Reverse-generativity and the generational divide

[AliEnvy]

An interesting NY Times op-ed that cuts across a few currrent thread topics from an entirely different perspecive. Reinforces that demographics explains two thirds of everything.

Op-Ed Columnist - The Geezers’ Crusade - NYTimes.com

Governmant spending

According to Julia Isaacs of the Brookings Institution, the federal government now spends $7 on the elderly for each $1 it spends on children.

Happiness, priorities and gender roles

People are most unhappy in middle age and report being happier as they get older. This could be because as people age they pay less attention to negative emotional stimuli, according to a study by the psychologists Mara Mather, Turhan Canli and others.

Gender roles begin to merge. Many women get more assertive while many men get more emotionally attuned. Personalities often become more vivid as people become more of what they already are.

Social movements

over the past couple of years we’ve seen the power of spontaneous social movements: first the movement that formed behind Barack Obama, and now, equally large, the Tea Party movement.

Spontaneous social movements can make the unthinkable thinkable, and they can do it quickly. It now seems clear that the only way the U.S. is going to avoid an economic crisis is if the oldsters take it upon themselves to arise and force change. The young lack the political power. Only the old can lead a generativity revolution — millions of people demanding changes in health care spending and the retirement age to make life better for their grandchildren.

It may seem unrealistic — to expect a generation to organize around the cause of nonselfishness. But in the private sphere, you see it every day. Old people now have the time, the energy and, with the Internet, the tools to organize.

 

[Irvine511]

so, possibly unrelated, but it always strikes me how inane it is that election day in the US is held on a Tuesday.

you know, when people who aren't retired are at work. when people who have to work 2-3 jobs have to work all day and all night.

not the elderly. who turn out in greater numbers than younger age groups.

and they are subsequently rewarded by Congress.

 

[PhilsFan]

My father works 8 AM to 8 PM. I don't recall him ever having voted.

 

[indra]

so, possibly unrelated, but it always strikes me how inane it is that election day in the US is held on a Tuesday.

you know, when people who aren't retired are at work. when people who have to work 2-3 jobs have to work all day and all night.

not the elderly. who turn out in greater numbers than younger age groups.

and they are subsequently rewarded by Congress.

Do you really think voter turnout among younger voters would be that much higher if election day was on a Saturday or Sunday when there are so many other things to do? I don't think it would.

What I do think has a better chance of improving voter turnout is by allowing everyone to vote either early in person over a period of time (so they could vote when it's convenient) or by absentee ballot by mail (eventually via internet). It certainly solves the problem of people being too busy to vote on a particular day within a particular time frame.

My state allows both in-person early voting and absentee ballot by mail early voting and I absolutely love it. If this continues to be available I won't go to a polling place on election day ever again.

(For several years I worked for a company where election day was a company holiday. That was pretty cool. I still like the early/absentee voting method better though.)

People are most unhappy in middle age and report being happier as they get older. This could be because as people age they pay less attention to negative emotional stimuli, according to a study by the psychologists Mara Mather, Turhan Canli and others.

My mum used to tell me "When you get old, you can do anything and get away with it!"

 

[Irvine511]

Do you really think voter turnout among younger voters would be that much higher if election day was on a Saturday or Sunday when there are so many other things to do? I don't think it would.

i think it would.

though this might not be the topic the OP intended.

but i do think it would make a difference.

 

[Vincent Vega]

In Germany, voter turnout among the younger generations also usually is much lower than among the elderly, and we are voting on a Sunday.

At the next rally you will see thousands of canes swinging through the air.

 

[AliEnvy]

If the boomers are going to continue to shape society as they have for decades, I rather like the idea that rather than simply suck the system dry in healthcare and social security, they may actually act like generous grandparents lol.

It's worth keeping in mind that the biggest credit bubble in the history of mankind was built by the white collar crime years (middle age) of the biggest popuation bubble.