Generational rifts have always been a common part of life as long as there has been recorded history. However, in recent times, that feud has seemed to grow into an intense hatred between the young and old. Older people call the youth spoiled or lazy, while younger people blame the elderly for ruining the world. The split between the young and old has created generational labels that have only further divided people into warring groups. There are the Baby Boomers [1946–1954], Generation Jones [1955–1964], Gen X [1965–1980], Millennials [1981–1996], and Gen Z [1997–2012], with Generation Alpha [2010–2024] following quickly behind. Many people following Generation Jones have begun to blame Baby Boomers for stealing opportunities from their Millennial children with their self-interested mindset. This mindset has led young people to take to social media to make videos and memes mocking Baby Boomers and their advice to young people trying to start their lives and break into the market. Even the New York Times made a video addressing this situation and blaming boomers for the current-day issues. Some argue that this claim is merely an attempt to shift the blame for current economic, political, and cultural problems onto others who happened to be alive during more opportunistic times. Moreover, these grievances have morphed into personal vendettas against elders. However, others consider the Boomers to be immensely selfish and ignorant. Even the American venture capitalist, Bruce Cannon Gibney, published a book accusing Boomers of being “a generation of sociopaths.” Many have called Baby Boomers “delusional” for their inability to accept that the economy and employment landscape have changed drastically since they were younger. Others slam Baby Boomers for looking down upon or mocking their children or younger people for the way they live, specifically not owning a home or starting a family. Millennials and Gen Zers have taken the time to present the differences between their economic situation and that of older people, by exposing that unemployment among Gen Z is double the national average. This partially stems from AI practically ending entry-level jobs, which have fallen by 35% since 2023, making it much harder to break into the industry. Due to these factors, young people are getting stuck in minimum-wage jobs and cannot move up, leaving many feeling as though the American Dream is impossible right now. In addition, many complain that it is harder than ever to own a home, comparing prices from the 1970s and 1980s, which generally cost about three times the average income in America. In comparison, current prices now cost seven times the average income. Due to rising prices, the age of first-time home buyers today is close to 40, while in 2008 it was about 30. Some people over 50 believe this is merely the whining of young people, but even Baby Boomers cannot sell their homes at market price because the next generation cannot afford them. Now, over half of Baby Boomers say they will never sell their homes, creating a housing inventory shortage and keeping prices elevated, making it even more difficult for younger generations to enter the market. As of today, there are no states in the US where a minimum-wage job can afford a 2-bedroom apartment. In the 1980s, the median monthly rent in America was $243 to $308, while the federal minimum wage was $3.10 an hour. Meaning, if someone worked 40 hours a week, every week, each month, they would accumulate $496, leaving almost $200 over after rent. Meanwhile, today the median monthly rent is $1696 to $1713, while the federal minimum wage pays $7.25, which has not been raised in 10 years. In one month, that accounts for $1160 before taxes, meaning that living today is significantly harder than it was in the 1980s. These vocal grievances against Baby Boomers have encouraged negative sentiments toward youth, rather than addressing the policies responsible for the problems of the day. Many of the issues stem from the second half of the twentieth century, when the US experienced a demographic and economic shift as a large generation entered the labor force, leading to greater female participation and higher wages. Logically, the government’s fiscal position should have improved; rather, the national debt grew, savings rates fell, and public investment collapsed. At that time, the nation mistook a demographic dividend for a permanent economic transformation, and the result was one generation becoming enriched, while leaving those who followed with diminished fiscal opportunities. However, some have pushed back on this narrative, claiming the youth blaming the generations that preceded it functions as a “scapegoat for all that’s wrong in the world.” Others suggest that “Boomer-blaming” socializes younger generations to believe that people in the past caused all the problems in the future, which is not always true. This ideology will only serve to estrange the young from their elders, as many believe that people born around the same time share the same values: i.e., Boomers are all narcissists, Millennials are all spoiled, Gen Z are all lazy. Realistically, it is not fair to blame one generation for all the world’s ills. However, it is neither sensible to disregard the current struggles of young people. If society is to move forward and better itself, it must stop looking at people through the lens of a generational divide and instead look to its leaders and those responsible for maintaining the nation to create a better world for its future.
By Alexandra Miskewitz
Over the past few years, AI has grown exponentially in use by the general public. ChatGPT is used by every student now; Google Gemini is the first thing that pops up when you search; and basically every social media platform is full of AI-generated images and videos. As of late 2025, generative AI was being used by 55% of people, and 37% of workers in the United States. Understandably, this development has drawn significant backlash, with many concerned about the future implications of AI’s growing presence in our world. However, AI can be a powerful tool for good, and quite frankly, it is clearly here to stay. Many critics of AI oppose it due to environmental concerns. A particularly common claim is that AI uses up too much of our freshwater. AI actually accounts for a very small share of American water usage. In fact, its daily use in on-site data centers is dwarfed by bottled water consumption, and its total water use is small compared to that of golf courses, residential city use, and even peanut and bean farming. You would actually have to prompt Google Gemini around 1,500,000 times to consume as much water as just one hamburger. In fact, AI is helping us mitigate and solve climate change. It can help track melting icebergs, deforestation, make waste management more efficient, and even help marginalized communities impacted by climate change. However, fearmongering videos about AI using up all our water get much more engagement than looking at the facts. AI has already begun to deliver immeasurable benefits to our society across fields such as medicine, technology, and defense. For instance, AI can reduce drug development time for pharmaceutical companies from 5 years to 18 months. The AI model Chief, developed by Harvard Medical School, has achieved a 94% accuracy in cancer detection and can predict tumor variations and patient survival. The Automated Driving System, known as Waymo, significantly outperforms the human driving population, with 88% fewer property damage claims and 92% fewer bodily injury claims. While many people fear that AI is interfering with student’s abilities to learn and think, AI algorithms can also revolutionize educational settings. Carnegie Learning developed a platform known as MATHia, which adapts content to align with individual student requirements, and can enhance math proficiency by up to 20%. Similarly, Duolingo’s usage of AI algorithms boost retention by 22% and improve learner outcomes by 17%. AI can bring about a much better future rather than the impending doom many fear. Of course, there are many concerns that AI is coming for our jobs. Only time will tell, but rather than rejecting the software that will shape the future, it is beneficial to make yourself familiar with it and use it as a tool alongside your own human thoughts. Rather than fearing AI as an unstoppable threat, society should focus on learning how to use it wisely, ensuring that this powerful technology becomes a tool that benefits humanity rather than something we unnecessarily resist. Acknowledgement: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the individual author, not necessarily Our National Conversation as a whole.
By Alexia Silva
The Department of Justice recently announced charges against ISIS supporters, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, after they allegedly attempted to detonate two explosive devices within close proximity to Gracie Mansion, home to Mayor Mamdani. The incident arose on March 7, during a counter-protest of right-winger, Jake Lang’s anti-Islam protest called “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City, Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer.” The situation quickly got out of hand, with the counter-protesters, referring to themselves as “Run Nazis Out of New York City,” being the ones to throw the bombs at Lang and his constituents. According to the FBI, the young Pennsylvanian men allegedly sought to inflict mass casualties in service to ISIS by attempting to detonate explosive devices in a crowd. This alleged act of terrorism included metal shrapnel being packed into the explosives. The first bomb was thrown towards Lang and his fellow protestors at 12:15 pm by Balat, but it did not detonate. Immediately after throwing the first device, Balat ran down the block and received the second explosive device from Kayumi. Once he ignited the second device, Balat dropped the explosive near several NYPD officers, which also did not ignite, and ran away, with the two being tackled and arrested by the police shortly after. Following their arrest, Balat stated to the NYPD officers, “This isn’t a religion that just stands when people talk about the blessed name of the prophet . . . We take action! We take action!” Additionally, he stated, “If I didn’t do it, someone else will come and do it.” While at the NYPD precinct, Balat wrote on a piece of paper the following: “All praise is due to Allah, lord of all worlds! I pledge my allegiance to the Islamic State. Die in your rage yu [sic] kuffar!” Kuffar is an Arabic term referring to non-believers, while “Die in your rage” is a slogan used by ISIS. The investigation remains ongoing and is being handled by the National Security and International Narcotics Unit for the Southern District of New York. Currently, the two have been charged with lighting a pair of improvised explosive devices, providing material support to ISIS, and face the potential of receiving terrorism charges. Some have commented on recent reports from CNN have spun the story to give the illusion that the anti-Islam protesters were the ones throwing the bombs. The outlet stated in a recent post: “Two Pennsylvania teenagers crossed into New York City Saturday morning for what could’ve been a normal day, enjoying the city during abnormally warm weather. But in less than an hour, their lives would drastically change as the pair would be arrested for throwing homemade bombs during an anti-Muslim outside protest at Mayor Mamdani’s home.” After receiving significant online backlash for the deceptive phrasing of the attack, CNN had to take down its posts. Mamdani’s office stated that the situation was a “crusade against Islamification,” despite the attackers being ISIS sympathizers who made death threats to “kill Jake Lang” before the first bomb was thrown. Ultimately, Jake Lang’s argument that people who come from third-world countries with radical Islamic ideals are not compatible with Western culture was proven in his favor by the attack.
By Alexandra Miskewitz
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