Why would anyone be surprised by Shapiro’s position? In his mind, he earned everything he has, forgetting he was born on 3rd base, with both of his parents working high level Hollywood jobs. His story is a far cry from boot strapping.
I’m working class but there is truth to what Ben says. A city that is too expensive is sending price signals to leave. If you want a better life, you should leave. Some people struggle to do so, I get that. And no one can or should make them. But it is a reality that when areas become overbought and too many people are living there, the cost of living is a market signal. We wouldn’t be on this continent without the pioneering spirit to move on to better prospects. Maybe try to model that in your own life.
Ben supports an end to mass migration which is driving much of this too. He’s not what you portray him to be
I don’t think people were “triggered” or “emotional” at Shapiro’s comment because they deny basic financial responsibility. Obviously, if you can’t afford an area, the logical thing is to move. That part isn’t controversial. What people are reacting to is the complete lack of awareness about what the housing market actually looks like for younger generations.
From my perspective — and from countless people I know on both the Left and the Right — it’s not about moving to a “slightly less nice” area or settling for a smaller apartment the way our parents did. That option doesn’t exist anymore. In or near any metropolitan area, which is where most jobs are, even the so-called “lower-class” areas are pushing $1,800 to $2,000 a month for a one-bedroom. And even then, many of those areas still have high rates of violent and property crime. The alternative is moving to truly unsafe neighborhoods or “the hood,” which is not a realistic option for most people trying to build a stable life.
I know people who commute an hour each way because that’s the only way to find something remotely affordable. Meanwhile, many of us are working harder than our parents ever had to, with degrees that are far more in demand, yet wages haven’t come close to keeping up with rent, housing costs, or even basic living expenses. Mortgages that used to be manageable on a single income now swallow entire paychecks.
We’re not failing. We’re not being irresponsible. We’re living in an economy that is completely different from the one our parents and grandparents entered adulthood in. They bought homes, raised families of four, and paid off mortgages on one income. We inherited an economy where that is nearly impossible.
We’re not being dramatic — we’re being honest about the reality we were born into.
It’s not about failure. It’s just how it is. Whether or not you deserve this, this is how it is. Maybe there are political solutions, maybe not. But our ancestors dealt with much harder conditions, and did what they had to. I have no easy answers. No soft landings. But whatever comes, no one can help you more than you, even if your life will be worse than your parents. Being upset doesn’t change it. We gotta get tough cause the going is getting tough folks. Your only choice is to sink or swim, or swim as long as you can. Many will sink that don’t deserve to, same as always. Good luck everybody
Yes and no. You absolutely are born in different times. We had little to no health insurance. We had free TV; it consisted of three public broadcast channels that we watched on the single TV in the living room. Our subscriptions were to newspapers and magazines. We had telephones attached to the wall and the whole family shared it. Libraries were our repositories of knowledge. Our young men were subject to compulsory military service until the 1970s. Many served overseas and did not return. Veterans did receive assistance with home purchases and that actually accounts for a not insignificant portion of the reason homes were more affordable then. You can still join the service and qualify for those benefits BTW. For me as a young adult starting out the post-war boom was over. I faced not only double digit inflation but also mortgage interest rates. As for modern worthless degrees, I concur. Starting with my generation we were told that education was the key to success. For some it was but not for all. But at least our degrees werd in traditional fields. We incurred student debt but nothing like what your generations face. IMO you have absolutely been sold a bill of goods unsupported by value. But snake oil salesman are a fact of life and you bought their oil. Lastly the mishmash of
government programs and regulations has created a morass that defy simple solutions. Certainly on a mass scale. Further socialism.will only compound that. So think outside the box for solutions that work for you. Be realistic about your finances. Track your spending and eliminate waste. One of the good things about being young is there are cheap ways to have a good time. So it is easier to live on less than you make and not feel deprived. Above all practice gratitude. Because the very worst mistake you can make is to think things cannot get worse. I promise you they can.
This is a pretty good piece. I think your attribution of globalism, etc. is misplaced and should be attributed to both conservatism and liberalism. Conservatives recognize the need for government. We just have no regard for massive federal government that is far removed from the citizenry and which since 1913 has grown exponentially into a bloated, unwieldy bureaucracy that is unmanageable. Wholly and completely unmanageable. Throw into that a Congress that has been AWOL from its mandates for decades now and you have a recipe for disaster. Lastly you muddy the water with the old crony capitalism saw. Capitalism is private ownership of the means of production and a market to trade what is produced. What you are referring to is corporatism. Corporatism is what drives the worship of the sacred altar of GDP. And the bottom line. Part of that massive, bloated unmanageable bureaucracy devotes its efforts to protecting that.
I’m not even sure what the term “conservative” even means anymore. After watching the latest government shutdown dog and pony show, conservatives declared victory by forcing the Democrats to continue the pork barrel filled extravaganza spending of the Biden covid era. That’s showing them. Convincing the opposition to only burn the kitchen down instead of the house just doesn’t pass the smell test.
There’s a sort of selective libertarianism that many show. It’s used only as a tool against disagreement but never to provide a positive vision that benefits citizens.
Why would anyone be surprised by Shapiro’s position? In his mind, he earned everything he has, forgetting he was born on 3rd base, with both of his parents working high level Hollywood jobs. His story is a far cry from boot strapping.
Yes, Con-Inc. Continue to support corporations, banks and billionaires over regular Americans, and MAGA is not going to protect you from commies
I’m working class but there is truth to what Ben says. A city that is too expensive is sending price signals to leave. If you want a better life, you should leave. Some people struggle to do so, I get that. And no one can or should make them. But it is a reality that when areas become overbought and too many people are living there, the cost of living is a market signal. We wouldn’t be on this continent without the pioneering spirit to move on to better prospects. Maybe try to model that in your own life.
Ben supports an end to mass migration which is driving much of this too. He’s not what you portray him to be
I don’t think people were “triggered” or “emotional” at Shapiro’s comment because they deny basic financial responsibility. Obviously, if you can’t afford an area, the logical thing is to move. That part isn’t controversial. What people are reacting to is the complete lack of awareness about what the housing market actually looks like for younger generations.
From my perspective — and from countless people I know on both the Left and the Right — it’s not about moving to a “slightly less nice” area or settling for a smaller apartment the way our parents did. That option doesn’t exist anymore. In or near any metropolitan area, which is where most jobs are, even the so-called “lower-class” areas are pushing $1,800 to $2,000 a month for a one-bedroom. And even then, many of those areas still have high rates of violent and property crime. The alternative is moving to truly unsafe neighborhoods or “the hood,” which is not a realistic option for most people trying to build a stable life.
I know people who commute an hour each way because that’s the only way to find something remotely affordable. Meanwhile, many of us are working harder than our parents ever had to, with degrees that are far more in demand, yet wages haven’t come close to keeping up with rent, housing costs, or even basic living expenses. Mortgages that used to be manageable on a single income now swallow entire paychecks.
We’re not failing. We’re not being irresponsible. We’re living in an economy that is completely different from the one our parents and grandparents entered adulthood in. They bought homes, raised families of four, and paid off mortgages on one income. We inherited an economy where that is nearly impossible.
We’re not being dramatic — we’re being honest about the reality we were born into.
It’s not about failure. It’s just how it is. Whether or not you deserve this, this is how it is. Maybe there are political solutions, maybe not. But our ancestors dealt with much harder conditions, and did what they had to. I have no easy answers. No soft landings. But whatever comes, no one can help you more than you, even if your life will be worse than your parents. Being upset doesn’t change it. We gotta get tough cause the going is getting tough folks. Your only choice is to sink or swim, or swim as long as you can. Many will sink that don’t deserve to, same as always. Good luck everybody
Yes and no. You absolutely are born in different times. We had little to no health insurance. We had free TV; it consisted of three public broadcast channels that we watched on the single TV in the living room. Our subscriptions were to newspapers and magazines. We had telephones attached to the wall and the whole family shared it. Libraries were our repositories of knowledge. Our young men were subject to compulsory military service until the 1970s. Many served overseas and did not return. Veterans did receive assistance with home purchases and that actually accounts for a not insignificant portion of the reason homes were more affordable then. You can still join the service and qualify for those benefits BTW. For me as a young adult starting out the post-war boom was over. I faced not only double digit inflation but also mortgage interest rates. As for modern worthless degrees, I concur. Starting with my generation we were told that education was the key to success. For some it was but not for all. But at least our degrees werd in traditional fields. We incurred student debt but nothing like what your generations face. IMO you have absolutely been sold a bill of goods unsupported by value. But snake oil salesman are a fact of life and you bought their oil. Lastly the mishmash of
government programs and regulations has created a morass that defy simple solutions. Certainly on a mass scale. Further socialism.will only compound that. So think outside the box for solutions that work for you. Be realistic about your finances. Track your spending and eliminate waste. One of the good things about being young is there are cheap ways to have a good time. So it is easier to live on less than you make and not feel deprived. Above all practice gratitude. Because the very worst mistake you can make is to think things cannot get worse. I promise you they can.
Ben supports ending illegal immigration, yes. But mass migration in general? Not too sure about that.
As for your earlier comment, young people are moving regardless. But I wouldn't call this "pioneer spirit" inasmuch as it's "I just want a job."
This is a pretty good piece. I think your attribution of globalism, etc. is misplaced and should be attributed to both conservatism and liberalism. Conservatives recognize the need for government. We just have no regard for massive federal government that is far removed from the citizenry and which since 1913 has grown exponentially into a bloated, unwieldy bureaucracy that is unmanageable. Wholly and completely unmanageable. Throw into that a Congress that has been AWOL from its mandates for decades now and you have a recipe for disaster. Lastly you muddy the water with the old crony capitalism saw. Capitalism is private ownership of the means of production and a market to trade what is produced. What you are referring to is corporatism. Corporatism is what drives the worship of the sacred altar of GDP. And the bottom line. Part of that massive, bloated unmanageable bureaucracy devotes its efforts to protecting that.
I’m not even sure what the term “conservative” even means anymore. After watching the latest government shutdown dog and pony show, conservatives declared victory by forcing the Democrats to continue the pork barrel filled extravaganza spending of the Biden covid era. That’s showing them. Convincing the opposition to only burn the kitchen down instead of the house just doesn’t pass the smell test.
There’s a sort of selective libertarianism that many show. It’s used only as a tool against disagreement but never to provide a positive vision that benefits citizens.