Were boomers the hard workers of our country?

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blueluna5

Well-known member
Jul 30, 2018
560
330
63
#1
Why do you think so many people don't want to work now? Is it laziness?

To be clear my husband and I do work, but his job changed after covid. He use to be gone 12 hours a day and now he's part time with a side job and can pick hours. I also have a work from home job.

In our case we did it for childcare. Back in the 90s as a kid I would be in school and then grandparents from 8 am to 5 pm everyday. My husband was the same 4 am to 3 pm at grandparents everyday. We have a theory that humans can only work for so long. Like boomers don't want to help with grandkids bc they worked all their lives. In any case between childcare closing for the week, not having enough workers, school going virtual and counting as a day. There was even a day they sent them home early for an emergency and gave an hour notice. It's craziness. It would be impossible. In any case I know people where at least 1 parent decides to stay home for that reason. They still "work." But to the outside world they would think it's a stay at home parent.
 

notmyown

Senior Member
May 26, 2016
4,744
1,156
113
#2
Why do you think so many people don't want to work now? Is it laziness?

To be clear my husband and I do work, but his job changed after covid. He use to be gone 12 hours a day and now he's part time with a side job and can pick hours. I also have a work from home job.

In our case we did it for childcare. Back in the 90s as a kid I would be in school and then grandparents from 8 am to 5 pm everyday. My husband was the same 4 am to 3 pm at grandparents everyday. We have a theory that humans can only work for so long. Like boomers don't want to help with grandkids bc they worked all their lives. In any case between childcare closing for the week, not having enough workers, school going virtual and counting as a day. There was even a day they sent them home early for an emergency and gave an hour notice. It's craziness. It would be impossible. In any case I know people where at least 1 parent decides to stay home for that reason. They still "work." But to the outside world they would think it's a stay at home parent.
i dunno... my little sister is a boomer, and she's currently responsible for two of her grandkids.

i was a kid in the fifties and sixties, but i think my parents generation was more hard working than mine. what do you think?
 

Seeker47

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2018
999
843
93
#3
I don't think it is "Boomers" who don't help with the grandkids. I know many "Boomers" who are raising the GKids by themselves because the parents are unwilling. If anything, we raised a few narcissistic children.
 

Roughsoul1991

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2016
8,784
4,453
113
#4
Why do you think so many people don't want to work now? Is it laziness?

To be clear my husband and I do work, but his job changed after covid. He use to be gone 12 hours a day and now he's part time with a side job and can pick hours. I also have a work from home job.

In our case we did it for childcare. Back in the 90s as a kid I would be in school and then grandparents from 8 am to 5 pm everyday. My husband was the same 4 am to 3 pm at grandparents everyday. We have a theory that humans can only work for so long. Like boomers don't want to help with grandkids bc they worked all their lives. In any case between childcare closing for the week, not having enough workers, school going virtual and counting as a day. There was even a day they sent them home early for an emergency and gave an hour notice. It's craziness. It would be impossible. In any case I know people where at least 1 parent decides to stay home for that reason. They still "work." But to the outside world they would think it's a stay at home parent.
I believe that it is safe to say with technology it makes work easier but with each generation the moral deterioration and failures in political issues have contributed to our current environment.
 

Ted01

Well-known member
May 14, 2022
1,055
448
83
#5
Why do you think so many people don't want to work now? Is it laziness?

To be clear my husband and I do work, but his job changed after covid. He use to be gone 12 hours a day and now he's part time with a side job and can pick hours. I also have a work from home job.

In our case we did it for childcare. Back in the 90s as a kid I would be in school and then grandparents from 8 am to 5 pm everyday. My husband was the same 4 am to 3 pm at grandparents everyday. We have a theory that humans can only work for so long. Like boomers don't want to help with grandkids bc they worked all their lives. In any case between childcare closing for the week, not having enough workers, school going virtual and counting as a day. There was even a day they sent them home early for an emergency and gave an hour notice. It's craziness. It would be impossible. In any case I know people where at least 1 parent decides to stay home for that reason. They still "work." But to the outside world they would think it's a stay at home parent.
I would want to disparage any one "generation" with all the world's problems... it seems to me that each and every generation adds to the world's problems.

But with that said, I do think that the "boomers" added, considerably, to what I consider one of our worst problems... a dislike for Truth.
Relativism grew enormously, nihilism, existentialism, hedonism and others. Today it seems as though there's not only no belief in absolute Truth, but there's also tons of skepticism, seeking meaning through other avenues beside God, pleasure-seeking/being "happy"... and what seems to be a hostility towards suggesting that there is Truth out there...IDK?
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
25,093
8,244
113
#6
Why do you think so many people don't want to work now? Is it laziness?

To be clear my husband and I do work, but his job changed after covid. He use to be gone 12 hours a day and now he's part time with a side job and can pick hours. I also have a work from home job.

In our case we did it for childcare. Back in the 90s as a kid I would be in school and then grandparents from 8 am to 5 pm everyday. My husband was the same 4 am to 3 pm at grandparents everyday. We have a theory that humans can only work for so long. Like boomers don't want to help with grandkids bc they worked all their lives. In any case between childcare closing for the week, not having enough workers, school going virtual and counting as a day. There was even a day they sent them home early for an emergency and gave an hour notice. It's craziness. It would be impossible. In any case I know people where at least 1 parent decides to stay home for that reason. They still "work." But to the outside world they would think it's a stay at home parent.
This reminds me of a conversation at my job.

"I tell you what Isaac, I sure didn't want to come to work this morning. I even talked to the good Lord about it."

"That won't do any good. He wouldn't tell you anything that contradicts the bible."

"Okay, what's the Bible say about it?"

"It says if you don't work, you don't eat."

"But I been working 35 years!"

"Yeah, and you've been eating 35 years too. Want to stop both of those now?"

"Man... Isaac... You're a hard man to talk to!"
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
25,093
8,244
113
#7
In every generation the majority only do what they have to do. With such a bad economy and so few Federal programs to support them, a lot of boomers grew up learning that if you want something you have to do what it takes to get it or do without. This includes food and shelter.

Currently it's a lot easier to get by without doing anything, so a lot of people are growing up learning that you don't have to do anything.

If our infrastructure crashes like it did back in 1929, a lot of people will have to learn real fast. Until then, they have no real reason to learn.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,248
6,540
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#8
Isaac, if you re-examine the quote from the Epistles you will find this is applied to members of an assembly who worked for each other's well being, and not to all mankind. However the content is true. If one does not work, he will probably not be eating for very long.
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
25,093
8,244
113
#9
Isaac, if you re-examine the quote from the Epistles you will find this is applied to members of an assembly who worked for each other's well being, and not to all mankind. However the content is true. If one does not work, he will probably not be eating for very long.
I know who it's applying too. The guy who was talking to me was a christian.

It's like the prime directive though. It may not have been addressed to you specifically, but it's still a good idea.
 
Aug 2, 2009
24,584
4,269
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#10
Why do you think so many people don't want to work now? Is it laziness?

To be clear my husband and I do work, but his job changed after covid. He use to be gone 12 hours a day and now he's part time with a side job and can pick hours. I also have a work from home job.

In our case we did it for childcare. Back in the 90s as a kid I would be in school and then grandparents from 8 am to 5 pm everyday. My husband was the same 4 am to 3 pm at grandparents everyday. We have a theory that humans can only work for so long. Like boomers don't want to help with grandkids bc they worked all their lives. In any case between childcare closing for the week, not having enough workers, school going virtual and counting as a day. There was even a day they sent them home early for an emergency and gave an hour notice. It's craziness. It would be impossible. In any case I know people where at least 1 parent decides to stay home for that reason. They still "work." But to the outside world they would think it's a stay at home parent.
The boomers in my family love taking care of their grandkids. It's their favorite thing. I'm sorry that you're not experiencing the same. I know that some boomers have health issues that can make it difficult or impossible for them to take care of the grandkids. I don't know all the reasons but I'm sure in their hearts they probably wish they could.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,178
113
#12
workplace bullying and no decent jobs maybe
economy tanking could also be a factor.

Technology has changed industry with increasing automation but we knew all this was going to happen.
Yes children actually DO need looking after its a given. They really cant raise themselves although certainly a lot get abandoned and do sadly

You cant have latchkey kids anymore they wouldnt stand a chance unless it was supersafe neighbourhood with zero crime.

womens work i.e childcare and housework or homework to some isnt considered 'work' But I beg to differ on that. I think its stupid to say people dont work if its done at home.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,178
113
#13
Thread title I dont know what to say about it and depends on what country you talking about, but certainly post World War 2 things were easier for that generation. It actually wasnt hard compared to the generations that lived through the war. The govts helped A LOT.

The boomer generation didnt have to survive the depression era, and they were actually well supported with welfare state in many countries, many looked after from cradle to grave and they are now receiving pensions/social security which is actually not a guarantee for later generations. They will be going into their 70s and 80s now, and healthcare has improved from what it used to be.
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
5,701
2,231
113
#14
Why do you think so many people don't want to work now? Is it laziness?

To be clear my husband and I do work, but his job changed after covid. He use to be gone 12 hours a day and now he's part time with a side job and can pick hours. I also have a work from home job.

In our case we did it for childcare. Back in the 90s as a kid I would be in school and then grandparents from 8 am to 5 pm everyday. My husband was the same 4 am to 3 pm at grandparents everyday. We have a theory that humans can only work for so long. Like boomers don't want to help with grandkids bc they worked all their lives. In any case between childcare closing for the week, not having enough workers, school going virtual and counting as a day. There was even a day they sent them home early for an emergency and gave an hour notice. It's craziness. It would be impossible. In any case I know people where at least 1 parent decides to stay home for that reason. They still "work." But to the outside world they would think it's a stay at home parent.
The economy is tanking....and getting worse despite what the government is saying....Wall Street knows this and is bracing for impact of the truth to come out. This is going to be a world wide recession. So get ready for it.

The other thing happening is that Skilled Work in administrative fields are becoming changed. There is slowly forming a national average wage standard for these jobs. Those that pay enough vx those employers who have used the neighborhood to pay excessively low wages.

Wages abuse by employers has been going on for decades.

These employers have gotten away with hiring out jobs to foreign nations for a long time....help centers in India for pennies by comparison with what they would pay workers in America. And EVERYONE complained (including customers) but nobody did anything.

Now that high skilled jobs are nationwide and remote....the employers are whining about how "nobody wants to work". Oh they do want to work but just not for slave wages.

Blue collar work is a completely different story. Yes, it's get out there and work in a community....but again it's not as low skilled as the employers would like you to believe. Commercial Construction and industrial construction are high skilled trades. Lousy working conditions and high skills necessary to perform. Even delivery of products takes skills and certificates. (Nanny state)

Then there's the return for working.
⅓....yes a third of your paycheck goes towards taxes. Then if you want to spend your earnings you get taxed again.

Over half of your paycheck goes to taxes. The amount you have left is so pathetic that it often seems like you are in a communist nation just working to fund the government.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,248
6,540
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#15
Some levels of employment of workers is so abusive to the worker that many opdt not to work for the pttance of pay. It is jkust not owrth it. They work at what is dubbed a working poor wage and get abuse on top of it.

Basically it is a new world class system being formed with two classes, the well-to-do and the vassals of employment.
 

notmyown

Senior Member
May 26, 2016
4,744
1,156
113
#16
Thread title I dont know what to say about it and depends on what country you talking about, but certainly post World War 2 things were easier for that generation. It actually wasnt hard compared to the generations that lived through the war. The govts helped A LOT.

The boomer generation didnt have to survive the depression era, and they were actually well supported with welfare state in many countries, many looked after from cradle to grave and they are now receiving pensions/social security which is actually not a guarantee for later generations. They will be going into their 70s and 80s now, and healthcare has improved from what it used to be.
we're dying as fast as we can. lol
 

Moses_Young

Well-known member
Sep 15, 2019
9,282
4,998
113
#17
Different times, different situation. If the people born today were born then, they'd probably have worked just as hard, also. These days, inflation, high taxes, government handouts to almost everyone but workers, discrimination against Christians, discrimination against those best-skilled for the jobs, low morale due to a decadent and corrupt society, etc. makes (government-recognised and taxed) work something to be avoided, if possible.
 

PennEd

Senior Member
Apr 22, 2013
12,998
8,698
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#20
Thread title I dont know what to say about it and depends on what country you talking about, but certainly post World War 2 things were easier for that generation. It actually wasnt hard compared to the generations that lived through the war. The govts helped A LOT.

The boomer generation didnt have to survive the depression era, and they were actually well supported with welfare state in many countries, many looked after from cradle to grave and they are now receiving pensions/social security which is actually not a guarantee for later generations. They will be going into their 70s and 80s now, and healthcare has improved from what it used to be.
What do you mean “receive” social security?

We paid untold THOUSANDS, forcefully taken out of our paychecks for at least 4 decades.

I would have gladly said no if given a choice.

I’m a boomer who just turned 60, not 70, Certainly not 80. The oldest boomers are 77, the youngest 59.

And talk about being spoiled rotten. Millennials and Gen. zers are off the charts.