The Golden Generation, It's Coming To An End Now, Big Time.

[Chekhov]

I have often though the present generation of retired people really are the Golden Generation.

They are the luckiest generation to have ever lived and, particularly if the Nett Zero zealots have their way (restricting us all from travelling), they may possibly be the luckiest generation who will ever live.

Do they realise how fortunate they are ?

 

Many bought their house before the prices sky rocketed, meaning they not only owned a house but would have been able to down size and trouser a tidy sum. They even got MIRAS (Mortgage Rate Interest Relief At Source), i.e. the government let them claim some of the mortgage interest off their tax ! In fact over a million were able to buy their own council house at  a massive discount !

 

At a time when when life expectancy was rising significantly, but the retirement age had not yet caught up, most were able to retire at only 65, and the women even younger at only 60. Some were even able to take early retirement on a full pension (my own Dad did, very wisely) but even those who worked to the "full retirement age" would have had, on average, about 25 years of retirement. Think about that...... 25 years, and much of it in good health ! How many people could expect that now ? 

 

OMG ! Pensions ! Many, particularly in the public sector has index linked, or, even better, final salary pension schemes. It's almost unbelievable isn't it ! Even those on just the state pension have had the benefit of the Triple lock which ensures that, relative to other generations, pensioners have been getting better off.

 

The health of this generation is better than any before, and they are the first generation to have state paid for healthcare from cradle to grave. In fact it is entirely possible what is available on the NHS will actually start to reduce over the coming years, thus they were able to use the NHS at its most generous.

 

OK it was only available to the brightest, but, wait for this (it's almost like fantasy land) : free university education ! Get a degree with no huge debt ! ? ! In fact there was even a student grant to assist with living expenses.

Did that really exist, surely not ? ! ?

 

The Golden Generation were able to take advantage of air fares coming down and their wealth going up, to do unprecedented amounts of travelling. Even "working class" pensioners often jet off to Spain for months during the winter, something unthinkable even 20 or 30 years ago. Cheap and/or unlimited travel may not last much longer thanks to Nett  Zero fanatics, and, rather selfishly, some retirees are actually pleased about it (e.g. here) ! Even motoring looks set to become much more expensive, in fact some academics are even suggesting petrol, household energy, meat and flights should be rationed.....

 

A bit more arguable I accept, but significant for many, including me. They were living most of their lives before Health & Safety overkill and general fear of everything took hold and started limiting so much of life's little freedoms (and not so little ones as well).

And they could say pretty much what they wanted, nor did they have to worry if their little joke about "an Englishman a Scotsman and an Irishman" would have them branded a bigot. Lastly, they could get into a drunken snog without worrying unduly they would later get accused of sexual assault......

 

Added (courtesy of Jack Grey), they never had to fight a war, and most of them missed the call up for National Service, plus they had MIRAS.

 

Yes, lucky is not the word, exceptionally fortunate would be closer to the truth....

Edited November 9, 2023 by Chekhov

[RJRB]

3 minutes ago, Chekhov said:

I have often though the present generation of retired people really are the Golden Generation.

They are the luckiest generation to have ever lived and, particularly if the Nett Zero zealots have their way (restricting us all from travelling), they may possibly be the luckiest generation who will ever live.

Do they realise how fortunate they are ?

I certainly do  being retired on a final salary scheme and owning my own house  the value of which appreciated over the years.

Luck certainly played a part .

Not everything but a part.

Some of my generation fared better but many a lot worse as they endured redundancies and several recessions.

On balance I agree and I do not envy kids and young workers of today having to strike out on their own.

Thats why I will always vote for the party which in my belief has a social conscience 

 

[Jim Hardie]

Agree with the OP.
A few things to add:

Never had to fight a war,

Missed the call up,

Got MIRAS for a few years,

Lived our young lives without being slaves to our phones

[Guest]

Organgrinder can assure Chekky that he does indeed consider himself very fortunate to have lived at the very best time in this planet's existence before mankind ruined it through selfishness.

I have never taken advantage of any cheap air fares because I have never been on a plane in my life and never been abroad simply because I have never had a wish to do so.

This beautiful planet which I love so much has seen so many generations of humans and provided all our needs for such a long time. 

I appreciate that and I don't think we should repay that by polluting the air, the rivers and seas and killing the wildlife which shares this home with us.

Everyone else is welcome to think differently from me,   but I stick to my views and beliefs and make no apologies to anyone for doing so.

The ones who will suffer,   if mankind doesn't change it's ways,  are your own offspring and if you are selfish enough to do that,   then I think I will be glad never to see it.    Have fun whilst you have chance then.

 

I've had a fantastic life,  although my childhood years were spent in the rigours of a World War and the resultant rationing.   We eventually had peace and we had law and order and a good few years

when our governments cared about it's citizens.  We are comfortable and own our home but  It seems to be all going downhill now but my generation can't be blamed for that. 

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Organgrinder

[El Cid]

Surely the home owner parents pass on their wealth to the next generation?

I agree, in some way that future generations will be less healthy, but possibly live to the same old age, but many more years of ill health.

[Vrsaljko]

I'm 35 so didn't live through the same times as the people in question, but it's not like it was all rosy for them. Many will have had tough manual jobs that didn't involve sitting at home in their pyjamas replying to a few e-mails while watching TV. Plus they lived through the absolute mess that was the 1970s, and had to deal with 12% interest rates on average all through the 80s. A lot of them are obviously quite comfortable in retirement but it's not as if it was all easy.

[geared]

8 hours ago, El Cid said:

Surely the home owner parents pass on their wealth to the next generation?

I agree, in some way that future generations will be less healthy, but possibly live to the same old age, but many more years of ill health.

After living a long and very happy life, by the the 'Next Generation' will be easily over 50 and you could argue, not really that in need of large inheritance.

 

Also don't forget the ease in which the Golden Generation were able to obtain this house.  Often afforded off the wage of a single working person.

3 hours ago, Vrsaljko said:

I'm 35 so didn't live through the same times as the people in question, but it's not like it was all rosy for them. Many will have had tough manual jobs that didn't involve sitting at home in their pyjamas replying to a few e-mails while watching TV. Plus they lived through the absolute mess that was the 1970s, and had to deal with 12% interest rates on average all through the 80s. A lot of them are obviously quite comfortable in retirement but it's not as if it was all easy.

and yet you've dealt with the global economy crashing twice, a huge cost of living crisis, a global pandemic, multiple wars, and the country tearing itself away from it's largest trading partner.

 

and you're not even 40 yet.

Edited November 9, 2023 by geared

[Chekhov]

10 hours ago, Organgrinder said:

Organgrinder can assure Chekky that he does indeed consider himself very fortunate to have lived at the very best time in this planet's existence before mankind ruined it through selfishness.

I have never taken advantage of any cheap air fares because I have never been on a plane in my life and never been abroad simply because I have never had a wish to do so.

This beautiful planet which I love so much has seen so many generations of humans and provided all our needs for such a long time. 

I appreciate that and I don't think we should repay that by polluting the air, the rivers and seas and killing the wildlife which shares this home with us.

Everyone else is welcome to think differently from me,   but I stick to my views and beliefs and make no apologies to anyone for doing so.

The ones who will suffer,   if mankind doesn't change it's ways,  are your own offspring and if you are selfish enough to do that,   then I think I will be glad never to see it.    Have fun whilst you have chance then.

I've had a fantastic life,  although my childhood years were spent in the rigours of a World War and the resultant rationing.   We eventually had peace and we had law and order and a good few years

when our governments cared about it's citizens.  We are comfortable and own our home but  It seems to be all going downhill now but my generation can't be blamed for that. 

Methinks you are being a little disingenuous with this part of your answer :

 

>>Everyone else is welcome to think differently from me<<

 

Because elsewhere, more than once in fact, you have sounded gleeful that people will not be able to fly as much as they want.

[Guest]

You can fly as much as you want,  which you will do anyway,   and I can be as gleeful as I want,  which I will do anyway,  so stop crying for a change and grow up.

[Chekhov]

5 hours ago, Vrsaljko said:

I'm 35 so didn't live through the same times as the people in question, but it's not like it was all rosy for them. Many will have had tough manual jobs that didn't involve sitting at home in their pyjamas replying to a few e-mails while watching TV. Plus they lived through the absolute mess that was the 1970s, and had to deal with 12% interest rates on average all through the 80s. A lot of them are obviously quite comfortable in retirement but it's not as if it was all easy.

Nobody said it was all easy, because life is not easy, and part of the problem with society these days is that it is trying, certainly by implication, to make life easy. Or more accurately : "life without upset" (which does not exist) BY ORDER.

 

I lived through the 70s, that era had its problems, but I liked them much more than this modern world of ours. And most people old enough to remember them think the same

 

2 minutes ago, Organgrinder said:

You can fly as much as you want,  which you will do anyway,   and I can be as gleeful as I want,  which I will do anyway,  so stop crying for a change and grow up.

>Everyone else is welcome to think differently from me<

 

>>and I can be as gleeful as I want,  which I will do anyway<<

 

9 hours ago, El Cid said:

Surely the home owner parents pass on their wealth to the next generation?

Not even sure about that any more, what with massive care home bills !

Edited November 9, 2023 by Chekhov