Mumsnet paused a “boomer” thread this morning, and…

So if right place right time doesn't = lucky, what does ?

But some people really seem to hate boomers and think all the wrongs in the world are down to them. It was just the high birth rate after the war as people tried to pick their lives up, which had often been on hold for 5 years the boomers had a rough time really not enough schools, huge classes in schools, rationing, anyone would think they were all born with a silver spoon.

Exactly this! I’m GenX and many of us genuinely thought we were going to die from AIDS or a nuclear attack. Unemployment was high. And we had no means of communication except for the ‘house phone’.

And even in the 90s mobile phones were not that common and were “dumbphones”.

My young end millennial children went through school with BBM being the height of excitement until very late on. The first iPhones were only announced in 2007 and were very niche for several versions. Smart phones/hand-helds by default is a very recent phenomenon in generational terms.

Gen X were in adulthood before mobile phones were widely available. They did exist in the 1980s but in the form of suitcase-sized analogue ensembles carried by rich businessmen. It wasn't until the mid-to-late 90s that mobiles started to reach the masses, by which time even late Gen X would already be adults, and the earliest Gen X would have been in their 30s.

Is this the totes genuine poster, self describing as an over 60 cashier in order to whine about old “boomers" paying in cash rather than going cashless (and making them redundant)? I particularly enjoyed the secondary complain of customers wanting their receipts, presumably ignorant of most supermarkets reserving the right to check receipts.

The internet is a wondrous thing - it allows me to be Pope Leo when I wish it. Some idiot will believe it.

There has always been a group of people who society deem it acceptable to deride, mock, silence, subjugate and exclude.
The group of people changes through the generations but the behaviour doesn’t.

It never ceases to amaze me how subsequent generations don’t see this when they’re appalled by the previous generation’s treatment of other groups, instead they replicate and choose their own “out group” to belittle.

Apparently you're allowed to post goady ageist threads and double down by correcting people's spelling.

Absolutely, because that's the way it is with society.

That is a good point about maternity leave and I had the same (aged 60 now so almost a Boomer). Plus no free child care whatsoever. And no remote working as it wasn't a thing then apart from certain specialist jobs.

I know my generation still had things better than the current generation of young people, in lots of ways. But every generation has it's challenges and it's not our fault it's all just government policy on multiple things that changes over the years.

I'm 62 and just scrape into the Boomer generation, so not a significant difference.

Haha well your username checks out because you have matured!

😂😂of course! If only you could have predicted the future!
I got 13 weeks maternity leave, only 6 on full pay. I had to return to work on the same hours, or lose my job. I am so pleased that my pregnant colleagues can take a year out, and come back to reduced and flexible hours. I'm not bitter, I'm glad things have improved with maternity rights.
We can't just get bogged down in who has the biggest privilege.
Apart from the very rich, no matter what generation!

Absolutely right. It's just silly.
Although I did eat a lot of cod. 🐟

I quite agree with that. Social things a generation has in common, eg most GenXers watched Top of the Pops, or most Boomers sang hymns at school or most Millennials had a Disney dvd.

Grumbling about the good fortune of a previous generation is daft. I had free university tuition and a full grant. But at the time did I appreciate it? Hell no. I even went on a demonstration for a bigger grant! Looking back obviously I feel embarrassed for my entitled young self!

Good grief. You think that because you, personally, benefited from a few privileges and young people are currently having a difficult time, it’s ok for them to use the term ‘boomer’ in such a derisive manner? I can honestly say that the only time I hear the word ‘boomer’ used respectfully is when it’s prefixed by the word ‘baby’ and being referenced in, say, a documentary. I feel desperately sorry for young people. My eldest son is 17 and I worry for his future. But I would be furious if I heard him use that term to express his anger at a generation of people. He wouldn’t though because I’ve brought him up to look at things from all angles and to be respectful.

To be fair, I'm 61 and got in a fluster at the till in Savers for some reason, but the cashier is lovely and said put them in my hand and I'll sort it.
I'm not usually that way though

Yes. I think generational labels can be useful for saying things like Gen Z grew up with social media from childhood and Gen X had a childhood without mobile phones but an adult life with them etc.

But not useful for saying "Gen Z have no resilience" or "Boomers ate all the cod in the north sea"

@caringcarer how foolish of anyone to be "resentful of a generation". Not everyone lucked out. Women often didn't, non white people didn't and gays didn't.
Have a look at when Equality Acts were passed.
Some people never had fantastic opportunities, and left school at 14 or 16.
I'm glad that you were fortunate, but generalisations never help

At 64 almost 65 I'm classed as a boomer but I really don't care what term is used to describe my generation. People get too upset and offended too easily these days. I know I have been lucky in my life. I got a grant to go to university. People of my age often got council houses although I didn't get one of those. I've lived through mortgage in nearest of 0.5 percent for almost 10 years of my mortgage allowing me to make overpayments and pay it off early saving thousands in interest. I own it. Young people have it far tougher today with student loans with soaring interest, higher mortgage rates, house prices are so high they need huge deposits. I get it. I fully understand why younger people feel resentful of people of my generation especially with future state pension a little uncertain when they retire. I just wish younger people would understand none of it was of our own making. Governments have to take responsibility for that. I personally pass on asuch as I can to my DC and dgc whilst I can see them enjoy it.

Yes, I would agree.

I agree @KellyMumsnet

I'd say that the OP of that thread was demonstrating genuine hostility @KellyMumsnet