Boomers in the 80s and 90s were fucking depressed. They described their lives as a boring, soul-crushing existence where they did the same hollow shit day in and day out. They hated their bosses, they hated their jobs, their kids, their wife/husband. People had “Mid-life crises” where they tried to fill the void with “a fast car and a young hot fling.” things capitalism told them would make them happy. It didn’t.
Seriously listen to any media made by boomers when they were in their 30s-50s. It’s all jokes about how fucking mundane life is.
Even at its peak, life under capitalism was hollow and soul crushing.
They were basically taught “as long as you keep your head down and play the game, we won’t hurt you financially”
Sure, (if you were white and male) you had money, but it took everything else away. Community, friendship, family. Trapped them in a gilded cage. Having to watch their children having even that promise of financial stability ripped from them. And don’t get me started on how terrible it was if you weren’t a white dude.
I have to wonder if the “selfish, childish boomer” stereotype is something of a coping mechanism. Maybe some boomers are like that because thats their jokerfication.
Ive always thought of the midlife crisis as being about you finally hitting the point where you’ve got the money and the time to do the thing(s) you’ve wanted to do since you were 12.
I know the only reason I don’t have a cool motorbike is money and time
i always thought it was a breaking point of being trapped in a life that “you’re supposed to have”, but don’t really want. so people do a bunch of silly junk to fill the void that a nuclear cishet lifestyle can’t fill. realizing their wildest dreams cannot fill it either, they go back to the monotony they’re familiar with.