Generational rifts have always been a common part of life as long as there has been recorded history. However, in recent times, that feud has seemed to grow into an intense hatred between the young and old. Older people call the youth spoiled or lazy, while younger people blame the elderly for ruining the world. 

The split between the young and old has created generational labels that have only further divided people into warring groups. There are the Baby Boomers [1946–1954], Generation Jones [1955–1964], Gen X [1965–1980], Millennials [1981–1996], and Gen Z [1997–2012], with Generation Alpha [2010–2024] following quickly behind. 

Many people following Generation Jones have begun to blame Baby Boomers for stealing opportunities from their Millennial children with their self-interested mindset. This mindset has led young people to take to social media to make videos and memes mocking Baby Boomers and their advice to young people trying to start their lives and break into the market. Even the New York Times made a video addressing this situation and blaming boomers for the current-day issues. 

Some argue that this claim is merely an attempt to shift the blame for current economic, political, and cultural problems onto others who happened to be alive during more opportunistic times. Moreover, these grievances have morphed into personal vendettas against elders. However, others consider the Boomers to be immensely selfish and ignorant. Even the American venture capitalist, Bruce Cannon Gibney, published a book accusing Boomers of being “a generation of sociopaths.” 

Many have called Baby Boomers “delusional” for their inability to accept that the economy and employment landscape have changed drastically since they were younger. Others slam Baby Boomers for looking down upon or mocking their children or younger people for the way they live, specifically not owning a home or starting a family. 

Millennials and Gen Zers have taken the time to present the differences between their economic situation and that of older people, by exposing that unemployment among Gen Z is double the national average. This partially stems from AI practically ending entry-level jobs, which have fallen by 35% since 2023, making it much harder to break into the industry. Due to these factors, young people are getting stuck in minimum-wage jobs and cannot move up, leaving many feeling as though the American Dream is impossible right now. 

In addition, many complain that it is harder than ever to own a home, comparing prices from the 1970s and 1980s, which generally cost about three times the average income in America. In comparison, current prices now cost seven times the average income. Due to rising prices, the age of first-time home buyers today is close to 40, while in 2008 it was about 30. 

Some people over 50 believe this is merely the whining of young people, but even Baby Boomers cannot sell their homes at market price because the next generation cannot afford them. Now, over half of Baby Boomers say they will never sell their homes, creating a housing inventory shortage and keeping prices elevated, making it even more difficult for younger generations to enter the market. 

As of today, there are no states in the US where a minimum-wage job can afford a 2-bedroom apartment. In the 1980s, the median monthly rent in America was $243 to $308, while the federal minimum wage was $3.10 an hour. Meaning, if someone worked 40 hours a week, every week, each month, they would accumulate $496, leaving almost $200 over after rent. Meanwhile, today the median monthly rent is $1696 to $1713, while the federal minimum wage pays $7.25, which has not been raised in 10 years. In one month, that accounts for $1160 before taxes, meaning that living today is significantly harder than it was in the 1980s. 

 These vocal grievances against Baby Boomers have encouraged negative sentiments toward youth, rather than addressing the policies responsible for the problems of the day. 

Many of the issues stem from the second half of the twentieth century, when the US experienced a demographic and economic shift as a large generation entered the labor force, leading to greater female participation and higher wages. Logically, the government’s fiscal position should have improved; rather, the national debt grew, savings rates fell, and public investment collapsed. At that time, the nation mistook a demographic dividend for a permanent economic transformation, and the result was one generation becoming enriched, while leaving those who followed with diminished fiscal opportunities. 

However, some have pushed back on this narrative, claiming the youth blaming the generations that preceded it functions as a “scapegoat for all that’s wrong in the world.” Others suggest that “Boomer-blaming” socializes younger generations to believe that people in the past caused all the problems in the future, which is not always true. This ideology will only serve to estrange the young from their elders, as many believe that people born around the same time share the same values: i.e., Boomers are all narcissists, Millennials are all spoiled, Gen Z are all lazy. 

Realistically, it is not fair to blame one generation for all the world’s ills. However, it is neither sensible to disregard the current struggles of young people. If society is to move forward and better itself, it must stop looking at people through the lens of a generational divide and instead look to its leaders and those responsible for maintaining the nation to create a better world for its future.