strongly worded email to the director who hired her, and they seem to have taken the complaint seriously.

There are plenty of other stories of younger generations patronising older ones too, so don’t think that I’m necessarily taking sides here. Boomers and older Gen Xs complain that younger people don’t know how to work hard, and younger people think that older gens are stuck in old ways that are no longer relevant.

Both are right and both are wrong.

Every generation knows how to work hard but in different capacities. Most Millennials and Gen Zs might not know what it’s like to walk five miles in the snow to get to school (exaggerated or not…), but most older gens don’t know what it’s like to be unable to buy a house or support a family on a single wage from a blue- or white-collar job. We come from completely different worlds and the understanding and tolerance is almost non-existent.

What has really triggered me lately though is the idea that younger generations shouldn’t have allowances that weren’t given to older generations. Just because they had to pay for university, younger generations shouldn’t have the privilege of potentially getting a free ride? Just because 65-year-old Dave worked eighteen-hour days, six days a week to provide for his family, 22-year-old Tom shouldn’t spend eight hours, four days a week making content then enjoying the rest of his time as the views and money roll in? Didn’t older generations work hard so younger generations could have it easier and not go through what they went through?

Think of it this way. If we could all have it easier, job/education/money-wise, surely that would open up more time to focus on important things, like saving the planet, helping humanity, protecting wildlife. Shouldn’t we be working to give both ourselves and the next generations a leg up?

I just don’t understand it. NONE of us will be here one day, not even the Earth, so why are we so focused on pulling each other down and not understanding and helping each other? I am well aware that I am speaking from a place of privilege – some people have every right to be angry at the priviliged when they’re living hand-to-mouth – but not so many are as self-aware.

Honestly I’m just kind of rattling off a stream of consciousness here, but that’s kind of partly what my blog is for, just to get shit off my chest, and this shit is constantly on my mind. I just cannot believe we’re part of a race that is so hypocritical and intent on destroying each other.

I’m exhausted, y’all.