Wrinklies Rise Up

Yes, absolutely I agreed with her

So do I!

Here's the link Janet Street Porter

She goes on a bit though, doesn't she

Go Janet! When do we march!

Goes against the grain but I have to agree with much of what she says.

Spot on, Janet.Thank you, KatyK

Well written and every word so true.

Yes just read the article, got to agree with her.

Not at all Janeains next you'll be telling her to 'calm down dear' . She's spot on and it's very worrying.

'Sod the young'? I don't think so. I have four GSs. I worry about how our young are going to manage and God knows what the retirement age will be for them, in their seventies probably.

I agree with you petallus.
Although I don't like the baby-boomer bashing, I think as a generation we have been more fortunate than our parents and our children and our grandchildren are likely to be.
I count my blessings.

But if granny bashing becomes the norm there's less hope for our children when they reach retirement and less still for our grandchildren - if they even get to retire.
Those Wallys in Whitehall seem to have no idea how much our generation contributes unpaid as there's no real way of measuring it. I've just found out that all the years voluntaring I've done for the National Trust has been counted as I don't claim travel expenses - if money isn't involved, it doesn't count. Perhaps if we were all to keep time sheets of parent/grandchild caring and voluntary work and send them to our MPs it would be as good as a march.

Janet Street-Porter usually drives me mad to be honest but I thought this article was spot on, although I don't agree with the sod the young expression either. She has no children herself so may feel differently.

I agree with all that JSP wrote including 'sod the youngsters'. I've a grandchild so of purse I worry about her future (she's only 2 so there's a lot of it to come) but when will it be my time? I've been a good daughter and supported various elderly relations, raised children alone without government or family support and paid my way as a single person only to discover my full contributions counted for nothing when I married and found myself out of work. The retirement age has been shifted so I've longer to wait but meanwhile I'm looking after an ailing mother and a grandchild so her mum can go to work. I feel I've worried enough about everyone else, now it's my turn!

I agree with you Mollie. I have never had to look after aged parents as both my parents and my in-laws died young. My daughter has always managed (through a lot of juggling) to get evening jobs and now works in a school so she has never had to have child care. I suppose I am fortunate that I am now having 'my time' but can sympathise with those who are unable to do so.

An excellent article

I agree with you nfk the way we are treated will be the way those who fllow us are treated. They should be set an example to show appreciation of our generation.

JSP is really annoying if you have to actually listen to her but this article is, on the whole, pretty good.

I don't think that increasing the retirement age is such a bad thing (dons hard hat) as we all all living much healthier, longer lives and I certainly feel that I could continue to work now if I hadn't been forced out of my job. I think it is as sensible way to help the economy.

I do however think we could focus more on encouraging people to limit the size of their family to the number they can afford, instead of relying on the state. When the new benefits cap was introduced in the first 2 London boroughs, I saw on the news that 80,000 families were affected and that 40,000 of them had 4 or more children. Surely if you need help to maintain your family 2 children should be enough?

I would join a march to the wrinklies even if it means I have to borrow a wheelchair to do it!

Moved Nearly a million 16-24 year-olds were unemployed in the first quarter of 2013 - I can't help feeling that they deserve the opportunity to work rather more than we do.

Do you really Jane? I believe in a meritocracy. Your remark is unbelievably ageist.

JS-P has written an unpleasant selfish whinging article full of unjustified self-pity IMO.

I agree with an equal retirement age and I think it does need to be a bit higher. Those who can afford to retire usually do unless they have a particularly wonderfully fulfilling occupation - which most of us don't.

I don't think JSPs rant was self pitying at all. More indignation at the way the media and politians are turning on Wrinklies in the same way they made stay at home mums feel they weren't pulling their weight and belittling those new mums who find breast feeding next to impossible. It's part of the propaganda to standardise the population to make us easier to pigeon hole.

I've just read the article. I felt I was being harangued by a drum-bashing media-madam. I found it divisive, and as Petallus said, whinging.
On the whole, I think the baby-boomer generation have had a fortunate time. I would like to see more positive encouragement and thought given to the future of the younger generations.

I also dislike the term 'Wrinklies'.