Time for a Paul Harvey Moment so you know the rest of the Story!!

[Bill Pemberton]

Of late various sources have reported on how the US has fallen out of the Top 20 Happiest Countries for the first time, but surprisingly there is alot more to the real story than the typical pot stirring. AARP just came out with a report on the actual analysis and guess what , if you are 60 or above you are one happy old fart , placing 10th in the happy go lucky spot. Breaking it down further the 45 to 59 group is in the 17th spot, so the crux of the situation is it is the Millenials and Gen Xers who are not happy.

I will come to the conclusion of this situation that I am sure Blacksheep and a few others will be able to deduce very quickly with the response, " Those are all those folks who don't like cars or prefer EVs ! "

We do have to admit that the Ancient Automotive Racing People (AARP ) on his Forum are pretty damn happy and it must be due to the fun we have socializing with those who like speed, burning rubber, noise, high horsepower, beer and wine and modifications. Throw in the fact that we have years and years of Armchair racing and can dazzle folks with tales of how fast we are ( er, used to be ) and it is no wonder we are actually happy campers.

So now you know the rest of the story, old racers are pleasant , funny, happy people and we need more young folks to listen to us, respect us, and get out and run with us, ha!!

 

[TMSBOSS]

Just because we are the “Happy One’s”. Does that mean we can’t talk down to the grumpier new kids on the block? Asking for a friend? Lol

My one over the world analysis of why some of the youngsters are not happy is because they were taught dependence while we were taught independence. We learned that we control our destiny and have to seek out and earn to gain what want and need. The newer arrivals have more of a what will they give me attitude. This attitude will never be satisfied and will always have someone else to blame. Basically, “I don’t have what I want/deserve and it their fault”. Which can be self defeating, non motivational and counter productive. The AARP Gang knows what they want, makes a plan to go get it and know exactly who to blame when we fall short.

Paul Harvey would be proud.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Amazing thought process oh Tracy of Illinois and what an astute observance of what just a few letters can do to explain accountability and drive ( in ). Independent work ethic over dependent work ethic.

Well, hopefully we get more of the " Happy Old Farts " to come to MPH ( Mustang Roundup ) in September because I know quite a few on here have hit the age of Maturity and we want you all to come and show our younger drivers how it is done ( or tell them how you used to do it, ha ).

 

[KazarS197]

Of late various sources have reported on how the US has fallen out of the Top 20 Happiest Countries for the first time, but surprisingly there is alot more to the real story than the typical pot stirring. AARP just came out with a report on the actual analysis and guess what , if you are 60 or above you are one happy old fart , placing 10th in the happy go lucky spot. Breaking it down further the 45 to 59 group is in the 17th spot, so the crux of the situation is it is the Millenials and Gen Xers who are not happy.

I will come to the conclusion of this situation that I am sure Blacksheep and a few others will be able to deduce very quickly with the response, " Those are all those folks who don't like cars or prefer EVs ! "

We do have to admit that the Ancient Automotive Racing People (AARP ) on his Forum are pretty damn happy and it must be due to the fun we have socializing with those who like speed, burning rubber, noise, high horsepower, beer and wine and modifications. Throw in the fact that we have years and years of Armchair racing and can dazzle folks with tales of how fast we are ( er, used to be ) and it is no wonder we are actually happy campers.

So now you know the rest of the story, old racers are pleasant , funny, happy people and we need more young folks to listen to us, respect us, and get out and run with us, ha!!

Hey! I'm a Gen Xer @ 51 yrs old. Gen X is the generation that was raised by babyboomers which is the best generation ever. We are really the last generation that was taught any kind of manners, good work ethics and the important of family values. We had Sunday diners after church, family reunions, family outings and still hold a door for someone that is right behind us. We still have 15-20+ year's to work and see the demise of the dollar, the enormous unrealistic rising prices of everything along with rapid the exponential electronic growth. I have been an RN for 30 years and just looked at my retirement savings/investments and realized that it's a nice number for 20 years ago but buys about 25% of what it would have. I tried to do everything financially right over the years and find etirement might be a dream . The millennials don't understand and realize that they will have to work to 100 for retirement. I don't have any children but cringe for the people that do. True American industry like the steel mills and factories along with traditional pensions are essentially gone for them (and me) . I would have been a 4th generation mill/foundry worker probably now in management if they were still open and making a mint. We are dealing with the failure of any kind of government and nervous. Look at the 2 donkeys we had as the last 2 presidents. On top of that, we will have another round of one if them. Maybe we can give another 4 trillion of monopoly money away and raise the minimum wage to $25/hr. A loaf of bread will end up costing $12. Every time there is a major min wage increase there is not the same percentage increase in my salary therefore I am making less because the cost factor goes up. I just paid 32 k for a used truck that should have been 22. We're frustrated and have worked hard all our lives to see our efforts becoming less and less valuable. Crime and killings is through the roof and going to get worse. We are the 45-59 group and have the common sense and insite to see what we have learned and what the baby boomers did is not working any longer. This is why the X generation is not that happy. If I was in retirement age I might be "OK" but I'm not. Maybe I'm and old soul and actually learned from my parents and grandparents . For a regular middle class guy I purchased my mustang at age 47 which is a bit younger than most guys enjoying the hobby and am proud with that. Today, I stretch my pennies to make it to the track. How many more years will I be able to do that I don't know... I'm already signed up for Chin and AI at Pitt Race this year so good to go for now. I enjoy hanging out with you old farts! You are the only people that I'm going to learn anything from. The younger generations only know gime, gime , I want and I deserve without working and life planning.....

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Kazar no worries I mistyped as it is Generation Z and Millennials , you Gen. Xs are pretty damn happy ,hehe. Damn letters are close together and I type too fast .

 

[KazarS197]

Kazar no worries I mistyped as it is Generation Z and Millennials , you Get Xs are pretty damn happy ,hehe. Damn letters are close together and I type too fast .

 

[mwjscn]

I'm probably one of the younger members of the board at 32 (and a Millennial), but I'd be happy to bequeath that position if anyone else wants to throw their hat in the ring. It is disheartening after working so hard to see crude generalizations condemning an entire generation due a lack of understanding their point of view, but at this point it seems most are unfortunately used to it.

Here's the playbook:
In 5th grade we got sent home from school without context, to sit at home watching New York burn on the TV.
By the time I had drivers license and first car, the 2008 Financial Recession was in swing which lead to highly-increased gas prices.
Sent to college and paid ever-increasing tuition rates - including thousands of dollars for campus renovations (despite their profit) that I would never be able to utilize.
With the abundance of college graduates, it became harder to differentiate yourself as a candidate in the workforce - often leading people to get further into debt for a Masters.
By the time you think you've saved long enough, the idea of home ownership keeps slipping away as the market spirals upwards out of control due to a lack of inventory.

Now, I'm one of the lucky ones.
I focused a lot on my schooling, got great grades, and used that to propel me further in my chosen field. Some people didn't, but every generation has their fools.
I researched my college of choice, which I paid for myself, and managed to escape with minimal debt compared to some of my colleges with a good degree. Some people didn't, but every generation has their misguided or less-fortunate.
I managed to make it into a Fortune 500 company straight out of college, one that I still work for today a decade later. Some people didn't, but every generation has had people with less luck than others (my interview was luck, securing the job was skill, but not everyone gets the same opportunities).

It's the inflexible mind to the altering conditions of where we live today that leads to this kind of thinking. Everyone wants to be happy. What happiness is depends on the person. My 'American Dream' was to own a home, as I am sure is the same with many others. Lot of young people striving to make their mark in the workplace, saving what they can, while watching the housing market escape upwards in a way that vastly exceeds even the most generous pay raises and promotions. Delaying relationships and family plans.

After all my work and all my luck in life, I managed to finally get my first home days before I turned 30 paid for solely with the money I had saved. After bidding 20k over-market constantly, only to be outdone by 40k-50k-60k consistently, I finally secured my home after doing a handshake-deal in the backyard with the then-owner. This was after having direct access to MLS and using State resources like GIS maps, SDAT data, and public records to do my own research into specific homes and areas, not something your average potential home-buyer is doing. That's how far I had to go to find a financially good deal, and it was still 90k over what the then-first-time homeowner (and now first-time seller) had purchased it for in 2016 after letting it significantly rot and decline over those 5 years of ownership.

Now, here's the story from next door circa this Spring. The home next door required some help, like all old ranchers on my street with build dates from the '60s. It's often the entry-point for many a first-time homebuyer - purchase a fixer-upper to get into homeownership, add sweat equity, and then move onto larger and better homes in the future. The home was posted on the market for 280k, which I thought was a strong price given its condition. While working maintaining my yard, I saw many fathers and mothers with their children (my age) come through the house during the showings. One Father speaking to their Daughter, "It's a lot of work, but we may be able to make this happen" - verbally sounding stressed but trying to help their child get ahead in life.

They lost.

The home was purchased 30k over asking by a large home flipping company with hundreds of properties. After an interior renovation, this rancher on half an acre that was previously in reach of first-time home ownership (for people making salaries of 50, 60, 70k which is still common in the area) was listed for $690,000. It still sits empty with only two showings over 40 days later, in a market where most sell in 1 week. Oh, and the septic isn't even compliant because that would be too expensive and cut into margins, but they're hoping you won't ask about that.

For people that don't have generational wealth, established assets, or land rising in market value, it's a very difficult economy to succeed. Older folks tend to see this as laziness, since it may have come to them a lot easier in the past. It's not because it wasn't true for them and their experiences 40 or 50 years ago, but that may not be true today anymore. It's not invalidation of their experiences, it's just no longer applicable for the 20 and 30 year olds out there. My father was born in 1951. One day he decided he wanted to tour the United States on a grand bicycle adventure lasting 6 months. He simply let his Engineering job at the time know that he would be back. 6 months later and his job was waiting for him when he returned. That wouldn't happen today. It doesn't invalidate the experience he had, but it's no longer applicable. He fully understood this even though he's in his 70s now by asking questions and understanding what kind of advice I needed (even if that meant admitting that his experiences didn't hold water in today's economy and work environment), and in doing so helped me succeed and supported my development as his son.

Car ownership for many is a tool or even an appliance. Much like how you use your smartphone, you expect it to turn on every day and work in order to help you and elevate the tasks you can perform. We're a bunch of weirdos, similar to how you'd look at someone explaining how enthused they are about the latest microwave. Our sport and interest is a luxury in a market where there are many more important things competing for your hard-earned dollar.

My interest in cars obviously began when I got my first ride, back when $1,000 dollar cars in decent condition existed (another factor in today's ownership crisis), but it was greatly elevated when two things happened:
1. A family member started a 1970 straight-piped 440 Cuda in the garage and it was so loud I couldn't even breathe.
2. The same person taught me how to do my own oil changes and brake services to save huge amount of money when I was in high school and college.

To this day, I pay it forward with my coworkers. So far, I've fixed or provided assistance to 4 of them, offering my time and garage space in exchange for a pizza, allowing them to spend hundreds of dollars on parts and save the thousands of dollars they were quoted. The goal? Expand the DIY hands-mentality and car education in the way that gets the current generation enthused - saving money and feeling the gratification of a job well-done.

So my advice to you - those complaining about the lack of interest in car ownership and car enthusiasm? They're out there. Find the kids grinding in the online racing simulator, because it's what they can afford, and take them to the track as crew. Changing wheels, taking pyrometer readings, bleeding brakes. Foster the experience. Don't call the clean Japanese car, "not a REAL car", because it's what they can afford to be enthusiastic about. Ask questions - "why are you passionate about this car?" and maybe learn something. It won't be easy finding them, but if you're passionate about the sport you can volunteer some of your time in passing it along to a wider net of individuals - even if you already have directly to your children. That way, I shouldn't see any more complaints about bad backs, because the people you inspire should be the one helping you work under the dash.

Happy Motoring
-A Millennial

 

[Bill Pemberton]

mwjscn,
Very well written and your story could well be my son's, where hard work and focus helped him attain the same goals you aspired to. My initial comment was because I have a pet peeve about news, regardless of politics, that only tells part of the story or does not finish it. To state the US is 23rd on a scale of "Happiness" does not note that the full scope of the survey. As you pointed out it is not fair to paint any generation with a broad brush, and you are correct, though my point was to break down the full story and not just list what one report wanted to give. Similar info was out recently about the new guidelines for EV/Hybrid requirements for 2030, when though I am not entirely in favor of this, when finished it actually is based on 2032. Again, the news stopped before the full story was told.
Thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts and us old farts have forgotten how we went through a similar period of stratospheric interest and inflation which was even worse than today. I paid 11.75 on a special FHA loan with perfect credit in 1982 and I was selling cars where I constantly pushed folks to look towards new ones because we could get 18% rates and 48 months. Back then used cars were 21% and one could only get a loan for used vehicles up to 36 months.
Hope to see more of your contributions and I am sure your comments made plenty of folks take a pause and think about how similar issues each generation goes through even though the dynamics of life can be different.

 

[TMSBOSS]

Correct, generalizations usually leave out the exceptional persons. And.......

How many folks on their 16th birthday showed up for school? In my class, almost none....In the morning. Why?? We/They were off getting their passport to independence, our drivers license. In the afternoon you joined your class in the hope someone asked if you passed your driving test. Then BAM, you showed them your new license with ink still drying. Our school just assumed you were at the DMV on that day and marked you as having an excused absence. How many kids today see their 16th B-day pass with little interest in getting that "Passport"? The cars most kids drove were $50-250 dollar Junkers we worked on constantly to keep them running.
Another huge swing in the lack of independence is shown in front of every school around 3:00 in the afternoon. Parents lined up to pick up their kids for the 1-2 mile trip home. Back in the day there may have been one or two parents, usually none, picking kids up on occasion when the child had an appointment or the family had an event they were heading to. Today, we see lines of cars waiting to pick up kids for the 2-3 minute ride to the house. As a society we are not teaching independence. In fact It Appears we are teaching dependence.

If you are unhappy with the group/generation you fall into. OK. Its OK to be Independent. I'm a boomer who raised a Millennial to be independent. I can't change either time frame we were born into. I can only control/influence my/our out comes.