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US economy thread (4 Viewers)

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@MAC_32 Are you trying to say the lack of motivation in the younger workforce is due to the current economic state which is the fault of the generations before them and therefore their lack of trying/caring shouldn't fall on them?
I won’t speak for him. But my opinion is it’s due to helicopter parenting and a participation trophy mindset. GenX has been so worried about protecting our children from any strife or struggle we have not done a very good job preparing them for the real world.
Showing up everyday is the most important thing I try to instill in young people. I don’t understand knocking participation trophies while also wishing young folks participated more.
 
I found this interesting:

Those who follow me here on Quora will be aware that I write on quite a wide range of topics — many in healthcare or politics, but also some in “knowledge, wisdom, and understanding”. What follows here is something I posted this morning in a totally different context, that is backed by extensive published work. For members of this group, it is a “think piece” about investment, banking, and the day to day economy of your country and all others. If you are well enough off to have investments other than your home, you might want to talk with a financial adviser about the summary I offer below:

The world economic system is vastly over-leveraged. It is arguably teetering on the edge of collapse due to the lack of fiscal discipline among all governments.

I find it entirely believable that in your lifetimes and maybe in mine, we will see a major retrenchment and economic collapse. Such a process would be characterized by disappearance of a large fraction of world economic “wealth” held as bonds (debt instruments), in a matter of days or weeks.

Based on recent data, the global wealth held in bonds significantly exceeds that held in stocks. Global bonds total approximately $139 trillion (57% of the world investable portfolio), while global equities amount to about $81 trillion (34%). This means that bonds represent a larger portion of the world's financial assets compared to stocks. The total size of the global investable portfolio is estimated at around $241 trillion, encompassing various asset classes including equities, bonds, and alternatives.

The bond market's dominance is further emphasized by the fact that in many countries, the value of bonds exceeds that of equities by a considerable margin. For instance: In the United States, total debt issued ($54.5 trillion) slightly exceeds total equities ($50.7 trillion). Japan has $10.8 trillion in bonds compared to $4.9 trillion in equities.The United Kingdom holds $5.5 trillion in bonds versus $2.85 trillion in equities. China's bond market is particularly large at $21.6 trillion, dwarfing its $1.9 trillion equity http://market.

In a global retrenchment we might see what is sometimes called “disintermediation” in a sense that is quite new to the experience of most investors. All markets are administered by what are called “market makers” — financial institutions or individuals that play a crucial role in financial markets by providing liquidity and facilitating trade. They actively quote both bid (buy) and ask (sell) prices for securities, along with the market size of each, throughout the trading day.

Market makers are typically large banks, brokerage firms, or specialized trading firms. They are obligated to maintain a two-sided market, meaning they must be ready to buy or sell securities at their quoted prices. This commitment ensures the ongoing functionality of financial markets.

However, when governments are unable to cover or fund the “values” of their own bonds, then market makers may lack the data required to establish prices. This can lead to a collapse of markets.

Major bond markets have experienced significant collapses in the past. Two notable examples stand out:

The 1994 Bond Market Crisis. Also known as the "Great Bond Massacre," this event saw a sudden drop in bond market prices across the developed world. Starting in Japan and the United States, it spread globally, resulting in approximately $1.5 trillion in lost market value worldwide. Key features of this crisis included:

- It began after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 basis points in February 1994 to counter National Inflation Association

- Treasury bonds with 20-year terms saw price declines of 20.5%.

- The total market value lost by domestic bonds in the US was about 10% between January 1 and November 15, 1994.

Second: The Recent Bond Market Selloff (2020-2023)

This ongoing selloff has been described as one of the worst in history:

- Treasury bonds with maturities of 10 years or more have plummeted 46% since March 2020.

- The 30-year bond has plunged 53% in the same period.

This collapse is nearly as severe as stock market losses during major crashes, such as the 49% drop after the dot-com bubble burst. It's considered the largest bond market selloff in 40 years, exceeding those seen in 1994, 2003, and 2013.

These events demonstrate that while bond markets are generally considered more stable than stock markets, they are not immune to significant collapses, especially during periods of rapid interest rate changes or economic uncertainty. If you rely on income from investments to supplement your social security, then you might want to spend a little money for an hour of the time of a Chartered Financial Advisor, to reconsider how your investments are held.

Thoughts?
 
Completely disagree with the notion that work ethic doesn't or shouldn't matter for Gen Z or millenials.
I don't think you took the message as intended. It's not that work ethic shouldn't matter, it's that some of us have a greater appreciation for why that is. I'm a self-identifying xennial, I accept the good parts of each generation, and no responsibility for the bad, like any good red blooded american. Like you, I worked my *** off, to get to where I am right now. That said, it's a simple math equation for me to figure out that if I were born 10...15 years later, and executed the same plan, I would be in a significantly worse position than I am right now.

This does aptly represent our divide and why that chasm has only widened over the last several decades. Like those that came before us, older generations struggle immensely putting themselves in the shoes of yutes, and viewing the world from their lens.
I don’t get this. I work with a bunch of people who are 10-15 years younger than me. They probably on average have worked 5-15% “less hard” than I did but are way ahead of where I was at the same age. Good for them. I worked way too much, often with less focus on reaping immediate rewards. These folks have been mercenary-like in their focus on extracting favorable economics from their companies. Way better at it than I was at age 30-35.

So the idea that hard work doesn’t matter today, I or that people can’t get ahead with hard work, I just don’t have that experience in front of me.
 
As a Gen X guy, this is my reaction to people thinking about moving to other countries: be careful what you wish for and don't let the door hit you on the way out. :bye:
Why so much hostility towards someone who may want to just go live somewhere else? I don't get it

“So much hostility?” Overreact much?

Be careful what you wish for is a warning that the grass may not actually be greener elsewhere, that life might actually be better in the US than someone considering this realizes.

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out is saying if you don’t want to be here, then leave, we will be fine without you.
I just think that if someone wants to pursue something different there is no reason to wish them ill and tell them you aren't welcome back. Be kind to others and all you know.
 
As a Gen X guy, this is my reaction to people thinking about moving to other countries: be careful what you wish for and don't let the door hit you on the way out. :bye:
Why so much hostility towards someone who may want to just go live somewhere else? I don't get it

“So much hostility?” Overreact much?

Be careful what you wish for is a warning that the grass may not actually be greener elsewhere, that life might actually be better in the US than someone considering this realizes.

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out is saying if you don’t want to be here, then leave, we will be fine without you.
I just think that if someone wants to pursue something different there is no reason to wish them ill and tell them you aren't welcome back. Be kind to others and all you know.

I did not “wish them ill” nor did I say they “aren’t welcome back.” You should consider responding to what is actually written, not what isn’t.
 
@MAC_32 Are you trying to say the lack of motivation in the younger workforce is due to the current economic state which is the fault of the generations before them and therefore their lack of trying/caring shouldn't fall on them?
I won’t speak for him. But my opinion is it’s due to helicopter parenting and a participation trophy mindset. GenX has been so worried about protecting our children from any strife or struggle we have not done a very good job preparing them for the real world.
Showing up everyday is the most important thing I try to instill in young people. I don’t understand knocking participation trophies while also wishing young folks participated more.
I am certainly down with rewarding effort and teamwork. My daughter is 10 and been in sports since she was 6. Thing I have told her above all else is her results are not what make me proud or disappointed, it’s her effort. If she’s trying her hardest and strikes out 3 times in a game, she gets huge hugs from dad. It’s about the effort. But far too often what I’ve seen is the participation trophies are about shielding our kids from the pain of losing. Learning how to lose is maybe of one of the most important things sports teach you. We shouldn’t be trying to soothe that pain, we should be teaching them how to process, deal and react to it.
 
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As a Gen X guy, this is my reaction to people thinking about moving to other countries: be careful what you wish for and don't let the door hit you on the way out. :bye:
Why so much hostility towards someone who may want to just go live somewhere else? I don't get it

“So much hostility?” Overreact much?

Be careful what you wish for is a warning that the grass may not actually be greener elsewhere, that life might actually be better in the US than someone considering this realizes.

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out is saying if you don’t want to be here, then leave, we will be fine without you.
I just think that if someone wants to pursue something different there is no reason to wish them ill and tell them you aren't welcome back. Be kind to others and all you know.

I did not “wish them ill” nor did I say they “aren’t welcome back.” You should consider responding to what is actually written, not what isn’t.
OK sorry. Typically in my world when someone is like “don’t let the door hit you” they are pretty much saying good riddance. Apologies if that’s not what you meant but that’s how i took it.

My overall point is that if someone wants to move elsewhere let’s show grace and wish them the best rather than demonize their choices.
 
@MAC_32 Are you trying to say the lack of motivation in the younger workforce is due to the current economic state which is the fault of the generations before them and therefore their lack of trying/caring shouldn't fall on them?
I won’t speak for him. But my opinion is it’s due to helicopter parenting and a participation trophy mindset. GenX has been so worried about protecting our children from any strife or struggle we have not done a very good job preparing them for the real world.
Showing up everyday is the most important thing I try to instill in young people. I don’t understand knocking participation trophies while also wishing young folks participated more.
I am certainly down with rewarding effort and teamwork. My daughter is 10 and been in sports since she was 6. Thing I have told her above all else is her results are not what make me proud or disappointed, it’s her effort. If she’s trying her hardest and strikes out 3 times in a game she gets huge hugs from dad. It’s about the effort. But far too often what I’ve seen is the participation trophies are about shielding our kids from the pain of losing. Learning how to lose is maybe of one of the most important things sports teach you. We shouldn’t be trying to soothe that pain, we should be teaching them how to process, deal and react to it.
I have several bowling trophy and patches from like 1982 when I was 8 years old. I wasn’t a particularly good bowler. They are in essence participation trophies/patches. It may be more prevalent now but it’s not new.
 
@MAC_32 Are you trying to say the lack of motivation in the younger workforce is due to the current economic state which is the fault of the generations before them and therefore their lack of trying/caring shouldn't fall on them?
I won’t speak for him. But my opinion is it’s due to helicopter parenting and a participation trophy mindset. GenX has been so worried about protecting our children from any strife or struggle we have not done a very good job preparing them for the real world.
Showing up everyday is the most important thing I try to instill in young people. I don’t understand knocking participation trophies while also wishing young folks participated more.
I am certainly down with rewarding effort and teamwork. My daughter is 10 and been in sports since she was 6. Thing I have told her above all else is her results are not what make me proud or disappointed, it’s her effort. If she’s trying her hardest and strikes out 3 times in a game she gets huge hugs from dad. It’s about the effort. But far too often what I’ve seen is the participation trophies are about shielding our kids from the pain of losing. Learning how to lose is maybe of one of the most important things sports teach you. We shouldn’t be trying to soothe that pain, we should be teaching them how to process, deal and react to it.
I have several bowling trophy and patches from like 1982 when I was 8 years old. I wasn’t a particularly good bowler. They are in essence participation trophies/patches. It may be more prevalent now but it’s not new.
If you don’t see the type of parenting today as any different then in 1982 then we are simply operating in different realities and aren’t going to see eye to eye on this.
 
@MAC_32 Are you trying to say the lack of motivation in the younger workforce is due to the current economic state which is the fault of the generations before them and therefore their lack of trying/caring shouldn't fall on them?
I won’t speak for him. But my opinion is it’s due to helicopter parenting and a participation trophy mindset. GenX has been so worried about protecting our children from any strife or struggle we have not done a very good job preparing them for the real world.
Showing up everyday is the most important thing I try to instill in young people. I don’t understand knocking participation trophies while also wishing young folks participated more.
I am certainly down with rewarding effort and teamwork. My daughter is 10 and been in sports since she was 6. Thing I have told her above all else is her results are not what make me proud or disappointed, it’s her effort. If she’s trying her hardest and strikes out 3 times in a game she gets huge hugs from dad. It’s about the effort. But far too often what I’ve seen is the participation trophies are about shielding our kids from the pain of losing. Learning how to lose is maybe of one of the most important things sports teach you. We shouldn’t be trying to soothe that pain, we should be teaching them how to process, deal and react to it.
I have several bowling trophy and patches from like 1982 when I was 8 years old. I wasn’t a particularly good bowler. They are in essence participation trophies/patches. It may be more prevalent now but it’s not new.
If you don’t see the type of parenting today as any different then in 1982 then we are simply operating in different realities and aren’t going to see eye to eye on this.
I intentionally said it is more prevalent today. Just pushing back a bit on the these things never happened before thing
 
@MAC_32 Are you trying to say the lack of motivation in the younger workforce is due to the current economic state which is the fault of the generations before them and therefore their lack of trying/caring shouldn't fall on them?
I won’t speak for him. But my opinion is it’s due to helicopter parenting and a participation trophy mindset. GenX has been so worried about protecting our children from any strife or struggle we have not done a very good job preparing them for the real world.
Showing up everyday is the most important thing I try to instill in young people. I don’t understand knocking participation trophies while also wishing young folks participated more.
I am certainly down with rewarding effort and teamwork. My daughter is 10 and been in sports since she was 6. Thing I have told her above all else is her results are not what make me proud or disappointed, it’s her effort. If she’s trying her hardest and strikes out 3 times in a game she gets huge hugs from dad. It’s about the effort. But far too often what I’ve seen is the participation trophies are about shielding our kids from the pain of losing. Learning how to lose is maybe of one of the most important things sports teach you. We shouldn’t be trying to soothe that pain, we should be teaching them how to process, deal and react to it.
I have several bowling trophy and patches from like 1982 when I was 8 years old. I wasn’t a particularly good bowler. They are in essence participation trophies/patches. It may be more prevalent now but it’s not new.
If you don’t see the type of parenting today as any different then in 1982 then we are simply operating in different realities and aren’t going to see eye to eye on this.
I intentionally said it is more prevalent today. Just pushing back a bit on the these things never happened before thing
Fair, though I’m not sure I ever said they never did. Either way, point taken.
 
A lot of the feedback over the last page aligns with...
I am sensing an emotional reaction based on anecdotal experiences and preconceived bias because the data doesn't say what you want it to say.
...what I wrote here. Please bear with me as...
What data?
...it's the data points collected throughout this thread and beyond, but it needs to be pulled together into one macro picture, not individual anecdotal experiences.
@MAC_32 Are you trying to say the lack of motivation in the younger workforce is due to the current economic state which is the fault of the generations before them and therefore their lack of trying/caring shouldn't fall on them?
For low-income earners, bluntly, yes. I hope that response doesn't prevent, you and others from continuing on.
But that also requires employers to not acquiesce and expect less. We need to not be lowering the bar of expectations.
What's insinuated above is much less of a problem for those young people on a career path. Hence...
But you are employing low skill individuals it sounds like. I work in industry/tech and I don't see a drop off in young people's performance.

I work with a lot of very talented and successful people who are 10-15 years younger than me. So I'm not really seeing your point here.

I don’t get this. I work with a bunch of people who are 10-15 years younger than me. They probably on average have worked 5-15% “less hard” than I did but are way ahead of where I was at the same age. Good for them. I worked way too much, often with less focus on reaping immediate rewards. These folks have been mercenary-like in their focus on extracting favorable economics from their companies. Way better at it than I was at age 30-35.
...this. Are they subjectively not working as hard as those that came before them? I think there's some truth to that, work smarter not harder, and 'my career' comes first. Why is that? Tasker and Gian hit on it a couple pages back. These younger generations have looked at what's happened with their elders, current conditions, and what may lie ahead then made decisions accordingly. Loyalty was a thing when pensions were also a thing, the means to getting a big raise is to move companies, and entitlement cuts (eventually) seem inevitable. These yutes are saddled with student loan debt and a housing market that exploded, especially if you want to get into a good school district. There is only one path to getting there while still at an age to raise a family - significant raises in one's career. The game has been rigged so that to beat it, yutes need to approach it as mercenaries. And why would a mercenary also not covet work : life balance. The lack of question mark is intentional. Loyalty is a 2-way street, so if it's not given, expecting it to be sent back is silly.

When I say blame is misdirected, all of this is what I'm getting at and is why I think the anecdotal experiences hit at from these 3 vary wildly from dkp. Why is dkp's experience different? Because he's not employing (m)any people that see that role as their career path. These people were generally both poorly raised and not committed to the work - I think it'd be crazy to expect a better work environment vs ~10 years ago. My work experiences bring me into contact with both of these types. While it's different than 80's since I'm admin and he's in the classroom, I think there's good reason we're on the same page, and I am similarly curious if he also has history in the service industry. I don't share this to suggest we're an authority on these matters, but if we're sharing something that runs counter to a bias, perhaps greater scrutiny in one's own opinions are warranted. Because...

But my opinion is it’s due to helicopter parenting and a participation trophy mindset. GenX has been so worried about protecting our children from any strife or struggle we have not done a very good job preparing them for the real world.
...this is, and has been, a problem for more than a generation. And...
I agree with that but the more challenging anything is, the less people that are able to do it. On the individual level yes anyone can overcome their upbringing but it works different on a macro level.
...it is reasonable to expect some individuals to overcome their environment, but when I say it's foolish to expect better from the unmotivated I am speaking from a macro level.

To conclude, I understand those that pushed back on Gian and Steve (others too) before then continued on don't like what they just read and probably won't retain most of it within the next few days, if not hours or minutes. As I mentioned before, this is not a new subject for me, this is not the first time I've talked about it, I'm fairly certain it's not the first time I've read similar feedback from these same posters. I think that represents an apt lens into our macro picture. This is who we are, a society of those that insulate in our biases and anecdotal experiences. There's also good reason I am delivering a similar message now as I did 5, 10, 15 years ago. It isn't because I am insulated in my own biases, it's because to this point, I've been right. And if all this were summarized...
Millennials are projected to be the first generation to be worse-off, economically, than their parents.
Millennials face a unique combination of economic, social, and financial challenges that previous generations did not encounter to the same extent. Addressing these factors requires strategic planning, financial education, and sometimes policy changes to create a more conducive environment for wealth accumulation.
...that's it. The bolded is not new, it's been a thing for decades. Hell, I remember writing papers about this subject when I was a dumb college kid. The message is unchanged because those in power that came before us didn't do what was clear as day. It just didn't become a thing for many olds until this environment developed and started impacting them.
 
@MAC_32 Are you trying to say the lack of motivation in the younger workforce is due to the current economic state which is the fault of the generations before them and therefore their lack of trying/caring shouldn't fall on them?
I won’t speak for him. But my opinion is it’s due to helicopter parenting and a participation trophy mindset. GenX has been so worried about protecting our children from any strife or struggle we have not done a very good job preparing them for the real world.
Showing up everyday is the most important thing I try to instill in young people. I don’t understand knocking participation trophies while also wishing young folks participated more.
I am certainly down with rewarding effort and teamwork. My daughter is 10 and been in sports since she was 6. Thing I have told her above all else is her results are not what make me proud or disappointed, it’s her effort. If she’s trying her hardest and strikes out 3 times in a game she gets huge hugs from dad. It’s about the effort. But far too often what I’ve seen is the participation trophies are about shielding our kids from the pain of losing. Learning how to lose is maybe of one of the most important things sports teach you. We shouldn’t be trying to soothe that pain, we should be teaching them how to process, deal and react to it.
I have several bowling trophy and patches from like 1982 when I was 8 years old. I wasn’t a particularly good bowler. They are in essence participation trophies/patches. It may be more prevalent now but it’s not new.
If you don’t see the type of parenting today as any different then in 1982 then we are simply operating in different realities and aren’t going to see eye to eye on this.
Hopefully the parenting is much better today than it was in 1982. How insane would it be if 43 years passed with no knowledge gained about how to improve on life’s most important task.
 
@MAC_32 Are you trying to say the lack of motivation in the younger workforce is due to the current economic state which is the fault of the generations before them and therefore their lack of trying/caring shouldn't fall on them?
I won’t speak for him. But my opinion is it’s due to helicopter parenting and a participation trophy mindset. GenX has been so worried about protecting our children from any strife or struggle we have not done a very good job preparing them for the real world.
Showing up everyday is the most important thing I try to instill in young people. I don’t understand knocking participation trophies while also wishing young folks participated more.
I am certainly down with rewarding effort and teamwork. My daughter is 10 and been in sports since she was 6. Thing I have told her above all else is her results are not what make me proud or disappointed, it’s her effort. If she’s trying her hardest and strikes out 3 times in a game she gets huge hugs from dad. It’s about the effort. But far too often what I’ve seen is the participation trophies are about shielding our kids from the pain of losing. Learning how to lose is maybe of one of the most important things sports teach you. We shouldn’t be trying to soothe that pain, we should be teaching them how to process, deal and react to it.
I have several bowling trophy and patches from like 1982 when I was 8 years old. I wasn’t a particularly good bowler. They are in essence participation trophies/patches. It may be more prevalent now but it’s not new.
If you don’t see the type of parenting today as any different then in 1982 then we are simply operating in different realities and aren’t going to see eye to eye on this.
Hopefully the parenting is much better today than it was in 1982. How insane would it be if 43 years passed with no knowledge gained about how to improve on life’s most important task.
In some respects I’m sure it most certainly has. In regards to the topic I’m speaking too, I believe it’s regressed.
 
@MAC_32 Are you trying to say the lack of motivation in the younger workforce is due to the current economic state which is the fault of the generations before them and therefore their lack of trying/caring shouldn't fall on them?
I won’t speak for him. But my opinion is it’s due to helicopter parenting and a participation trophy mindset. GenX has been so worried about protecting our children from any strife or struggle we have not done a very good job preparing them for the real world.
Showing up everyday is the most important thing I try to instill in young people. I don’t understand knocking participation trophies while also wishing young folks participated more.
I am certainly down with rewarding effort and teamwork. My daughter is 10 and been in sports since she was 6. Thing I have told her above all else is her results are not what make me proud or disappointed, it’s her effort. If she’s trying her hardest and strikes out 3 times in a game she gets huge hugs from dad. It’s about the effort. But far too often what I’ve seen is the participation trophies are about shielding our kids from the pain of losing. Learning how to lose is maybe of one of the most important things sports teach you. We shouldn’t be trying to soothe that pain, we should be teaching them how to process, deal and react to it.
I have several bowling trophy and patches from like 1982 when I was 8 years old. I wasn’t a particularly good bowler. They are in essence participation trophies/patches. It may be more prevalent now but it’s not new.
If you don’t see the type of parenting today as any different then in 1982 then we are simply operating in different realities and aren’t going to see eye to eye on this.
Hopefully the parenting is much better today than it was in 1982. How insane would it be if 43 years passed with no knowledge gained about how to improve on life’s most important task.
In some respects I’m sure it most certainly has. In regards to the topic I’m speaking too, I believe it’s regressed.
How so?
 
@MAC_32 Are you trying to say the lack of motivation in the younger workforce is due to the current economic state which is the fault of the generations before them and therefore their lack of trying/caring shouldn't fall on them?
I won’t speak for him. But my opinion is it’s due to helicopter parenting and a participation trophy mindset. GenX has been so worried about protecting our children from any strife or struggle we have not done a very good job preparing them for the real world.
Showing up everyday is the most important thing I try to instill in young people. I don’t understand knocking participation trophies while also wishing young folks participated more.
I am certainly down with rewarding effort and teamwork. My daughter is 10 and been in sports since she was 6. Thing I have told her above all else is her results are not what make me proud or disappointed, it’s her effort. If she’s trying her hardest and strikes out 3 times in a game she gets huge hugs from dad. It’s about the effort. But far too often what I’ve seen is the participation trophies are about shielding our kids from the pain of losing. Learning how to lose is maybe of one of the most important things sports teach you. We shouldn’t be trying to soothe that pain, we should be teaching them how to process, deal and react to it.
I have several bowling trophy and patches from like 1982 when I was 8 years old. I wasn’t a particularly good bowler. They are in essence participation trophies/patches. It may be more prevalent now but it’s not new.
If you don’t see the type of parenting today as any different then in 1982 then we are simply operating in different realities and aren’t going to see eye to eye on this.
Hopefully the parenting is much better today than it was in 1982. How insane would it be if 43 years passed with no knowledge gained about how to improve on life’s most important task.
In some respects I’m sure it most certainly has. In regards to the topic I’m speaking too, I believe it’s regressed.
How so?
I think the idea is that parents have become increasingly over-protective over the last 50 years or so, resulting in fragile, entitled adults.

*I'm not saying that, that's just my interpretation of the sentiment being presented here by some.
 
@MAC_32 Are you trying to say the lack of motivation in the younger workforce is due to the current economic state which is the fault of the generations before them and therefore their lack of trying/caring shouldn't fall on them?
I won’t speak for him. But my opinion is it’s due to helicopter parenting and a participation trophy mindset. GenX has been so worried about protecting our children from any strife or struggle we have not done a very good job preparing them for the real world.
Showing up everyday is the most important thing I try to instill in young people. I don’t understand knocking participation trophies while also wishing young folks participated more.
I am certainly down with rewarding effort and teamwork. My daughter is 10 and been in sports since she was 6. Thing I have told her above all else is her results are not what make me proud or disappointed, it’s her effort. If she’s trying her hardest and strikes out 3 times in a game she gets huge hugs from dad. It’s about the effort. But far too often what I’ve seen is the participation trophies are about shielding our kids from the pain of losing. Learning how to lose is maybe of one of the most important things sports teach you. We shouldn’t be trying to soothe that pain, we should be teaching them how to process, deal and react to it.
I have several bowling trophy and patches from like 1982 when I was 8 years old. I wasn’t a particularly good bowler. They are in essence participation trophies/patches. It may be more prevalent now but it’s not new.
If you don’t see the type of parenting today as any different then in 1982 then we are simply operating in different realities and aren’t going to see eye to eye on this.
Hopefully the parenting is much better today than it was in 1982. How insane would it be if 43 years passed with no knowledge gained about how to improve on life’s most important task.
In some respects I’m sure it most certainly has. In regards to the topic I’m speaking too, I believe it’s regressed.
How so?
I think the idea is that parents have become increasingly over-protective over the last 50 years or so, resulting in fragile, entitled adults.

*I'm not saying that, that's just my interpretation of the sentiment being presented here by some.

Yes basically. Though I don’t love the word “fragile”, would replace it with ill prepared and would add “young” in front of adults. But correct otherwise.
 
My parents raised me as they were, especially my dad. I've had to figure out a lot of things on my own. They've left me to fail and figure things out often. Maybe I am the exception, but many of my friends have said they had similar experiences.

I do hear OFTEN the "back in my day" stuff when we are performing a new experiment that gains results in half the time the old ways did. And some have that element of "you really aren't doing it if you don't do it the way I had to" which is absurd. I appreciate that people had to use an are to cut down trees, but that's not required anymore and it isn't my fault that there is a different way to do things. That's what progress looks like.
 
My parents raised me as they were, especially my dad. I've had to figure out a lot of things on my own. They've left me to fail and figure things out often. Maybe I am the exception, but many of my friends have said they had similar experiences.

I do hear OFTEN the "back in my day" stuff when we are performing a new experiment that gains results in half the time the old ways did. And some have that element of "you really aren't doing it if you don't do it the way I had to" which is absurd. I appreciate that people had to use an are to cut down trees, but that's not required anymore and it isn't my fault that there is a different way to do things. That's what progress looks like.
That's encouraging

Hopefully this new way of doing things will stop the whining about how bad the "yutes" have it so this thread can get back to talking about the U.S. economy
 
My parents raised me as they were, especially my dad. I've had to figure out a lot of things on my own. They've left me to fail and figure things out often. Maybe I am the exception, but many of my friends have said they had similar experiences.

I do hear OFTEN the "back in my day" stuff when we are performing a new experiment that gains results in half the time the old ways did. And some have that element of "you really aren't doing it if you don't do it the way I had to" which is absurd. I appreciate that people had to use an are to cut down trees, but that's not required anymore and it isn't my fault that there is a different way to do things. That's what progress looks like.
That's encouraging

Hopefully this new way of doing things will stop the whining about how bad the "yutes" have it so this thread can get back to talking about the U.S. economy
That's all on the old people right? I don't think that's stopping any time soon. People like to complain, piss and moan.

Do we REALLY want to talk about the economy though? Seems like more pissing and moaning.

I'd be curious to know what people see as the positives in our economy and what has improved the last 6 weeks.
 

I'd be curious to know what people see as the positives in our economy and what has improved the last 6 weeks.
Why just the last 6 weeks?
Well that's pretty easy to answer: because we have a new President and new administration, were promised economic changes during and after the election. So of course there's interest in how people feel things are going so far economically, and in actual dry data how things are going so far economically. That's normal.
 

I'd be curious to know what people see as the positives in our economy and what has improved the last 6 weeks.
Why just the last 6 weeks?
Well that's pretty easy to answer: because we have a new President and new administration, were promised economic changes during and after the election. So of course there's interest in how people feel things are going so far economically, and in actual dry data how things are going so far economically. That's normal.

I get that, but how much could have reasonably changed and be attributed to the new administration at this point?

My business had its best year ever in 2024, and, as a result, I just got a great raise, my highest annual bonus ever, and my highest future incentive bonus ever. My compensation is considerably outpacing inflation, so things are going great for me and my family economically. But that doesn't have anything to do with the current administration or the previous administration IMO.
 

I'd be curious to know what people see as the positives in our economy and what has improved the last 6 weeks.
Why just the last 6 weeks?
Well that's pretty easy to answer: because we have a new President and new administration, were promised economic changes during and after the election. So of course there's interest in how people feel things are going so far economically, and in actual dry data how things are going so far economically. That's normal.

I get that, but how much could have reasonably changed and be attributed to the new administration at this point?

My business had its best year ever in 2024, and, as a result, I just got a great raise, my highest annual bonus ever, and my highest future incentive bonus ever. My compensation is considerably outpacing inflation, so things are going great for me and my family economically. But that doesn't have anything to do with the current administration or the previous administration IMO.
In things that are also silly- expecting instant economic gratification
 

I'd be curious to know what people see as the positives in our economy and what has improved the last 6 weeks.
Why just the last 6 weeks?
Well that's pretty easy to answer: because we have a new President and new administration, were promised economic changes during and after the election. So of course there's interest in how people feel things are going so far economically, and in actual dry data how things are going so far economically. That's normal.

I get that, but how much could have reasonably changed and be attributed to the new administration at this point?

My business had its best year ever in 2024, and, as a result, I just got a great raise, my highest annual bonus ever, and my highest future incentive bonus ever. My compensation is considerably outpacing inflation, so things are going great for me and my family economically. But that doesn't have anything to do with the current administration or the previous administration IMO.
I think DOGE and tariffs can be attributable to the current administration. Consumer sentiment, corporate guidance, retail spending can be measured in pretty close to real time.
 

I'd be curious to know what people see as the positives in our economy and what has improved the last 6 weeks.
Why just the last 6 weeks?
Well that's pretty easy to answer: because we have a new President and new administration, were promised economic changes during and after the election. So of course there's interest in how people feel things are going so far economically, and in actual dry data how things are going so far economically. That's normal.

I get that, but how much could have reasonably changed and be attributed to the new administration at this point?

My business had its best year ever in 2024, and, as a result, I just got a great raise, my highest annual bonus ever, and my highest future incentive bonus ever. My compensation is considerably outpacing inflation, so things are going great for me and my family economically. But that doesn't have anything to do with the current administration or the previous administration IMO.
I think DOGE and tariffs can be attributable to the current administration. Consumer sentiment, corporate guidance, retail spending can be measured in pretty close to real time.
Along these lines, I would add that while economic data itself may not have changed, the outlook for the economy has changed (and is changing) considerably.

There is currently tremendous uncertainty and caution in the business environment, resulting in slowed and/or delayed capital spending.

One specific example is the wind industry, which has had billions of new projects completely stalled or wiped out due to federal permits and land leases being pulled. It doesn't matter how people feel politically about clean energy, this is a direct and objective economic hit
 

Interesting numbers to consider. Alarming that so many millennials would consider leaving America.

As economic pressures mount and social tensions rise, many Americans are setting their sights beyond U.S. borders for a better quality of life​

NEW YORK — In the shadow of rising housing costs, healthcare concerns, and growing social divisions, a striking number of Americans are considering a future outside the United States. According to a recent survey, 17% of American adults want to move internationally within the next five years, potentially signaling a significant shift in the country’s population.

The survey, conducted by Talker Research, found that 5% of Americans plan to take actual steps toward living abroad in the next few years, while 2% have already started the process of moving to another country.

Millennials Lead the Way​

Millennials emerged as the group most eager to move internationally, with a quarter (25%) wanting to relocate abroad – higher than any other generation surveyed.

This trend likely reflects the unique challenges faced by millennials, who have experienced multiple economic downturns, rising student debt, and increasingly unaffordable housing throughout their adult lives.

....

Why Americans Want to Leave​

The survey examined the key reasons driving Americans to consider moving abroad. The findings show significant concerns about both American society and the challenges of building financial security.

Almost seven in ten respondents (69%) worried about the direction the United States is heading, while a majority (65%) described American society as having become “toxic.”

Money worries were a major factor. More than half of respondents (54%) said living in the U.S. is no longer affordable, while 55% believed the gap between rich and poor limits their opportunities. Nearly four in ten (39%) thought improving their finances and quality of life would be easier in another country.

Work-life balance was another concern, with 57% of respondents calling America’s approach inadequate. Even more troubling were views on essential systems, with strong majorities agreeing that American healthcare (65%) and education (66%) systems are broken.

These negative views have changed how many see life in America compared to other countries, with 40% saying living in the U.S. is no longer enjoyable or preferable to other nations.
It's interesting that the number 1 preferred destination is Canada. Because the opposite is true as well. Large numbers of millennial Canadians want to move to the US. The number 1 reason they want to move to the US is probably higher pay.

Also this doesn't seem all that surprising to me. There is always a segment of the population that think the grass is greener on the other side, but few actually do anything about it. I read the article quickly but I didn't see anything about how this number has changed over time. That would be more interesting imo.

I see first hand that people in the medical field are trying to come from Canada to the US. I have not once seen it go the other way.
 

I'd be curious to know what people see as the positives in our economy and what has improved the last 6 weeks.
Why just the last 6 weeks?
Because it's a subjective question and the largest factors in that subjectiveness have changed a lot in the last 6 weeks.
I think this is a false assertion.
Only taking people at their word. They could be lying to me for sure. I do note that no one has answered the question.
 

I'd be curious to know what people see as the positives in our economy and what has improved the last 6 weeks.
Why just the last 6 weeks?
Because it's a subjective question and the largest factors in that subjectiveness have changed a lot in the last 6 weeks.
I think this is a false assertion.
Only taking people at their word. They could be lying to me for sure. I do note that no one has answered the question.
Because it's a silly question whose only purpose is to trigger a certain reaction.

It is common knowledge that the economy is very late in the business cycle and has been weakening for a couple years under the weight of drastic interest rate hikes. Also manifested in extreme stock market valuations priced to perfection.

Those are "the largest factors" in what is going on, and far outweigh anything that has occurred in "the last six weeks" (although does have relevance as stated above)
 
You'll get no argument from me that the objective side of economy is rather clear. That's not what drives any of this anymore. It's all the subjective/anecdotal things that people perceive, so I was asking about that. And I don't think much of what you replied with is "common knowledge" at all unfortunately. Look no further than "Bidenomics" and the like coming out of the peanut gallery.
 
We've run out of runway. Interest rates, due to massive influxes of cash after massive influxes of cash, have remained high and have effectively frozen housing. It's awful and predicted to say awful. At least in the past as the housing market goes so goes the economy in general. Not sure we'll crash, but a bout of stagflation is certainly in the realm of possibilities. Or we could crash, that's also something that's possible.
 
We've run out of runway. Interest rates, due to massive influxes of cash after massive influxes of cash, have remained high and have effectively frozen housing. It's awful and predicted to say awful. At least in the past as the housing market goes so goes the economy in general. Not sure we'll crash, but a bout of stagflation is certainly in the realm of possibilities. Or we could crash, that's also something that's possible.

Throw in tariff threats and federal job cuts, which are the primary things that have materially changed in the past few weeks along with related drops in both consumer and corporate (measured by CapEx plans) confidence, and stagflation and/or recession are becoming pretty likely.

Torsten Slock's current forecast is "DOGE and tariffs combined are a mild temporary shock to the economy that will put modest upward pressure on inflation and modest downward pressure on GDP.......The bottom line for markets is that this is a modest stagflation shock to the economy but not a recession."
 

Torsten Slock's current forecast is "DOGE and tariffs combined are a mild temporary shock to the economy that will put modest upward pressure on inflation and modest downward pressure on GDP.......The bottom line for markets is that this is a modest stagflation shock to the economy but not a recession."
This seems a reasonable assessment, though Torsten is whistling past the graveyard on the inflation overhead we already have. Historically that has been more than enough, by itself, to be deleterious to economic output. Nothing is more corrosive than high inflation.
 

Torsten Slock's current forecast is "DOGE and tariffs combined are a mild temporary shock to the economy that will put modest upward pressure on inflation and modest downward pressure on GDP.......The bottom line for markets is that this is a modest stagflation shock to the economy but not a recession."
This seems a reasonable assessment, though Torsten is whistling past the graveyard on the inflation overhead we already have. Historically that has been more than enough, by itself, to be deleterious to economic output. Nothing is more corrosive than high inflation.

Yeah I really put a lot of stock into his work, but his seems to be almost a best case scenario at this point.

Of course nobody really knows until we're looking in the rear view mirror...and even then people argue and disagree.
 

Interesting numbers to consider. Alarming that so many millennials would consider leaving America.

As economic pressures mount and social tensions rise, many Americans are setting their sights beyond U.S. borders for a better quality of life​

NEW YORK — In the shadow of rising housing costs, healthcare concerns, and growing social divisions, a striking number of Americans are considering a future outside the United States. According to a recent survey, 17% of American adults want to move internationally within the next five years, potentially signaling a significant shift in the country’s population.

The survey, conducted by Talker Research, found that 5% of Americans plan to take actual steps toward living abroad in the next few years, while 2% have already started the process of moving to another country.

Millennials Lead the Way​

Millennials emerged as the group most eager to move internationally, with a quarter (25%) wanting to relocate abroad – higher than any other generation surveyed.

This trend likely reflects the unique challenges faced by millennials, who have experienced multiple economic downturns, rising student debt, and increasingly unaffordable housing throughout their adult lives.

....

Why Americans Want to Leave​

The survey examined the key reasons driving Americans to consider moving abroad. The findings show significant concerns about both American society and the challenges of building financial security.

Almost seven in ten respondents (69%) worried about the direction the United States is heading, while a majority (65%) described American society as having become “toxic.”

Money worries were a major factor. More than half of respondents (54%) said living in the U.S. is no longer affordable, while 55% believed the gap between rich and poor limits their opportunities. Nearly four in ten (39%) thought improving their finances and quality of life would be easier in another country.

Work-life balance was another concern, with 57% of respondents calling America’s approach inadequate. Even more troubling were views on essential systems, with strong majorities agreeing that American healthcare (65%) and education (66%) systems are broken.

These negative views have changed how many see life in America compared to other countries, with 40% saying living in the U.S. is no longer enjoyable or preferable to other nations.
It's interesting that the number 1 preferred destination is Canada. Because the opposite is true as well. Large numbers of millennial Canadians want to move to the US. The number 1 reason they want to move to the US is probably higher pay.

Also this doesn't seem all that surprising to me. There is always a segment of the population that think the grass is greener on the other side, but few actually do anything about it. I read the article quickly but I didn't see anything about how this number has changed over time. That would be more interesting imo.

I see first hand that people in the medical field are trying to come from Canada to the US. I have not once seen it go the other way.
What part of the medical field? Doctors certainly come from all over the world here for training, but I’ve not noticed an influx of Canadians.
 
Inflation about to rise. Hope no one had plans to buy a new car in the near future.
If we just stick to the Canada and Mexico tariffs at 25%, plus the China 10% bump, we are looking at a $3100 average bump in new car cost. Estimate is that the manufacturers would eat up to 30% of the increase. Does not account for other price increases as vehicles less affected would be relatively cheaper. Also doesn't account for additonal actions in April or potential tariffs for Japan and South Korea auto imports.
 
@MAC_32 Are you trying to say the lack of motivation in the younger workforce is due to the current economic state which is the fault of the generations before them and therefore their lack of trying/caring shouldn't fall on them?
I won’t speak for him. But my opinion is it’s due to helicopter parenting and a participation trophy mindset. GenX has been so worried about protecting our children from any strife or struggle we have not done a very good job preparing them for the real world.
Showing up everyday is the most important thing I try to instill in young people. I don’t understand knocking participation trophies while also wishing young folks participated more.
I am certainly down with rewarding effort and teamwork. My daughter is 10 and been in sports since she was 6. Thing I have told her above all else is her results are not what make me proud or disappointed, it’s her effort. If she’s trying her hardest and strikes out 3 times in a game she gets huge hugs from dad. It’s about the effort. But far too often what I’ve seen is the participation trophies are about shielding our kids from the pain of losing. Learning how to lose is maybe of one of the most important things sports teach you. We shouldn’t be trying to soothe that pain, we should be teaching them how to process, deal and react to it.
I have several bowling trophy and patches from like 1982 when I was 8 years old. I wasn’t a particularly good bowler. They are in essence participation trophies/patches. It may be more prevalent now but it’s not new.
If you don’t see the type of parenting today as any different then in 1982 then we are simply operating in different realities and aren’t going to see eye to eye on this.


My girlfriend is in her 20s (hey look at me) and was utterly confused when watching Stranger Things that a bunch of 13-year-olds were allowed to bicycle all over town unsupervised for hours on end. I tried to explain to her that when I was a kid in that time period, it was normal. A kid on a bike was fine to be left completely alone from after-school until sunset, no questions asked. "Mom I'm going out" was all you had to say. She was completely befuddled by the concept.
 
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