IPOD generation
Newsweek has an intresting article on IPOD generation, IPOD stands for “Insecure, Pressured, Overtaxed and Debt-Ridden”. I does raise three important issues that young generation will face, that I would call a triple whammy. (1) large taxes to pay for debt burden generated by old generation (due to large official public debt and implicit pension liabilities). (2) high property prices, which makes it more diffcult for young people to start adult life on their own; (3) low wages amid emergence of global labor market and Freeman Great Doubling of the labor force after CEE, China and India joined the global labor pool. Young generation tries to defend itself, is more flexible, more mobile, better educated. Will this be enough, or are we facing the great threat of global-scale intergenerational conflict. Today legislative controlled by old generation passes laws favoring old people, but voters age composition is slowly changing. I have just turned forty, but my advice to young generation is this: make sure that your country allows voting via internet (follow Estonia example) and then vote to defend your interests.