Person explains why the older generation had it easier at work than the present generation

With changing times, people change as well. However, Boomers, or the generation born between 1946 and 1964, lived completely different lives than the generations that came after. A lot was different, from the cost of living to how corporations treated them and functioned. Boomers also elected governments differently and had different expectations from their policies. Two Reddit users, u/Ilikemakingsurveys and u/Tiredworker27 asked Reddit and shared how the new generation and boomers are different from each other when it comes to work, workplace expectations and rewards, and cost of living.

u/Ilikemakingsurveys wrote: "I didn't know where to post this, but here feels best. I can't help but notice that older people just have it so much better, but more importantly, they had it much better when they were our age. More controversial opinion, they've selfishly voted in people who reinstate wealth legislation so that they can accumulate as much wealth/hoard resources. Whereas, when they were younger, they voted for liberal politicians who helped redistribute it more evenly so that they could get a chance at a good life. I know not all people who vote for these politicians and/or are wealthy are older. Not all older people are wealthy at all. But it feels that by and large, it was easier for older people to become rich at a younger age."

They further expressed that an additional crucial aspect, arguably the most significant, is the concept of beginning one's life with minimal competition or standards. Corporations were far less unfavorable compared to the present. "Things were not as selective or competitive. If you had a degree, you were set. You could make a handsome amount right out of college, with no internship or experience required, and stay with that employer for the rest of your life," they added.

"You didn't need technical skills usually. People are 'overeducated' and still struggling. You didn't even need a degree sometimes to be well off back when the older generation was our age. And with less money being used for expenses, people could save that money and invest it."

The second user, u/Tiredworker27 also had some interesting things to add. They wrote, "Remember the Boomers (not all but most) that could sustain a family of 3-5 and buy a house and two cars with just one income? Well, there is another aspect where they had it much better: The workload at their job."

They further emphasized that the workload during the 1960s or 1970s, or any period preceding the advent of personal computers, was significantly lighter compared to the present. In today's world, upon receiving a call, email, or message, there is an expectation to swiftly compile a list or complete a task within minutes. However, in the past, such activities required considerable time and effort. Nowadays, individuals in office settings are likely performing ten times the amount of work compared to their counterparts four decades ago.

People agreed with the stark differences between the two generations. u/Charming_Dealer3849 commented, "Corporations have optimized for value extraction. This is the world we live in." u/risky_purchase wrote, "Minimum wage in Australia just got increased ~6% to $23.23 to keep up with inflation. Americans are getting screwed!" u/snoohamster5153 expressed, "Every tech that was supposed to save us time only added more work in reality."