> Ok, easy, I've seen this statement used several times to criticize younger generations because things were harder "back in my day".
Except for some very specific times in history, it is almost universally true that the older generation had harder times. Human progress is -- in the grand scheme of things -- a march towards much easier lives.
I was referring to places with war and right after war. Places where ISIS can still come back and places that were either destabilized or had attempts at democratic revolutions suppressed. Historically, wars and revolutions are not some rare exceptions. It gets very very bad then better, then it starts failing and then again very very bad.
Overall trend may be positive, but there are enough local downfalls to make the "universally true that the older generation had harder times" not really true. It any given moment it can go either way. The whole first half of 20century was one massive downfall after another.
In particular with economy, you have years where it is easy to get a job for anyone who breathe and then downfall when it is hard for everyone.
Whole economies went down and unemployment rates went up. All that produces plenty of young people who have it harder then their parents.
I personally got a job easily. It is quite possible that my kids won't.
Except for some very specific times in history, it is almost universally true that the older generation had harder times. Human progress is -- in the grand scheme of things -- a march towards much easier lives.