anon155742 wrote:Young people, under the age of 40, have no security in life like their parents have had. House prices are extremely high, job security low, wages low, immigration high, pensions minimal, cost of education high, divorce high, childlessness high etc
That (our) generation, have plenty of options, not available to their parents, or grandparents though.
My mum had to stop working when she married. That wasn't unusual! Her dad secured a period of peace that has proved remarkably lengthy. Neither generation had a minimum wage, nor the list of benefits now available to the current working generation.
Many industries operated (quite legally) on being picked in the morning. If you weren't one of the lucky ones you didn't get paid, and didn't eat.
It wasn't just food that was difficult to source in such circumstances. So was coal, or something to heat your (non-insulated, no double glazed) home with. Sometimes you would have to share that home with another family (and hoped they worked/bought coal).
Of course, those conditions were hard for some, and could lead to ill health. But no NHS, and this was before many of the drugs we took for granted existed. Childhood illnesses weren't fun. Life expectancy was (much) lower. Family members died, and that was considered normal. Childlessness was high for some, those that lost their only child to death, rather than not being able to conceive.
Many jobs came with no pension, unlike today where most jobs you have to opt-out of a pension if you don't want one.
Education cost was also high. If you chose to stay at school beyond the age of 14 you were denying the family an income.
Divorce was difficult. You often had to stay with the perpetrator of physical and mental punishment, to you and your children.
Today's generation face all kinds of difficulties. It wasn't a walk in the park for those that came before them either. Sometimes perspective helps.