The New York Observer

Cover story of the observer has a bit about some mid-twenties folk who are hoping for a recession. Largely it seems their speculation is that a recession will make people, "nicer." What??????? That's right, living hand-to-mouth not able to find a job, etc., that makes people nicer. Anyone who was in the city then (I'm not one of them, I'm in my mid-twenties and the only thing I want is another boom) thinks these people totally insane. Nonetheless, we see some of the slaker-ness creeping back in to the culture, only now it's not the gen x-ers who made slacking look so cool when they were our older brothers and much-revered seniors in high school and college, but rather it's the children of the boom. Those of us who were children under Reagan, but grew up under Clinton. We seem to be fantasizing that the early 90's actually was cool, that people did enjoy graduating and moving back in with their parents simply because there was no job out there to be had. Call me a traitor to my generation (whatever you want to call the one after x, I've heard lots of variations), but I rather like how things are/were and I'd like them to continue.
- posted by levinson @ 2/12/2001 11:35:00 AM