Yesterday we had some elderly people over for our bday and at some point we talked about billionaires and how they should not exist

[hamishb@mstdn.ca]

People who started out in the boom years before the Reagan/Thatcher reaction, when taxes on the rich prevented the emergence of billionaires and there was funding for social goods and services, have lost perspective. It's the baseline fallacy: they just assume what they had is normal.

And admitting things are different now would mean acknowledging that all the reactionary tax cuts and roll-backs of social benefits they voted for were at the expense of others. It would mean they were selfish. Not intentionally, of course: but they bought the BS.

@stux

[stux@mstdn.social]

@jayflo I remeber my parents build a house a year before i was born, it was a pretty huge house and i estimate under half a million at the time

Currently it's almost 3 times that (they dont own it anymore)

A house we recently wanted to rent was on market for 450K and it was a relative simple house

We don't stand a chance

[mikefromlfe@cupoftea.social]

@stux
I think that sort of lazy thinking is present across the generations.
Society has always* seemed to be split into those who accept the status quo, those who don't, and those who are prepared to attempt to change society.
(*Speaking as a 70 year old)

I don't think these divisions are necessarily driven by class or education, more by life experiences, and maybe to some extent the attitude of parents.

The ones who fight for change need the 'passive' group for support (moral, financial & political). The passive group can influence the 'acceptance' group to change their views, and to take simple action like voting differently.
People may slowly move between groups as their circumstances change.

Just my theory.

Hold the faith!

[timezoneless@mstdn.social]

@stux it's more insidious. Some will not act in case of utter injustice/abuse. Some will even find excuses to call legal things illegal if "they don't agree". Such people are a danger at times.

[springdiesel@spore.social]

@stux

Sounds like they might be comfortable people and the suffering hasn't reached them yet, maybe?

People have to get fed up, out of patience. High empathy people can get fed up with the suffering of others. Low empathy people have to suffer directly, or see people just like themselves suffering, before they can get fed up.

[robert_kirkum@mastodon.social]

@stux they sound like someone who understands how difficult it is to tax a powerful person with almost unlimited resources who can pay experts and workers to execute anything while they themselves sit on the beach un-bothered by any of it.

[ingonymous@mastodon.social]

@stux
Maybe they feel powerless. Maybe they are lazy.
Hard to say.

But yes, it's a very common phenomenon.

[rq4c@mastodon.world]

@stux

H. G. Wells got the Eloi and the Morlocks the wrong way round.

[bebadefabo@mastodon.social]

@stux boomers are addicted to convenience and adverse to change.

[verymetalsite@mastodon.social]

@stux Though i agree there's this: the older, the more wars experienced and the more war-weary.

Grew up during the cold war, had a glimpse, a moment of hope when the soviet enemy fell, lost that after during both Iraq wars, 9/11, Aleppo, Bucha, 7/10 and recently tRump and his maggats.

57, Seriously think i'm not going to make it to 60. Have hit the Hopium too often, it doesn't work any more.