Author Topic: Delusional Canadians . . .  (Read 13290 times)

GuitarStv

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Delusional Canadians . . .
« on: March 20, 2015, 11:26:11 AM »
http://business.financialpost.com/2015/03/20/debt-ridden-young-couple-in-vancouver-wants-it-all-bigger-house-kids-early-retirement/

Summary:
- Owe more on their mortgage (389) than their condo is worth (387)
- Carry 25 grand of student debt
- Spend a grand a month eating out, a grand a month on travel, and 400$ a month on clothing
- She has about 20 grand in retirement savings and a defined pension, he has nothing.

They want to design a bigger custom built house and retire early.

jopiquant

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2015, 11:28:16 AM »
They really did a great job buying a property in a city that only seems to cost more for housing every day if they owe more than it's worth. I live in Burnaby and owe less on our stand alone house than they do on their condo (humblebrag). Good for her with the defined pension. Oh my gravy.

Well, early retirement isn't in the cards for everyone.

RFAAOATB

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2015, 11:35:51 AM »
First thought:  They have 35 year mortgages now?
Second Thought:  “Their problem comes down to the fact that they cannot have it all.”

Big house, early retirement, more than one child.  Which one are they more willing to give up? 

Zikoris

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #3 on: March 20, 2015, 12:36:44 PM »
Finally, a Vancouver couple! Wow, that's incredible! $2000 a month for groceries and restaurants for two people! Um... stop having caviar for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

GuitarStv

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2015, 12:55:12 PM »
Finally, a Vancouver couple! Wow, that's incredible! $2000 a month for groceries and restaurants for two people! Um... stop having caviar for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

 . . . at least switch to off brand caviar.

Cathy

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #5 on: March 20, 2015, 12:58:39 PM »
My favourite part is that a negative net worth at age 31 still earns 2 stars out of 5 on the retirement readiness scale. This is apparently a very forgiving scale.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2015, 01:08:23 PM by Cathy »

Zikoris

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #6 on: March 20, 2015, 02:00:33 PM »
My favourite part is that a negative net worth at age 31 still earns 2 stars out of 5 on the retirement readiness scale. This is apparently a very forgiving scale.

It's a strange scale on the other end as well - they frequently have couples with very high net worths, pensions, no debts, and normal expenses, but only give them 4 stars.

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #7 on: March 20, 2015, 02:50:42 PM »
My favourite part is that a negative net worth at age 31 still earns 2 stars out of 5 on the retirement readiness scale. This is apparently a very forgiving scale.
I was broke at 31 too. Even worse, that was after 10 years of theoretically pursuing FIRE. But in my defense, I had just taken a $30,000 divorce in the ass - my second time going back to 0. I didn't even need a facepunch to tell me I would never reach my goal if I kept doing shit the same way, so I put my personal life on hold and took care of business for a while. I wonder if these two will figure it out, or if they'll still be wishing at 60...

MrsPete

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #8 on: March 21, 2015, 08:44:36 AM »
Given that they're both high earners, they have tremendous potential -- but they're also high spenders, so their realistic chances of success are, as the article said in the conclusion, DIM. 

What I never quite "get" about these stories:  These people always seem to earn so much more than my husband and I do, yet they have so much less to show for it! 
« Last Edit: March 21, 2015, 08:48:03 AM by MrsPete »

pachnik

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #9 on: March 21, 2015, 08:57:20 AM »
They were just average citizens not from a wealthy family.  I just don't understand where this "we want to have it all" thinking comes from.  I mean they have high incomes but spend like crazy.  They could probably have most of what they want if they prioritized. 

No Name Guy

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #10 on: March 21, 2015, 10:48:30 AM »
This should be "Delusional Millennials", not delusional Canadians.

Just another example of some from that generation saying "gimme, gimme, gimme, now, now, now" I want the big salary even though I'm a newbie straight out of school, I want the big house, even if I have no money, I want to go to college, and not any college like a community college, but top of the line, even though your dumber than a rock and have to borrow a shit ton of money for it.

Well Jack and Marianne, here's a effing dose of reality - you have to choose between competing priorities.  And your choice is clear, based on your actions - you'd rather eat out (are you fucking kidding me, $970 a month - that's $16 a DAY, EACH.  REALLY!!!!!) AND you're somehow also managing to piss away another $1,000 / month on food - another $16 / day each.  How is that physically possible?  And $400 / month on clothes?  And a grand a month on travel?  WTF Batman.....Yep - you, as expressed by your behavior, don't want an "early" retirement (cough, cough....early 60's isn't "early"), you don't want that house, and your kids are just going to have to wait.

Nope....like so many of the generation that experienced "everyone gets a trophy" and helicopter parents insuring you never felt bad, you were, sadly, denied experience in the real world where choices and competing interests are reality, where you're told you're not the best, and where not everything is rainbow unicorns farting perfume on a perfect sunny summer afternoon.

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #11 on: March 21, 2015, 10:59:04 AM »
First thought:  They have 35 year mortgages now?

Yup, but you need 20% down.  It's a fantastic vehicle for those who want to minimize payment so they can divert investing, although I'm sure the most popular use of them is to buy more house.

Logic_Lady

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #12 on: March 21, 2015, 12:24:21 PM »
This should be "Delusional Millennials", not delusional Canadians.

Just another example of some from that generation saying "gimme, gimme, gimme, now, now, now" I want the big salary even though I'm a newbie straight out of school, I want the big house, even if I have no money, I want to go to college, and not any college like a community college, but top of the line, even though your dumber than a rock and have to borrow a shit ton of money for it.

Well Jack and Marianne, here's a effing dose of reality - you have to choose between competing priorities.  And your choice is clear, based on your actions - you'd rather eat out (are you fucking kidding me, $970 a month - that's $16 a DAY, EACH.  REALLY!!!!!) AND you're somehow also managing to piss away another $1,000 / month on food - another $16 / day each.  How is that physically possible?  And $400 / month on clothes?  And a grand a month on travel?  WTF Batman.....Yep - you, as expressed by your behavior, don't want an "early" retirement (cough, cough....early 60's isn't "early"), you don't want that house, and your kids are just going to have to wait.

Nope....like so many of the generation that experienced "everyone gets a trophy" and helicopter parents insuring you never felt bad, you were, sadly, denied experience in the real world where choices and competing interests are reality, where you're told you're not the best, and where not everything is rainbow unicorns farting perfume on a perfect sunny summer afternoon.

I'm so sick of these BS "millennial" stereotypes. We just had an entire financial crisis precipitated by boomers and gen x'ers buying houses they couldn't afford.

And "I want a great salary straight out of school"?! That's nonsense! My recently graduated peers and I are happy with ANY salary. We are happy to "pay our dues" and work for low wages. The problem is that employers expect people to work for FREE for several years out of college (and before you say "just work at McDonalds," places like that don't like to hire "overqualified" workers, so it's often not possible to get a job there).

And who told us all to go to the best college we could get into, and that we should borrow money to do it? Oh yeah, boomers. The generation who paid almost nothing for college (seriously, my mom put herself through college...but it was $200/semester) but now you call us entitled for borrowing money. Well, even state colleges cost tens of thousands of dollars a year, which is more than we could possibly make in any part-time job we have in college.

Apparently millennials are to blame for the supposed helicopter parents and participation trophies? Even though we weren't the ones giving out the trophies? I suppose we can also blame millennials for all the boomers who are now traditional retirement age but don't have enough money to retire, because they wanted bigger houses, clown cars, and expensive vacations?
« Last Edit: March 21, 2015, 12:42:05 PM by Logic_Lady »

Elliot

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #13 on: March 21, 2015, 01:56:05 PM »
Yeah, what Logic_Lady said.

Otsog

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #14 on: March 21, 2015, 03:01:30 PM »
First thought:  They have 35 year mortgages now?

Yup, but you need 20% down.  It's a fantastic vehicle for those who want to minimize payment so they can divert investing, although I'm sure the most popular use of them is to buy more house.

35 year amortization and interest term or just 35 year amortization?

caliq

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #15 on: March 21, 2015, 03:36:03 PM »
This should be "Delusional Millennials", not delusional Canadians.

Just another example of some from that generation saying "gimme, gimme, gimme, now, now, now" I want the big salary even though I'm a newbie straight out of school, I want the big house, even if I have no money, I want to go to college, and not any college like a community college, but top of the line, even though your dumber than a rock and have to borrow a shit ton of money for it.

Well Jack and Marianne, here's a effing dose of reality - you have to choose between competing priorities.  And your choice is clear, based on your actions - you'd rather eat out (are you fucking kidding me, $970 a month - that's $16 a DAY, EACH.  REALLY!!!!!) AND you're somehow also managing to piss away another $1,000 / month on food - another $16 / day each.  How is that physically possible?  And $400 / month on clothes?  And a grand a month on travel?  WTF Batman.....Yep - you, as expressed by your behavior, don't want an "early" retirement (cough, cough....early 60's isn't "early"), you don't want that house, and your kids are just going to have to wait.

Nope....like so many of the generation that experienced "everyone gets a trophy" and helicopter parents insuring you never felt bad, you were, sadly, denied experience in the real world where choices and competing interests are reality, where you're told you're not the best, and where not everything is rainbow unicorns farting perfume on a perfect sunny summer afternoon.

I'm so sick of these BS "millennial" stereotypes. We just had an entire financial crisis precipitated by boomers and gen x'ers buying houses they couldn't afford.

And "I want a great salary straight out of school"?! That's nonsense! My recently graduated peers and I are happy with ANY salary. We are happy to "pay our dues" and work for low wages. The problem is that employers expect people to work for FREE for several years out of college (and before you say "just work at McDonalds," places like that don't like to hire "overqualified" workers, so it's often not possible to get a job there).

And who told us all to go to the best college we could get into, and that we should borrow money to do it? Oh yeah, boomers. The generation who paid almost nothing for college (seriously, my mom put herself through college...but it was $200/semester) but now you call us entitled for borrowing money. Well, even state colleges cost tens of thousands of dollars a year, which is more than we could possibly make in any part-time job we have in college.

Apparently millennials are to blame for the supposed helicopter parents and participation trophies? Even though we weren't the ones giving out the trophies? I suppose we can also blame millennials for all the boomers who are now traditional retirement age but don't have enough money to retire, because they wanted bigger houses, clown cars, and expensive vacations?

+1 bajillion

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #16 on: March 21, 2015, 03:42:15 PM »
First thought:  They have 35 year mortgages now?

Yup, but you need 20% down.  It's a fantastic vehicle for those who want to minimize payment so they can divert investing, although I'm sure the most popular use of them is to buy more house.

35 year amortization and interest term or just 35 year amortization?

35 year am, with term options of 1-10 years usually.  I have a 35 year am, and other than having to renew it at the end of each term, it's at a fantastically low interest rate.  We were paying it off aggressively, but now are just paying the minimum, and diverting as much as possible to investments.

daverobev

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #17 on: March 21, 2015, 04:15:08 PM »
Interesting.

I struggle to relate th Gen Y/millennials stretching from the early '80s into the mid '00s. To those complainypantsing above, I'd suggest not trying to relate to the people in the article - a decade makes a large difference, and someone 'just graduating' is very different from someone who got on the career ladder ten years ago.

GuitarStv

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #18 on: March 22, 2015, 06:58:21 AM »
Interesting.

I struggle to relate th Gen Y/millennials stretching from the early '80s into the mid '00s. To those complainypantsing above, I'd suggest not trying to relate to the people in the article - a decade makes a large difference, and someone 'just graduating' is very different from someone who got on the career ladder ten years ago.

I can't relate at all to the people in the article and am three years older.

Self-employed-swami

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #19 on: March 22, 2015, 03:14:36 PM »
I'm 30, and I can't relate at all either.

winterbike

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #20 on: March 22, 2015, 09:09:25 PM »
This should be "Delusional Millennials", not delusional Canadians.

Just another example of some from that generation saying "gimme, gimme, gimme, now, now, now" I want the big salary even though I'm a newbie straight out of school, I want the big house, even if I have no money, I want to go to college, and not any college like a community college, but top of the line, even though your dumber than a rock and have to borrow a shit ton of money for it.

Well Jack and Marianne, here's a effing dose of reality - you have to choose between competing priorities.  And your choice is clear, based on your actions - you'd rather eat out (are you fucking kidding me, $970 a month - that's $16 a DAY, EACH.  REALLY!!!!!) AND you're somehow also managing to piss away another $1,000 / month on food - another $16 / day each.  How is that physically possible?  And $400 / month on clothes?  And a grand a month on travel?  WTF Batman.....Yep - you, as expressed by your behavior, don't want an "early" retirement (cough, cough....early 60's isn't "early"), you don't want that house, and your kids are just going to have to wait.

Nope....like so many of the generation that experienced "everyone gets a trophy" and helicopter parents insuring you never felt bad, you were, sadly, denied experience in the real world where choices and competing interests are reality, where you're told you're not the best, and where not everything is rainbow unicorns farting perfume on a perfect sunny summer afternoon.

Bahaha, this post is ridiculous. I spend far less on useless junk than my parents ever did, and so do most of my friends. My father was paid 50K+ a year in the 80s on a job that didn't even require a degree. My parents' first house cost 66K (1.32x annual salary) and was in a really nice neighborhood. I'm currently paid 52K a year for a job that required a Master's only to interview for and the house is now worth around 300K (5.77x annual salary). Guess what grumpy old man, kids these days work more than the last generation. The work we have to do is more complex too.

Here's to you!

Flyingkea

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #21 on: March 23, 2015, 12:33:27 AM »
Interesting.

I struggle to relate th Gen Y/millennials stretching from the early '80s into the mid '00s. To those complainypantsing above, I'd suggest not trying to relate to the people in the article - a decade makes a large difference, and someone 'just graduating' is very different from someone who got on the career ladder ten years ago.

I can't relate at all to the people in the article and am three years older.
I'm 8 years younger, and I still can't relate.
Btw agree with logic lady, I once got fired from a job because I wanted to be paid. I would've been happy with min wage, but noooo....
My mum completed her uni degree with a debt of $300. Now at least 30k is standard.

deborah

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #22 on: March 23, 2015, 01:24:52 AM »
It is a pity when people can't figure out that they are spending too much. I think that these days people see so much more wealth around them - their co-workers, people on television who are portrayed as having a similar level of income to them. People assume that they can have the things these other people have. But no-one can.

In the olden days, there was less visible wealth confronting you each day, so you had fewer expectations. It is not so much a matter of generations as of media penetration.

I know that without a television, and especially without co-workers (as I am retired), I automatically have much less spending.

sarah8001

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #23 on: March 23, 2015, 02:22:14 AM »
I could barely even read that article. My fiance and I bring home 3500$ after taxes and health insurance costs on a good month. We've made some silly decisions, but we're getting better and we'll be able to start remodeling our (too big, too expensive) house soon, as well as start trying to start a family in a few months. These people are casually throwing around as much money as we MAKE. They make SO MUCH MONEY. And they're bitching? Really? The things I could do with their income for one year . . .

PEIslander

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #24 on: March 23, 2015, 04:26:39 AM »
...people on television who are portrayed as having a similar level of income to them. People assume that they can have the things these other people have.

I think you are right. It is rare on tv to see people not having a brand new car, gourmet kitchen, stylish clothes, or a beautiful home. Watching makes people think what they are seeing is the status quo.

Makes me nostalgic for shows like "Roseanne" that didn't put the fake veneer over everything.

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #25 on: March 23, 2015, 07:13:37 AM »

...people on television who are portrayed as having a similar level of income to them. People assume that they can have the things these other people have.

I think you are right. It is rare on tv to see people not having a brand new car, gourmet kitchen, stylish clothes, or a beautiful home. Watching makes people think what they are seeing is the status quo.

Makes me nostalgic for shows like "Roseanne" that didn't put the fake veneer over everything.

I also like "The Office" for that same reason.

pachnik

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #26 on: March 23, 2015, 07:36:04 AM »
It is a pity when people can't figure out that they are spending too much. I think that these days people see so much more wealth around them - their co-workers, people on television who are portrayed as having a similar level of income to them. People assume that they can have the things these other people have. But no-one can.

In the olden days, there was less visible wealth confronting you each day, so you had fewer expectations. It is not so much a matter of generations as of media penetration.

I know that without a television, and especially without co-workers (as I am retired), I automatically have much less spending.
+1.  I think this has something to do with it too.  You just think having luxury stuff is normal because all your friends seem to.  I don't have cable anymore either and only 3 co-workers. 

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #27 on: March 23, 2015, 09:52:49 AM »
This should be "Delusional Millennials", not delusional Canadians.

Just another example of some from that generation saying "gimme, gimme, gimme, now, now, now" I want the big salary even though I'm a newbie straight out of school, I want the big house, even if I have no money, I want to go to college, and not any college like a community college, but top of the line, even though your dumber than a rock and have to borrow a shit ton of money for it.

Well Jack and Marianne, here's a effing dose of reality - you have to choose between competing priorities.  And your choice is clear, based on your actions - you'd rather eat out (are you fucking kidding me, $970 a month - that's $16 a DAY, EACH.  REALLY!!!!!) AND you're somehow also managing to piss away another $1,000 / month on food - another $16 / day each.  How is that physically possible?  And $400 / month on clothes?  And a grand a month on travel?  WTF Batman.....Yep - you, as expressed by your behavior, don't want an "early" retirement (cough, cough....early 60's isn't "early"), you don't want that house, and your kids are just going to have to wait.

Nope....like so many of the generation that experienced "everyone gets a trophy" and helicopter parents insuring you never felt bad, you were, sadly, denied experience in the real world where choices and competing interests are reality, where you're told you're not the best, and where not everything is rainbow unicorns farting perfume on a perfect sunny summer afternoon.

I'm so sick of these BS "millennial" stereotypes. We just had an entire financial crisis precipitated by boomers and gen x'ers buying houses they couldn't afford.

And "I want a great salary straight out of school"?! That's nonsense! My recently graduated peers and I are happy with ANY salary. We are happy to "pay our dues" and work for low wages. The problem is that employers expect people to work for FREE for several years out of college (and before you say "just work at McDonalds," places like that don't like to hire "overqualified" workers, so it's often not possible to get a job there).

And who told us all to go to the best college we could get into, and that we should borrow money to do it? Oh yeah, boomers. The generation who paid almost nothing for college (seriously, my mom put herself through college...but it was $200/semester) but now you call us entitled for borrowing money. Well, even state colleges cost tens of thousands of dollars a year, which is more than we could possibly make in any part-time job we have in college.

Apparently millennials are to blame for the supposed helicopter parents and participation trophies? Even though we weren't the ones giving out the trophies? I suppose we can also blame millennials for all the boomers who are now traditional retirement age but don't have enough money to retire, because they wanted bigger houses, clown cars, and expensive vacations?

+1 bajillion

Standing ovation from TX over here...I'm Gen X and I tell you what, that assumption that I'm a worthless slacker shit still pisses me off!

My kids are all millenials, and they are going to kick ass and take names, because I taught them to!

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #28 on: March 23, 2015, 09:57:06 AM »
This should be "Delusional Millennials", not delusional Canadians...

I'm so sick of these BS "millennial" stereotypes.....
I second the objection to making this a generational issue. The Anti-Mustachian Wall of Shame and Comedy is loaded with daily examples of people of ALL ages acting like complete morons about money.
I'm late Gen-X, almost Y, and my friends and co-workers range from millennials to Boomers and beyond. Guess what? Some of them work hard, some exercise good judgment, some have a sense of entitlement... and some don't. There is no consistent correlation to age.
Are there millennials who want a trophy for showing up? Sure. Millennials are also leading the Tiny House movement after watching their parents bankrupt themselves on McMansions. We all start from where we are. We all have something to give.

daverobev

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #29 on: March 23, 2015, 11:55:16 AM »
Interesting.

I struggle to relate th Gen Y/millennials stretching from the early '80s into the mid '00s. To those complainypantsing above, I'd suggest not trying to relate to the people in the article - a decade makes a large difference, and someone 'just graduating' is very different from someone who got on the career ladder ten years ago.

I can't relate at all to the people in the article and am three years older.
I'm 8 years younger, and I still can't relate.
Btw agree with logic lady, I once got fired from a job because I wanted to be paid. I would've been happy with min wage, but noooo....
My mum completed her uni degree with a debt of $300. Now at least 30k is standard.

Sorry, I didn't mean I can't relate in the way it's been taken.

I mean, I CAN'T relate to that crazy lifestyle, but that wasn't what I meant. I mean I can't understand such a long time for a single description - anyone graduating before 2007 was in a different world to 2009, say.

It's all trends, I guess, and the trend in the West IS for people to live at home longer. Not me, sure, and not you, but man. When I was a lad... people who went to uni were done by 21 then out into the workforce, not 24-25 which is what it seems like in Canada.

It's not good or bad, it just is. I think loading up young people with debt needs clamping down on, though. Companies should pay for education (through tax!) and then have lower salaries for most, especially at the mid to top.

When I went to uni people a year or two above me got GOVERNMENT GRANTS to cover their living expenses, not loans! And it gets worse and worse.

I'm all right, Jack - our sprog has a nice healthy RESP (savings for education plan in Canada) going, so I know SHE won't be fucked if she goes in for post secondary. But it's not fair, at all.

Kaspian

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #30 on: March 23, 2015, 12:45:38 PM »
How much you wanna bet they watched "Real Housewives of Vancouver" in their formative 20s and now they believe they're one of these people?

MrsPete

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #31 on: March 24, 2015, 08:31:41 AM »
Guess what grumpy old man, kids these days work more than the last generation. The work we have to do is more complex too.
Generalize much? 

Seriously, every generation has its ups and downs; those who come after seem to remember the positives we enjoyed, while ignoring or negating the obstacles that were in our way.  My generation did have the advantage of a great stock market for a few years, but when we bought our first houses we were paying 12% interest.  My parents' generation was rocked by Vietnam and changing social mores.  My grandparents were young during the Great Depression, and then they dealt with WW2.

Today's young people face different obstacles, but they're no worse than the ones faced by previous generations.  One difference, however, is that your generation seems to have much thinner skin and seems to take things much too personally. 



caliq

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #32 on: March 24, 2015, 09:03:34 AM »
Guess what grumpy old man, kids these days work more than the last generation. The work we have to do is more complex too.
Generalize much? 

Seriously, every generation has its ups and downs; those who come after seem to remember the positives we enjoyed, while ignoring or negating the obstacles that were in our way.  My generation did have the advantage of a great stock market for a few years, but when we bought our first houses we were paying 12% interest.  My parents' generation was rocked by Vietnam and changing social mores.  My grandparents were young during the Great Depression, and then they dealt with WW2.

Today's young people face different obstacles, but they're no worse than the ones faced by previous generations.  One difference, however, is that your generation seems to have much thinner skin and seems to take things much too personally.


LOLOLOLOL.


Seriously?

You can't get mad at someone who was defending himself against a generalization by making another generalization for generalizing, and then turn around and make a generalization yourself.

This is getting too meta and ridiculous.  Especially considering it seems you took offense to the quoted statement, which somehow generalizes your generation, and are then criticizing the person who made it for being thin skinned?

Wowwwwww.  Did you even think about what you were writing?

zephyr911

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #33 on: March 24, 2015, 09:21:02 AM »
Generalize much? 

...your generation seems to have much thinner skin and seems to take things much too personally.
Somebody help me find the words for the irony here.

How about we all choose to rise above this petty shit together, so we can be rich and happy at all ages, regardless of our generation....

CheapskateWife

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #34 on: March 24, 2015, 09:31:01 AM »
+1 to Zephyr and Caliq

May seem off topic but there is a line in the most recent Star Wars that cracks me up; "Only a Sith deals in absolutes"

Elliot

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #35 on: March 24, 2015, 09:32:10 AM »
I think thin-skinned tends to be a quality associated with inexperience (hey, gaining experience is often painful!) and has little to no correlation with generational values.

zephyr911

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #36 on: March 24, 2015, 09:33:04 AM »
+1 to Zephyr and Caliq

May seem off topic but there is a line in the most recent Star Wars that cracks me up; "Only a Sith deals in absolutes"
I always wondered... are there any exceptions? >.<

I think thin-skinned tends to be a quality associated with inexperience (hey, gaining experience is often painful!) and has little to no correlation with generational values.
Those who take an interest in gaining perspective on such things generally conclude this: people making generational comparisons tend to project their current (mature, experienced) selves upon their memories of their early years, thereby holding the current (young, inexperienced) generation to an impossible standard.
People have been claiming "kids these days" are lazy, stupid, disrespectful, weak, overly hedonistic, you name it, for millennia. Yet a study of history indicates that human nature is essentially unchanged. There's a fun quote out there often misattributed to Socrates, actually from a satirical play about him, documenting the existence of such sentiments in classical times. They are understandable, but invalid.
« Last Edit: March 24, 2015, 09:40:19 AM by zephyr911 »

MrsPete

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #37 on: March 24, 2015, 09:35:41 AM »
Especially considering it seems you took offense to the quoted statement,
I didn't take any offense.  I thought it was funny and pointed it out. 


MrsPete

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #38 on: March 24, 2015, 09:37:06 AM »
I think thin-skinned tends to be a quality associated with inexperience (hey, gaining experience is often painful!) and has little to no correlation with generational values.
Yeah, I agree with thin skinned and inexperienced being traits that tend to gang together. 

zephyr911

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #39 on: March 24, 2015, 09:42:28 AM »
Ahh, here it is.

Kids These Days!

*shakes cane* get off my lawn! >.<

Kaspian

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #40 on: March 24, 2015, 12:00:30 PM »
I don't think the Millennials have a monopoly on whining these days.  If they're crying about education and unfairness it seems to me middle-aged people are just as complainypants about "immigrants takin' our jobs", "lazy kids these days" or old people with their non-stop bitchfest about safety and taxes.  Not sure what happened in culture recently, maybe the Internet and instant gratification with so many aspects of life has turned everyone into a self-serving assholes?

RetiredAt63

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #41 on: March 24, 2015, 12:16:07 PM »
There is certainly more to spend money on now, especially on things that "seem" like essentials (laptops, cell phones, etc.).  I am guilty here too, my last cell phone choice was based on how well it handled texting (pull-out keyboard) and now that it is dying I am about to get another cell phone.  Is it a necessity?  No.  Is it massively convenient and adds a lot to my quality of life? Yes. Can I afford it?  Well, my criteria will make it so, it will definitely not be a top-of-the-line model.

It always comes down to choices.  When I was a mature student (in the 90's, working full time, husband, child, house, the whole bit) my fellow students were much better dressed than I was, and had nicer computers. I wondered even way back then how much student debt they were racking up.  Of course many were still living at home, and those were Quebec tuition fees, so it probably wasn't too terrible. 

I made it through grad school (in the mid-70's) debt free by never looking at the ads in the newspaper, because then I would see things I would want and didn't have the money for. Of course I did so well at not shopping that when I started working I had to buy a whole work wardrobe.  I literally had one outfit suitable for work, and I wore it to my interview.  But we had friends who spent a lot more, on similar incomes, so they were probably being just as unrealistic abut their finances then as the people in the article are being now. 

MgoSam

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Re: Delusional Canadians . . .
« Reply #42 on: March 24, 2015, 03:03:32 PM »
This should be "Delusional Millennials", not delusional Canadians.

Just another example of some from that generation saying "gimme, gimme, gimme, now, now, now" I want the big salary even though I'm a newbie straight out of school, I want the big house, even if I have no money, I want to go to college, and not any college like a community college, but top of the line, even though your dumber than a rock and have to borrow a shit ton of money for it.

Well Jack and Marianne, here's a effing dose of reality - you have to choose between competing priorities.  And your choice is clear, based on your actions - you'd rather eat out (are you fucking kidding me, $970 a month - that's $16 a DAY, EACH.  REALLY!!!!!) AND you're somehow also managing to piss away another $1,000 / month on food - another $16 / day each.  How is that physically possible?  And $400 / month on clothes?  And a grand a month on travel?  WTF Batman.....Yep - you, as expressed by your behavior, don't want an "early" retirement (cough, cough....early 60's isn't "early"), you don't want that house, and your kids are just going to have to wait.

Nope....like so many of the generation that experienced "everyone gets a trophy" and helicopter parents insuring you never felt bad, you were, sadly, denied experience in the real world where choices and competing interests are reality, where you're told you're not the best, and where not everything is rainbow unicorns farting perfume on a perfect sunny summer afternoon.

I'm so sick of these BS "millennial" stereotypes. We just had an entire financial crisis precipitated by boomers and gen x'ers buying houses they couldn't afford.

And "I want a great salary straight out of school"?! That's nonsense! My recently graduated peers and I are happy with ANY salary. We are happy to "pay our dues" and work for low wages. The problem is that employers expect people to work for FREE for several years out of college (and before you say "just work at McDonalds," places like that don't like to hire "overqualified" workers, so it's often not possible to get a job there).

And who told us all to go to the best college we could get into, and that we should borrow money to do it? Oh yeah, boomers. The generation who paid almost nothing for college (seriously, my mom put herself through college...but it was $200/semester) but now you call us entitled for borrowing money. Well, even state colleges cost tens of thousands of dollars a year, which is more than we could possibly make in any part-time job we have in college.

Apparently millennials are to blame for the supposed helicopter parents and participation trophies? Even though we weren't the ones giving out the trophies? I suppose we can also blame millennials for all the boomers who are now traditional retirement age but don't have enough money to retire, because they wanted bigger houses, clown cars, and expensive vacations?

*drops mic*