Zeitgeist

[rubato]

As someone far into his 50s I often look at 20-30 year olds and wonder; how do they see the world around them? What that was new and different for us has receded into the commonplace and become background, invisible, what are their assumptions about what is possible and desireable? How do they see a life well-lived that is different from my cohort?

There are some clues here and there, mostly bloodless statistics like the following (but interesting just the same). But nothing so far that helps to get inside the skin of a 20-something and walk around in it and see the world through their eyes.


http://www.theatlantic.com/business/arc ... ts/283263/


yrs,
rubato

[oldr_n_wsr]

As someone in his mid fifties, I don't need any articles and charts and graphs to tell me about the 20-somethings and their difficulties. I don't need to "wonder how they see the world around them". I just ask my children (one is 24 and the other 28). We live those charts and graphs every day. And yes I do say WE as we are a family and what concerns one, concerns us all. High taxes and high housing prices are driving the young out of the area. The economy is stagnant at best despite the stock market numbers and the unemployment numbers. Jobs normally filled by those fresh out of college were taken by us middle age layed off workers leaving the newly graduates with slim pickings. And the pickings that are there are usually not in their major. (and niether of my kids majored in philosphy or some other useless degree.) College costs for years outpaced just about any other economic indicator and only recently has it calmed down a bit but it's still out pacing inflation by double if I recall correctly. The middle class is dieing and it's future does not look promising.

My son just moved to Texas (actually he is set to arrive there sometime today) to escape the high cost of living here in the north east. We went there in November on a scouting mission and him and his girlfriend got jobs lined up for when they finally get there.
Both my wife and I (and my daughter) are sad that he felt he had to leave for greener pastures, but he has to do what he feels is right for him and his future.

The ivory tower of graphs and charts don't show the faces of those in the center of the shit storm that is todays economy. The overall picture just allows us to say "hey it sucks to be young now-a-days" while we sit back and sip some wine ice tea on the patio and enjoy the good weather (NOT) without it ever getting close to us.