Juggling With EggsMar 8

I remember reading John Lanchester’s Whoops! in 2010 and thinking this guy actually gets what the financial crash was really about.

Reading his piece today about inter generational conflict, I find him a slightly defensive boomer (mostly around gender) but otherwise he’s spot on again.

He skewers:

- house prices
- pensions
- quantitative easing
- Brexit

https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2026/mar/08/did-baby-boomers-eat-all-pies-john-lanchester-truth-generation-gap

Did baby boomers eat all the pies? John Lanchester on the truth about the generation gap

It’s a grim time to be in your 20s, no doubt, but don’t blame it all on older people: being chopped up into ever smaller rivalries only serves the market

The Guardian
Show threadJuggling With EggsMar 8

“Yes, there is intergenerational inequality in property ownership. But one day the boomers will die, and then their children will inherit their wealth, much of it property-based. It’s already begun to happen, and it’s being called “the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth ever…and will amount to something in the region of £4 trillion”

This he rightly acknowledges will create a “gap between people who inherit property wealth from their parents and people who don’t”.

#WealthGap

Show threadDr Alice ViolettMar 8
@JugglingWithEggs on the flipside (wrt people with property-owning parents), a) a lot of people quite like their parents as people and would prefer for them not to die, and b) they'll likely be in their 60s/70s themselves by the time they get that life-changing windfall 😕
Show threadJuggling With Eggs

@alicemcalicepants

I think you’re right and Lanchester is right that what generations have in common is still stronger than the ‘culture wars’ that are being stirred to try and tear them apart.

Mar 8 at 9:31amWeb
Show threadDr Alice ViolettMar 8
@JugglingWithEggs yup! While my parents do fit the stereotype in a few ways, I also have boomer friends from writing group who are some of the coolest people I know