I don't agree it's part of the societal contract. I am already grateful to live in a world previous generations built. The wars are fought, the infrastructure is built. I get access to technology previous generations could only dream of. I can do business selling to the whole world wearing underwear sitting in my bedroom even if it's a 3rd world country.
I couldn't have asked for more of previous generations. The last thing I could complain about is people from the generation providing me with all that trying to still work and make money out of it.
> The wars are fought, the infrastructure is built.
The wars are just beginning - over water, rare resources, arable land, whatever - and the infrastructure across Western countries is rotting under our feet as maintenance was mostly skipped on.
That's the very pessimistic view. We have the longest peaceful period ever at least in the Western world and access to infrastructure previous generations could only dream about. It's true overpopulation in areas not suitable for sustaining big populations is a problem but it's difficult to predict how it plays out. It's not that people needed much reason to start wars in the past and it seems we've reached quite a stable state now at least from historical perspective.
I mean I still have living family members who remember their homes taken away, being packed on the train and transported to Syberia by Soviets so it's very hard for me not be grateful for the kind of world I get to live in.
The comment was about "making space" for younger generation. I just don't agree with that view. There is more opportunity then ever and old people still working jobs is not a problem for younger ones (although it might be a problem for them if they counted on longer retirement).
The younger generation need jobs the most, I think it's a dangerous precedent to set if there is no longer an expectation they can find a job. We're already seeing a breakdown in youth culture, attitudes to life, etc.. I know because I am part of that generation, all I see around me are people that believe there's no opportunity without some serious luck.
In the end, older people are worked to death and younger people struggle to progress past Walmart (and no, a degree or a programming gig should not be the some of the only options to jump into a career).
I couldn't have asked for more of previous generations. The last thing I could complain about is people from the generation providing me with all that trying to still work and make money out of it.