Listening to the words of a song 'Every generation blames the one before', (The Living Years by Mike and The Mechanics) I thought - How very true.
Yesterday I was watching Sky News and caught the end of Kate Hopkins describing our young as the 'Done-To' generation. I believe she was inferring that this is their view of the world not her own!
A bit harsh? Maybe - she is very forthright and I don't always agree with her, but she often says the things most of us think but wouldn't dare say.
I think the majority of young people are fun, bright and interesting but the media loves telling us baby-boomers that we have done many terrible things to this generation.
Yes, it is difficult to buy a house now and yes it was easier for me to get a job when I left school than for young people now but I never had the opportunities that they now enjoy.
In my day a tiny minority went to university (which is why it was affordable for the country to give this type of free education). I understand that it's hard, to have build up of debt, for our graduates but many will never repay in full because the amount that needs to be paid back is dependant on level of salary and is written off after 30 years. The very successful or wealthy will no doubt subsidise the shortfall.
School was boring in my day - how I envy the computers, the creativity and the vast array of subjects that can be studied now. Discipline was harsh and unfair, often resulting in detention for minor things.
The economy of the 70's was as depressing as it gets - we couldn't afford holidays, there literally was nothing to do for young people and there were so many strikes, it seemed like a chaotic world - I went to work where we lit candles for light and the calculator had only just been invented! Under Labour, inflation reached mid twenties - what a nightmare decade, with the only saving grace being music and platform shoes (helping my 5 foot 2 inch frame nicely).
Ensuing recessions meant more hardship, there were no working tax credits or the help that can be expected now. Going to work didn't mean holiday, sick pay or maternity pay. It meant hard graft often without rights that are taken for granted now. Owning a house was fine but the 80's saw interest rates hit such a high that many lost them and had to start all over again.
Now, following the 'must have it now' culture, of which my generation did not contribute to on the whole, we are being blamed for everything from pensions, the myth they call global warming, to how we've stripped the earth bare!
Sorry, but I ain't accepting that. It wasn't my generation that told our parents 'I'm not wearing that, I'll get laughed at - its not designer!' forcing parents to spend more than they wanted to on growing youngsters or £200 for a ball gown to celebrate the end of school life.
No - We can ALL take the blame, if a blame game it must be. However I prefer to look at solutions and what we should be grateful for, not who to point the finger at or what we don't have.
Our young are being forced into perceived victim-hood by the media's insistence on having a go at the middle classes and baby boomers. We're not perfect but nor did we have an easy ride getting here - we just had a different mindset.
So not in my name - thankyou!
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