General Discussion

Coventina

(29,979 posts) Tue Apr 21, 2026, 03:16 PM Apr 21

236

Warning: Rage Inducing Older Americans Are Hoarding America's Potential [View all]

***snip***

It is not ageist to ask whether older people should be required to give more to younger Americans and national priorities — it is critical to the future of our democracy and society. America needs to confront gerontocracy before the system collapses under the weight of its inequality and injustice.

Older Americans deserve a say over the future even when they might not live to see it. But they do not deserve the stranglehold over it they currently enjoy through overrepresentation in elections, which produces too many regressive policies and too many seniors in the highest offices.

Older Americans are owed the care that everyone else funds. Indeed, they should get more of it than they get now — including funding for long-term care at home or in nursing homes. But they also need incentives to give up accumulated housing, jobs and wealth.

In little more than a century, the extension of life has transformed American and global politics. It turned older Americans, who had been one of the most underprivileged groups in the country, into some of the most overprivileged.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/opinion/ageism-gerontacracy-america.html

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Full disclosure: I'm Gen-X

WTF is this shit?
Old people are the problem?!?!?!?!

NO!!! THE PROBLEM IS BILLIONAIRES AND THEIR ENABLERS!!!!

I can't even with this nonsense.

141 replies

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Highlight:

*Warning: Rage Inducing* Older Americans Are Hoarding America's Potential [View all] Coventina Apr 21 OP

I am so fucking sick of this ageism. travelingthrulife Apr 21 #1

They don't show up in elections DenaliDemocrat Apr 22 #95

Exactly what I was thinking Farmer-Rick Apr 22 #120

I don't know how many younger people I've heard say "I don't vote" Walleye Apr 22 #129

I am as well PatSeg Apr 22 #131

New York Times hots another one out of the johnnyfins Apr 21 #2

WOW okay.... Why not start at FalloutShelter Apr 21 #3

I'm an old guy and I am certainly hoarding everything on my SS retirement income...wowza! wcmagumba Apr 21 #4

Yes- I expect that message is a prelude to asking older people to work longer before retirement Redleg Apr 21 #5

But then they're hoarding jobs from deserving younger people! Disclosure- I'm working full-time at 77. NBachers Apr 21 #22

Beat 'em to it. boonecreek Apr 21 #53

I was working at 70 BonnieJW Apr 22 #112

With age comes wisdom. pwb Apr 21 #6

Actually, he is in his 50's. niyad Apr 21 #16

Damn kid. paleotn Apr 21 #30

This is true. I have a couple of vintage pieces that are older than he is! niyad Apr 21 #34

My Canon AE1 for starters BidenRocks Apr 22 #83

Good pieces. You should share a pic of the jacket. niyad Apr 22 #88

EBay that Jacket. Ask a completely unreasonable price for it. You might get lucky. Lochloosa Apr 22 #94

Good Lord...... SergeStorms Apr 22 #96

I have an old Argus that my older brother used to take photos while on Delta Station in North Atlantic in 1961 Attilatheblond Apr 22 #107

Hey, I have 2 AE1s and a Pentax but my turntable is a different brand. fargone Apr 22 #121

I actually do still have ... oldsoldierfadingfast Apr 22 #125

"Overprivileged," my wrinkled old ass! Ocelot II Apr 21 #7

I hear you. I can no longer afford to have a pet NoSheep Apr 21 #14

Oh dear, I wonder if Ocelot has become one of those retirees who...... FadedMullet Apr 21 #25

I'm not eating cat food, but my cats are. Gotta keep them fed! Ocelot II Apr 21 #43

The same here. GoCubsGo Apr 21 #63

What was the age at which Logan had to run? dickthegrouch Apr 21 #8

It was 30 in the movie FoxNewsSucks Apr 21 #10

The Epstein Class is coming for everything Johnny2X2X Apr 21 #9

We could solve this problem by allowing the construction of new small homes... hunter Apr 22 #136

I think it's more complicated than home ownership Johnny2X2X Apr 22 #138

I graduated from college without any student loans. hunter Apr 22 #140

Probably a safe bet to say there are selfish, greedy, narcissistic assholes in every "defined generation." Smokster Apr 21 #11

+1 leftstreet Apr 21 #15

You're right 👍 MustLoveBeagles Apr 21 #17

And that is what it is--the politics of division. valleyrogue Apr 21 #71

To The Whippersnapper Author: 🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕 ColoringFool Apr 21 #12

Consumerism fueled by the web has made them think everything must be lush and shiny and abundant NoSheep Apr 21 #13

Well.....for the Epstein class it does. SergeStorms Apr 22 #97

The average age of the first time homebuyer *now* is about 40. 50 years ago, it was much lower. WhiskeyGrinder Apr 21 #20

If my wife and I hadn't gotten married and stayed in the relationship for 20 years (plus), Igel Apr 21 #65

Other things to consider about that statistic. llmart Apr 22 #85

The average age of the first time homebuyer is 40. The median age of homebuyers (any home -- first time, upgrade, WhiskeyGrinder Apr 22 #86

This ageist asshole is 54, a law professor at Yale, clearly not hurting. niyad Apr 21 #32

So he's protecting his entitlement.... SergeStorms Apr 22 #98

A lot of people have this attitude, not just the very young MustLoveBeagles Apr 21 #18

I mean, he's publishing this to promote his book, but...some of his points aren't wrong. WhiskeyGrinder Apr 21 #19

What fresh shit is this? I'm sick of it... in the press... on the editorial pages... and "online" in certain places too. QueerDuck Apr 21 #21

Boomers have no say in our birth. SleeplessinSoCal Apr 21 #23

They can take my HARD EARNED money OnionPatch Apr 21 #24

Maybe old conservatives are enabling the problem IronLionZion Apr 21 #26

I've been seeing this trope pop up on other social media periodically, especially before elections jmbar2 Apr 21 #27

While it is true that we older folks are 'over-represented' in the election process calguy Apr 21 #28

This one really caught my eye, too, calguy! slightlv Apr 21 #56

This message was self-deleted by its author jfz9580m Apr 21 #29

This message was self-deleted by its author Figarosmom Apr 21 #31

Over represented in elections. Old Crank Apr 21 #33

I'm Old bluestateboomer Apr 21 #35

The American Dream and The Nuclear Family... BurnDoubt Apr 21 #36

;-{) Samuel Moyn Kent Professor of Law and History Goonch Apr 21 #37

Uh.... MorbidButterflyTat Apr 21 #74

Just another way to divide us. Buddyzbuddy Apr 21 #38

Exactly, Big Blue Marble Apr 21 #44

I bet it is a strategy to divert wealth away from inheritances and into developers & private equity lostnfound Apr 22 #122

Yeah, it sounded like preconditioning: "Don't be selfish when we cut those SS benefits." William Seger Apr 21 #47

Exactly PatSeg Apr 22 #133

The older generation worked hard, saved their money, put kids thru school and they can't enjoy life? Deuxcents Apr 21 #39

First senior to give up wealth and housing should be wnylib Apr 21 #40

Trying to get youth worked up to vote for those who Ilsa Apr 21 #41

;-{) Senicide - Abandoning Old People on Ice Floes Goonch Apr 21 #42

This message was self-deleted by its author Skittles Apr 21 #45

I'm a boomer... GiqueCee Apr 21 #46

Very well said, if I hear one more person say "both sides do it" I'm gonna scream Walleye Apr 22 #127

Looks like we have another cultural group to start blaming...... Chakaconcarne Apr 21 #48

Thank you! mcar Apr 21 #49

This message was self-deleted by its author jfz9580m Apr 21 #50

I'm with you. But I do think we need term limits.. Joinfortmill Apr 21 #51

I just wish they woud pass the baton already Skittles Apr 21 #57

Repeat after me: EVERY BILLIONAIRE IS A POLICY FAILURE! EarthFirst Apr 21 #52

I know I'm privileged, and I am very torqued at the condition of a large part of younger generations. Susan Calvin Apr 21 #54

As an oldster myself, I paid into the system for decades COL Mustard Apr 21 #55

This shit has gone on with every generation for as long as this country existed. GoCubsGo Apr 21 #58

I DO give up my "accumulated wealth". Every time I buy something. Callie1979 Apr 21 #59

That is one of the dumbest takes I've ever seen Takket Apr 21 #60

Samuel Moyn is Full. Of. Shit. DinahMoeHum Apr 21 #61

No quarter was ever asked for. OC375 Apr 21 #62

Yeah we're a pox on civilization snowybirdie Apr 21 #64

Yeah, I'll need more than a little incentive to give away my house. Qutzupalotl Apr 21 #66

Unrepented Boomer PCB66 Apr 21 #67

Yes, do enjoy it, you really have earned it Walleye Apr 22 #128

Recommended. H2O Man Apr 21 #68

Anybody got this article out from behind the paywall? I get "You've been blocked by the NYTimes because sinkingfeeling Apr 21 #69

We don't owe these ageist people one thing. valleyrogue Apr 21 #70

Truth -- blubunyip Apr 22 #117

Screw this! csusan Apr 21 #72

It was a guest writer's opinion piece. Locutusofborg Apr 21 #73

This one person is a law professor, has opinon pieces several places, niyad Apr 21 #77

I doubt responding to opinion with opinion is an overreaction Torchlight Apr 22 #108

My 90 yr old mom has dementia, dad passed 2 yrs ago vapor2 Apr 21 #75

They took away our pensions so we had to save our own hard earned money for retirement DBoon Apr 21 #76

Don't most of the employers PCB66 Apr 22 #93

In a word: No GenThePerservering Apr 22 #132

To The Author, Pt. 2: The "Hoarding" Is Not Generational; It Is Political..... ColoringFool Apr 21 #78

Yes Coventina, it is rage inducing canetoad Apr 21 #79

Gaslighting and scapegoating. 58Sunliner Apr 22 #80

The latest Harper's has "How Seniors Became America's Ruling Class" gulliver Apr 22 #81

If you control a billion dollars, you are a truly pathological hoarder. 100 billion, and you're a walking crime against eppur_se_muova Apr 22 #82

Author probably cheers when villagers have to jump off a cliff when they turn 72 years old in the movie "Midsommar." betsuni Apr 22 #84

NYTimes publishes a lot of dumb shit LymphocyteLover Apr 22 #87

Another deflection first it was DEI now it's age .... everything but Republicans failure live love laugh Apr 22 #89

Well, coming from a generation that seldom leaves their basement... OldBaldy1701E Apr 22 #90

The pus on the boil was Covid... Hope22 Apr 22 #91

I see a lot of this on reddit. Woodwizard Apr 22 #92

This is one of the pervasive myths. malthaussen Apr 22 #99

Get off my loan! Xipe Totec Apr 22 #100

Over-represented in elections? C_U_L8R Apr 22 #101

Funny those complaining are they contributing to the campaigns Historic NY Apr 22 #102

More division by the B-class. That's the only math they know how to use. Clouds Passing Apr 22 #103

Who the hell wrote this? I can't tell because of the paywall. blue-wave Apr 22 #104

They want to cut Social Security & Medicare to give more of that $ to younger generations CousinIT Apr 22 #113

Driving people out of their homes into condos or assisted living, transferring equity into greedy hands lostnfound Apr 22 #118

You really think they blue-wave Apr 22 #141

The nonsense of age-bait has been gaining steam the past few cycles Torchlight Apr 22 #105

It's coming from the right-wing. It's systematically being pushed. CousinIT Apr 22 #114

This is some bat-shit right-wing extremist crap I read about last week. CousinIT Apr 22 #106

New York Times popsdenver Apr 22 #109

happens with every generation. cab67 Apr 22 #110

THANK YOU! 50 Shades Of Blue Apr 22 #111

Suspecting there's been a concerted plan to systematically rob boomers/genx lostnfound Apr 22 #115

Exactly, but it's really pitting generations against each (along with income, race etc) to deflect from who is themaguffin Apr 22 #116

Seniors bromeando Apr 22 #119

I'm guessing the yellow and blue pieces of the pie are beiing ignored (that's off limits to us)... C Moon Apr 22 #123

I wonder who Moyn thinks is going to buy his new book about the bad olds. betsuni Apr 22 #124

Do they want cheese with that whine? Walleye Apr 22 #126

I know that some people would call me wealthy...and, on a global scale, I'm rich AF. BobTheSubgenius Apr 22 #130

This where David Hogg's... Snackshack Apr 22 #134

As A Senior ... mntleo2 Apr 22 #135

Nah. He's right! 3825-87867 Apr 22 #137

Link to the CRFB* Six Figure Limit Proposal jxla Apr 22 #139