[[Julian here: This is for the generational grumblers. A follow-up reply to What Will Replace Social Media for Kids Under 16? ]]
Before the angry emails start—
Yes, I know you walked to school barefoot.
Uphill. Both ways.
Carrying your younger siblings.
While being chased by snakes.
In the snow.
In Queensland.
I hear you.
But can we still talk about this?
Because when I say Boomers benefitted from a post-WW2 tailwind, I’m not saying you personally had it easy.
I’m saying:
You collectively had it better.
Statistically. Economically. Historically.
And if that stings a little, good.
It means we’re talking about something real.
📊 Let’s check the receipts.
Wages and productivity rose together.
From the 1950s to the 1970s, if you worked harder, you earned more. That link is broken now. Today’s young workers produce more and take home less (adjusted for inflation).
You could buy a house.
In 1970s Australia, the average home cost around 4x the average income.
Today? It's pushing 10x in most capital cities.
University was free (or very cheap).
Thanks, Gough Whitlam.
Many Boomers walked into higher education and out again—no debt, no HELP repayments, no $100k price tag.
Jobs were stable.
Unions were strong. Full-time work was the norm. “Career” meant something long-term. Contract work was rare. The “gig economy” didn’t exist.
Society was expanding, not shrinking.
Infrastructure. Migration. Travel. Growth.
The middle class boomed. The welfare net was there. It wasn’t perfect, but it was something.
💥 But we had it tough too!
Yes. Absolutely.
The 1980s recession.
17% interest rates.
Inflation. Redundancies.
Some genuinely hard chapters.
But here’s the difference:
You started from a higher base.
There were cushions. There were pathways.
Boomers didn’t build the post-war boom—they inherited it.
And they did what every generation tries to do: make the most of it.
🧭 So what now?
This isn’t about guilt.
It’s about gratitude and giving back.
You don’t need to apologise for being born in a time of prosperity.
But you can ask:
What will I do with the advantages I received?
Write a cheque? Sure.
But what if the greatest gift you can give now... is you?
Your time.
Your wisdom.
Your presence.
🧓🏽 Grandparents, we need you.
Kids today are swimming in a digital sea with no lifeguards.
Their parents are drowning in bills, burnout, and broken systems.
This is where BestGrandad comes in.
Not as a silver bullet.
But as a steady hand.
A real-world alternative to scrolling.
A presence when others are absent.
A bridge between wisdom and wonder.
🎯 Final thought:
Next time someone says:
"We did it tough too!"
Just smile and say:
"Yes. And we still got lucky. Now let’s be useful."
Let’s turn advantage into action.
Let’s turn legacy into leadership.