Looking at the generations from the Fourth Turning perspective

[David Horn]

(06-05-2018, 06:24 PM)sbarrera Wrote:

(06-05-2018, 12:25 PM)tg63 Wrote: It's a great perspective. I was struck by how many appear accurate, but the one that made me think a bit was that, in the crisis, boomers would be expected to trade material security for moral authority. I'm not sure if/how that is manifesting ... or maybe that's the next stage.

Not sure about that one, either. The only thing that comes close is that they are not making any effort to salvage social security/medicare which will hurt them materially. But it will hurt Gen-Xers worse.

SS and MC are actually in pretty good shape.  No commercial alternative is better, and, in any case, no upgrade to either is even possible.  What should tell the tale is the willingness of Boomers to be taxed for the general welfare.  Obviously, the Trumpists are adamantly opposed, but the jury is still out on the rest of us.  We've reached a near terminal point in wealth disparity that is still compatible with Western-style democracy.  Obviously, most of the 1% will fight to keep theirs, but the next tier are the ones who will suffer some loss of prestige and comfort.  Let's see if they will accept the loss graciously, though it may be a bit of a stretch to expect them to give it up willingly.