General Discussion

radical noodle

(10,461 posts)

35. I get so tired of the "boomers had it good" mantra

Thu Dec 11, 2025, 10:40 AM

Thursday

My first good-paying job was a $70 a week salary. I think by the time I got that 16% mortgage I was making about $125 a week, a huge jump but not enough for a 16% mortgage. It was a struggle.

Our first TV was a used black and white with a tiny screen that cost $25, and we had to make payments to afford it. $5 a week. We built our first "sofa" out of 2x4s and scrap plywood and covered it with an old blanket. That was 1965.

Ah, the good old days....

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Highlight:

NPR got it wrong(?): [View all] applegrove Dec 10 OP

14.8%in 1980 UpInArms Dec 10 #1

Yep the other dates were before my time, but I remember the one in 1980 FakeNoose Dec 10 #9

My mortgage was at 13.75% interest UpInArms Dec 10 #17

Same Woodwizard Thursday #26

Mine was 16% in the late 70s radical noodle Thursday #29

We bought a house on contract in 1980..12% interest and everyone thought we were the luckiest Peacetrain Thursday #31

I get so tired of the "boomers had it good" mantra radical noodle Thursday #35

I made 2.50 an hour.. Peacetrain Thursday #39

I do as well Rebl2 Thursday #44

My neighbor back then also paid 16%. Wonder Why Thursday #36

We had the same thing. murielm99 Thursday #38

And modrepub Thursday #25

And what is made available likely modified to show the economy as better than it is. Lonestarblue Thursday #28

Our son mgardener Thursday #51

I heard that and... 2naSalit Dec 10 #2

I agree. I turned them off for good on the morning of the empathy discussion featuring Elmo Mucks/Rogan interview. littlemissmartypants Dec 10 #10

We got 9.9% as a special first time home buyers deal in 1984. House and 2.5 acres was 44,000. Going rate was 12% Evolve Dammit Dec 10 #3

Back in the early 90's, our first mortgage was 8.3% and we thought we were doing stellar! paleotn Dec 10 #8

Bought a house in 1985, not the first house. llmart Dec 10 #16

NPR has been changing since GW Bush... slightlv Dec 10 #4

I stopped listening to them because of their fawning over Dubya. llmart Dec 10 #18

NPR- Nice Polite Republicans TomSlick Dec 10 #5

Bingo. littlemissmartypants Dec 10 #11

National Petroleum Radio. paleotn Dec 10 #6

Morning Edition and ATC have been soft-balling Republicans for as long as I've been listening. Orrex Dec 10 #7

I stopped listening a few years ago BaronChocula Thursday #47

So long NPR... ZDU Dec 10 #12

I find that their longer-form programming is still quite good Orrex Dec 10 #13

KQED (SF Bay Area) ZDU Dec 10 #14

And Fresh Air is sales for the wannabes. cbabe Thursday #30

Terry Gross ZDU Thursday #40

I love Santaland Diaries. markodochartaigh Thursday #33

This message was self-deleted by its author OnionPatch Dec 10 #15

Did they "get it wrong"... llmart Dec 10 #19

The official U.S. inflation data: peak inflation was 14.6% in March and April of 1980 progree Dec 10 #20

Yeah, all they would have had to do was say "record since 1980" and it would have been accurate. soldierant Dec 10 #21

Damn, poor Carter had no chance for re-election with 14.6% inflation Polybius Thursday #52

NPR started getting really sloppy in 2005 Warpy Dec 10 #22

NPR still a hella lot better orangecrush Dec 10 #23

Wow Joinfortmill Dec 10 #24

This is what I always say when earlier generations whine about how good boomers had it? Betty Boom Thursday #27

NPR got an endowment level donation from the Kroc (McDonald's) family in 2003 librechik Thursday #32

Inflation that continued during covid STARTED under TSF first term. nt wiggs Thursday #34

With NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. Today, the Trump admin- Xavier Breath Thursday #37

Pretty typical ITAL Thursday #41

On short term "records" hvn_nbr_2 Thursday #42

Question Sane1 Thursday #43

To be clear, inflation under Biden peaked at 9.1% for a SINGLE MONTH Wiz Imp Thursday #45

I gave up on NPR years ago and I used to be a very generous donor. OMGWTF Thursday #46

Their "go along to get along" strategy is shortsighted and will fail because tRUMP's a raging lunatic wolfie001 Thursday #48

Let me tell you something True Dough Thursday #49

So was this ever corrected on the air? senseandsensibility Thursday #50