The future looks pretty depressing for our kids

[Anonymous]

This is why my spouse & I have chosen to remain childfree.

With the dissolution of USAID, many diseases that have been eradicated in other countries thanks to our efforts and support are going to make a surge and spread here. I would not be at all surprised if AIDS becomes an epidemic again. The only reason why HIV/AIDS is as controlled as it is in various African countries is because of our support with education, money, and supplies (contraception). Without us providing support to those countries, the virus will surge again. Those infected will travel from Africa and infect others in Europe, Asia, and N & S America.

[Anonymous]

Pick up a history book, OP. I’m not happy about the current state of affairs but you sound unhinged.

Your privilege has left such a stench, I’m surprised you can’t recognize it. Most people around the world would be flabbergasted by an American posting something like this. Maybe they wouldn’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The wealth divide and erosion of the middle class is problematic. This has happened a time or two throughout history and has a solid track record of not ending well.

People have been crawling and clawing upwards to earn rights and freedoms that are swiftly being disintegrated.

I understand your worry. I feel it, too.

+100

This is why regular people are drawn to populism. It's a big reason swing voters in swing states were initially misguided into supporting Trump in 2016. These same people are drawn to Bernie and AOC's rhetoric. With the GOP, Democratic Party, and their wealthy financial backers firmly in control of politics and government, there is little hope for a people's choice non-right-wing populist to be given a fair chance to lead the country.

[Anonymous]

I personally don’t like those with the mindset of “this generation sucks” or “this generation is doomed”. I am 24 years old and currently pregnant with my first child. I used to have this mindset but started seeing the bright side of it all and honestly I had no one to help me in any way. I don’t want my child coming into a world where his/her parents have a negative mindset. We must show them the positive side of this world and let them know it is their turn write their own story and hopefully help change the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are spending more on social programs and income redistribution schemes than ever before, and it's never enough for you.

You're the one with the problem.

"From those according to their abilities, to those according to their needs." - Karl Marx

Income redistribution schemes? You mean like dismantling the government so rich people can get richer? You know no one with half a brain cell buys into your drivel anymore?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm honestly scared for my Gen Alpha kids and the mess they're inheriting. Schools are underfunded, healthcare is a joke unless you're rich, and more basic rights are getting chipped away every day. Meanwhile billionaires hoard everything and politicians only care about their own interests instead of actually doing anything. Climate change is getting worse and half the country still acts like it's not real. I don't want my kids growing up thinking this is normal. I want them to believe in a country that actually cares about people, not just profits. But right now, it’s hard to feel hopeful. And that's just the surface. I'm not even going to start talking about the economy they'll inherit.

You have to look at reality and long term trends, not the media which I think is just there to keep everyone anxious.

Schools are better funded then they’ve ever been, look at funding per student adjusted for inflation over time. There are bumps but it’s a very positive trend.

Healthcare outcomes again keep going up, although COVID did some short term damage there. Less disability and higher life expectancy are the norm compared to past decades.

Climate change, for sure is getting worse. But air and water is cleaner. Over 90% of new electric generation for the last few years is renewable. Old, dirty plants keep closing and new energy is clean. Progress is not quick enough for some, but it is very robust.

The economy, again bumps in the road likely happening right now. But look long term, recessions are way rarer then they used to be. Material abundance is everywhere, we just keep redefining what that means. There is less middle class….only because there is more rich and upper middle class then ever. Home ownership rates have increased, with some bumps like the early 2000s housing bubble, houses are bigger and better then ever. Food is plentiful, manufactured goods are way more abundant than ever before.

Standards just keep increasing, and people like to compare to others that have more (more common now with social media, you see the rich everywhere). Trump will do damage, but this will pass and it will just be a blip on a long term up trend. Things are better, look at big picture numbers long term.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally don’t like those with the mindset of “this generation sucks” or “this generation is doomed”. I am 24 years old and currently pregnant with my first child. I used to have this mindset but started seeing the bright side of it all and honestly I had no one to help me in any way. I don’t want my child coming into a world where his/her parents have a negative mindset. We must show them the positive side of this world and let them know it is their turn write their own story and hopefully help change the world.

I’m a Gen-Xer so I’ve been through a few crises. This feels different for 2 reasons: 1. The enemy isn’t the USSR or outside. It’s an authoritarian government. And the country is divided. The government and any safety net are falling apart. They are going after courts, law firms, universities, research. 2. Climate crisis. It’s going to get worse. But I agree that people in this world have gone through horrible things and kept having kids. I am scared for my Gen Z kids even if I try to find the positives. I don’t think those sentiments are mutually exclusive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm honestly scared for my Gen Alpha kids and the mess they're inheriting. Schools are underfunded, healthcare is a joke unless you're rich, and more basic rights are getting chipped away every day. Meanwhile billionaires hoard everything and politicians only care about their own interests instead of actually doing anything. Climate change is getting worse and half the country still acts like it's not real. I don't want my kids growing up thinking this is normal. I want them to believe in a country that actually cares about people, not just profits. But right now, it’s hard to feel hopeful. And that's just the surface. I'm not even going to start talking about the economy they'll inherit.

Climate change is getting worse but the solutions and the people claiming to do something about it are awful. Solar deserts nuclear proliferation. The only realistic thing I can think that would actually do anything would be to do things like ration gas and electricity. It's a non-starter. Then the people on the left that appear to be pushing climate change as a social agenda are the worst ones. I call it green washing they take dirty money and clean it with their environmental agenda. They all drive SUVs where they have organized their lives around long commutes and work at their nuclear-powered data centers where they use gigawatts of power to train their AI then ship their plastic toys around the world from China. Consume consume consume. Then they look down on all of us fifteen-year-old efficient small car drivers because we don't have a virtue signaling EV while they drink their bottled water and complain about microplastics in the environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are spending more on social programs and income redistribution schemes than ever before, and it's never enough for you.

You're the one with the problem.

"From those according to their abilities, to those according to their needs." - Karl Marx

BOT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally don’t like those with the mindset of “this generation sucks” or “this generation is doomed”. I am 24 years old and currently pregnant with my first child. I used to have this mindset but started seeing the bright side of it all and honestly I had no one to help me in any way. I don’t want my child coming into a world where his/her parents have a negative mindset. We must show them the positive side of this world and let them know it is their turn write their own story and hopefully help change the world.

I’m a Gen-Xer so I’ve been through a few crises. This feels different for 2 reasons: 1. The enemy isn’t the USSR or outside. It’s an authoritarian government. And the country is divided. The government and any safety net are falling apart. They are going after courts, law firms, universities, research. 2. Climate crisis. It’s going to get worse. But I agree that people in this world have gone through horrible things and kept having kids. I am scared for my Gen Z kids even if I try to find the positives. I don’t think those sentiments are mutually exclusive.

I agree. I've lived through many presidents and many crisis....this feels very dark and for the first time I don't trust our government at all. It's not good-we need to stop ignoring what we all see.

[Anonymous]

The orange man said kids should not have 30 dolls but instead should get maybe 2.

The President is telling parents how many dolls to buy. But his billionaire friends can buy 30 dolls for their bratty, entitled kids.

Take that suckers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pick up a history book, OP. I’m not happy about the current state of affairs but you sound unhinged.

Your privilege has left such a stench, I’m surprised you can’t recognize it. Most people around the world would be flabbergasted by an American posting something like this. Maybe they wouldn’t.

You actually don't sound like you've read much at all....but ok

[Anonymous]

I would still rather live now than most any time in history.

[Anonymous]

Republicans and others who cozy up to and enable oligarchs need to wake the hell up.

Wealth divides lead to bad things.

Very bad things.

Communism, like in the Russian revolution, and Mao's China. You don't want that, do you?

Fascism, like in post-Weimar Germany. We really don't want that, either.

Wake up. Cozying up to greedy oligarchs is not the way.

[Anonymous]

My kid was born on Sept 9 2001. We left the hospital on Sept 11 2001. It was a DARK time/ But, that kid is now 23, has graduated college and is an amazing human working to advance equity. I have hope.