The “Boomers” versus “Gen Z” today

Social media pundits, and media talking heads, like doing cross generation comparisons – with the general thesis being

• Gen Z has it awful, the worst possible lives in history in one of the worst countries in the history of the world!
• Baby Boomers had it easy, still have it easy and are awful people for having destroyed the earth, the economy and everything.

First, the generation labels originated with the Pew Research Institute, and today, Pew discourages the use of these labels. The labels are arbitrary…. and are used mostly to create divisiveness. Hence, Pew now discourages their use.

Second, the stories that mention generations are devoid of historical context and often rely on an imaginary view of the past.

Third, the stories are devoid of common sense. Many stories say Gen Z cannot afford to rent or buy a home. Reality check: Gen Z spans the age range of 13-28, with an average age of 21. The majority live at home or in college housing. About 35% rent and the remainder have actually bought a place. The historical first time home buyer age has been 28-30 for decades – and the oldest Gen Z have just turned 28. Gen Z is not buying homes because they are still very young!

A pop meme is that in the 1950s-1970s, “Boomers could afford a house on a single income” but “Gen Z cannot” … with an implicit assumption that life in the 1950s to the 1970s was identical to today. In fact, home sizes back then were typically 1/3 to 1/2 the size of today, had 2-3 bedrooms, a 1 car garage and 1 bathroom – whereas today’s average new home is typically twice as large, has 3+ bedrooms, 2-3 bathrooms and a 2 car garage plus numerous additional amenities.

Life then was very different. By comparison to then, most people in the United States today are living a life of luxury that was not present in the 1960s or ’70s – and this is unequivocable from copious data on life then and now.

Today’s luxury lifestyle costs more – often a lot more. Fortunately, incomes, surprisingly to some, have risen such that while things cost more, on average after inflation, most people are earning more than in the past. But many succumb to “affluence creep” (partially due to “affluencers” sharing lives of luxury and travel on social media) – and today seek to keep up by spending even more.

Homes of 1970 versus Today

Home sizes were smaller yet had more occupants – with 1/3 the space per occupant then, compared to today.

In 1970, just 18% of homes had an automatic dishwasher. A “portable dishwasher” had to be wheeled over to the kitchen sink, and a line was attached to the kitchen faucet.

Here is a photo of one (found on Facebook) – I think this is the one we had my house when I was a kid.

More than half of the population hung their clothes on outdoor clothing lines to dry naturally.

Central HVAC Adoption by Decade

• 1970: Roughly 15–20% of homes had central air conditioning and about 15-20% had a window-mounted air conditioner (estimates range from 30%-40%).
  • Most homes had no cooling or used a window unit.
  • Central HVAC systems were a luxury feature.
• 1980: About 35–40% of homes had central AC.
  • Energy crisis of the 1970s slowed adoption, but new suburban construction increasingly included central HVAC.
• 1990: Around 55–60% of homes.
  • By this point, central AC was becoming a standard feature in new homes.
  • Rising incomes and suburban expansion accelerated adoption.
• 2000: About 70% of homes.
  • Central HVAC became the norm in most new construction.
  • Regional differences persisted (lower adoption in the Pacific Northwest, higher in the South).
• 2010: About 80–85% of homes.
  • Nearly universal in newer homes, with retrofits expanding coverage in older housing stock.
• 2020: About 88–90% of homes.
  • U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data show that by 2020, 90% of households used some form of air conditioning, with central systems dominating in newer homes.
• 2025: Estimated 90–92% of homes now have central HVAC
  • Central HVAC is now a near‑universal expectation in new construction, with only older homes in cooler regions lacking AC.
  • Most of the homes that lack air conditioning are located in cool coastal climates.

• From luxury to necessity: In 1970, central HVAC was rare; by 2025, it is nearly universal.
• Drivers of adoption:
  • Suburban expansion and larger homes.
  • Rising incomes and cultural expectations of comfort.
  • Technological improvements (SEER efficiency standards from the 1980s onward).
• Regional variation: Adoption is highest in the South and Midwest, lowest in the Pacific Northwest and coastal California, where mild climates reduce demand.

Home Construction

• In the 1950s and 1960s, most homes used 2×4 studs for the walls, with minimal insulation (none, or R-11). Windows were almost all single-pane glass, with wood or aluminum frames (aluminum frames leak heat like crazy). Ceilings, if insulated, were in the R-11 to R-19 range.
• Starting in the 1980s, and with an eye towards energy use improvements, walls became 2×6 studs with R-19 to R-21 insulation. These energy improvements were due to a 1978 change in building codes that required improved insulation and thermal efficiency.
• Ceiling insulation today is R-30 (mild climates) to R-60 (colder climates). My home has R-60.

Depending on the area of the country, windows went to double or triple-paned high efficiency windows.

Obviously, thicker walls, more insulation, and better windows adds to the cost of homes.

Appliances

Consumer microwave ovens did not exist

Food Freezers

• In the 1960s, an estimated 10-15% of homes had a dedicated food freezer – a “chest” unit or possibly upright. By the 1970s, this increased to 25-30%.
• In 2025, an estimated 65% of homes have a separate food freezer.
• In 2025, nearly 100% of homes have a combined refrigerator/freezer.

“Frozen foods” – from frozen vegetables to frozen pizza and burritos are now considered “normal” – making things from scratch is less common (but briefly increased during the Covid pandemic).

Home canning of fruits, vegetables and homemade jam was widespread up through the 1960s and into the 1970s but today is a niche hobby. In the ’60s it was practically a necessity – but today has been replaced by store bought frozen items (canned goods are in decline, replaced by frozen foods, which generally taste better and use less salt and sugar for preservation).

Kids growing up in the 1950s into the 1960s were often given bologna sandwiches for lunch- today, few people consume bologna sandwiches anymore.

Coffee was made in a percolator

Coffee came pre-ground, sealed in a can. Coffee was made in a percolator coffee pot. No one had a home espresso machine and gourmet coffee.

Phone Services

The typical home had a single rotary dial telephone typically in the kitchen, or sometimes in a living room.

The Bell System generally prohibited owning your own phone – you had to pay a monthly fee to lease the phone handset for your house.

A second phone, connected to the same line as the first, was a luxury item.

Basic monthly local-only phone service ran around $10/month in 1970 dollars.

Long distance phone calls outside your own city typically cost 10 to 25 cents per minute (in 1970 dollars) or more, with discounts for calling in the evening, or after 11 pm. An international call cost $1 to $3 per minute.

While push-button DTMF phones were introduced in the 1960s, most homes used rotary dial phones until the 1980s.

Today, each individual has a smart phone with free long-distance calling, text messaging, photo and video messaging and Internet access. Costs per phone are typically $35 to $100 per month – but can be less on family plans. For $20 more, you can get satellite text messaging on your phone, making SMS messaging available from nearly everywhere!

Television

• In 1970, 60% of homes had a black and white TV; color TVs were available but expensive. The typical home had 1 television.
• In 2025, most homes have 2 or more televisions

Cable TV

Cable TV was nearly non-existent in 1970.

Personal Computers

• PCs did not exist in 1970. There was no personal computing, no Internet, no email.
• In 2025, 96% of US homes have at least one personal computer and a majority have at least two personal computers.

Internet

The Internet and email did not exist in 1970. In 2025, 85% of homes have high-speed data services to the home, and 93% have Internet devices (e.g. smart phones).

Automobiles

• In 1970, there was an average of 1.16 vehicles per household and 17.5% had no vehicles, 48% had 1, and 29.3% had 2 and 5.5% had 3 or more.
• In 2025, there is an average of 1.88 vehicles per household, 9% had no vehicles, 33% have 1 vehicle, 38% have 2 vehicles, and 20% have 3 or more vehicles.
• In the 1960s and 1970s, virtually all consumer vehicles were bought on financing (loans) or paid in cash. Consumer vehicle leasing did not exist. The leasing option began in the 1980s and today up to 25% of cars are leased (peaked at 30% in 2019). Leasing – like renting – is promoted as having more flexibility – you get to switch to new cars, frequently, and maintenance is typically not your problem. It satisfies “instant gratification” but over the long run, ends up costing more.

• Gas mileage: Most cars were in the 12-15 mpg range and used a V-8 engine. Smaller cars did not become popular until after the 1973-74 oil embargo – and then tended to get just 18-22 mpg. By the 1980s, several small cars, like the Datsun B210, could get real world mileage of up to 40 mpg – but with tiny 65 hp engines.
• Cars had an AM radio as standard and by 1970, people were adding AM/FM radios to their vehicles. In the 1970s, cassette and 8-track players became a common aftermarket add on.
• Windows were manually operated roll up with a handle; today all cars have automatic windows.
• Car door locks were manual (press down inside, use a key outside); today all cars have automatic locks.
• Maintenance: Oil needed to be replaced every 3,000 miles and valve lash had to be adjusted about every 12,000 miles.
• 50-60% of car owners did their own general vehicle maintenance in 1970. This included oil changes, tire rotations, spark plug, alternator and battery replacements, carburetor and distributor adjustments, engine drive belt replacements, and occasionally replacing the head gaskets.
• In 2025, just 20% of vehicle owners do general maintenance on their own cars.

Restaurant usage

• In 1970, about 1 in 4 adults ate out once per week (see below)
• In 2025, about 2 in 3 adults eat at a restaurant or purchase a take-out meal at least once per week. The average adult does this 2.8 times per week. Millennials and Gen Z outsource an average of 3.5 to 4 meals per week.

Work Lunches

• In 1970, 2 out of 3 workers brought a lunch from home.
• In 2025, about 1 in 3 workers bring a lunch from home. A majority now eat out or eat at a company cafeteria.

Eating Out in 1970 versus 2025

Which Meals Are Eaten Out

Eating out generally costs much more. (Some people claim it saves money by comparing their “time to prepare meals” to their hourly wage – but this only make sense if they were actually using that time to earn money – most making this claim are not, in fact, making money while eating out.)

Home delivery of restaurant meals

Home delivery of restaurant meals in 1970 was largely non-existent.

Vacations

• In 1970, the typical American worker received 10 paid vacation days per year – some industries gave more days based on how long you had worked there.
• By 2025, vacation days are more generous – although still fewer than European countries. Many workers start with 2 or 3 weeks paid vacation, but most receive more based on job tenure or position.
• In 2025, “Millennials travel the most, with an average of 35 annual vacation days. That’s more than any other generation gets to use.” (see below – most of the baby boom had 10 days of vacation per year, possibly rising to 15 after 5 years) (Caution when reading that article when it references “Baby Boom workers” – 78% of the Baby Boom is now age 65 and up. Half of all workers in the US have retired by age 62, often due to involuntary layoffs at end of career and unable to find a comparable job. Thus, when referring to vacations taken by “baby boomers’ – most are already retired.)

Federal Holidays

• In 1970 there were 7 Federal holidays, rising to 9 in 1980.
• In 2025, there are 11 Federal holidays
• In December 2025, President Trump began a process to make 13 days Federal holidays: Trump signs order to make Christmas Eve, Dec. 26 federal holidays
• How many Federal holidays each worker gets off varies by employer and state.

Some fields, such as health care, are more generous – nurse practitioners and physician assistants, for example, tend to get 3-4 weeks paid vacation per year and some get 5-6 weeks “paid time off” based on tenure (some combine vacation, personal and sick leave into a lump sum).

In the tech field, where I worked, we started with 10 days of paid vacation and saw 15 days after 5 years of experience (if you went to another company, you reset back to 10 days). We did not receive pay or time off for overtime – and there was a lot of overtime. About 25% of the year, we worked an additional 8-10 hours per week, unpaid.

I asked my adult children about their time off policies – all employed in professional positions in 2025 (NP, PhD scientist, data scientist/4 degrees).

• 2 of the 3 receive paid overtime or comp time for overtime hours.
• One has 24 days of combined vacation+sick leave (about 5 weeks), plus comp time at time and a half.
• One has over 4 weeks of vacation time plus 3 floating holidays.
• Each has 10-12 paid holidays as well. So, adding those up – that’s up to about 35 days of potential time off.

In the 1970s-1990s, 10 days of paid vacation was common, and many of us received no compensation for over time, which was generally mandatory overtime. Employers could do this to employees then, because of the labor surplus. Gen Z says “baby boomers” had everything easy, of course.

Federal workers with 3+ years of experience get at least 4 weeks per year. However, during budget shutdowns, such as happened from October into November of 2025, many workers were sent home and did no work. However, the Federal government retroactively paid them – thus, they received an additional six weeks of paid time off. As government shutdowns have become a common event, this means Federal workers in some years receive 2-3 months of paid vacation time.

Some unionized workers receive more time off than non-unionized workers – depending on what they negotiated for vacation days, personal leave days, sick leave, and Federal holidays.

Vacation Destinations

In 1970, almost all vacation travel was by car to domestic destinations, state and national parks, historic sites, beaches, new theme parks (such as Disneyland), Most travelers stayed at motels (not hotels or resorts).

• In 1970, less than 25% of the US population traveled by air during the year.
• In 2025, about 55% of the US population will travel by air.

International Travel

• In 1970, an estimated 5 to 10% of Americans traveled internationally for vacation.
• In 2024 an estimated 32% of Americans traveled internationally on vacation.
• Today, the typical American international traveler averages two international trips per year.

Gen Z Has Done Much International Travel

• Up to 60% of Gen Z has done international travel – much likely as children
• 15% of the Boomer generation had done international travel at the same age of today’s Gen Z. That is amazing – as of 2025, the average age of Gen Z is just 21 years old, so presumably many have traveled as “kids” with their parents.

Note the error in this AI generated table – Gen Z is age 13 to 28 as of 2025, not 18-28.

This story (Are you ahead or behind? How your travel lifestyle compares by age) claims that Gen Z and millennials spend up to 29% of their income on travel, making an average of 5 trips per year:

Millennials and Gen Z are in the lead, with an average of five trips per year. Honestly, it’s hard to say for sure, but this generation seems to live for experiences. Both put aside around 29% of their income for travel, which,h when you think about it, is a massive chunk considering most of them are earlier in their careers.

….

Gen Z spends an average of $11,766 on tr, ps; surpassing all other generations. This detail shocked me when I first read it because it completely flips the narrative that older people with more money travel the most luxuriously. Gen Z is hustling hard to see the world, even if it means taking on extra work or stretching their budgets thin.

Half of Gen Z (49%) are planning to travel internationally, compared to 29% of Millennials, 24% of Gen X, and 21% of Boomers.

Baby Boom generation is taking an average of 3.3 trips per year but will likely spend more than younger generations on their fewer trips.

More here: How Does Your Spending on Travel Compare to the Average Person Your Age? Explore the Differences

Personal Appearance

People spend more money today on personal appearance than they did in 1970 – just from looking at market statistics on hair care.

• In 1970, a female “Baby Boomer” spent about $50 per year on cosmetics (about $400 today after inflation), and a similar amount on hair care. Fitness gyms and exercise programs were mostly non-existent until the 1980s. The growth of fitness gyms began in the 1980s. In inflation adjusted terms, a female “Boomer” may have spent up to about $800/year on cosmetics and hair care/salons.
• In 2025, female Millennials females spend, on average, $2600/year on cosmetics, haircare/salons, and other services, and female Gen Z, spends an average about $2100. This data comes from multiple sources including Statista (also see Why Millennials Are Investing In Their Looks Like No Generation Before.)
• In 2025, younger women spend up to 3x more on these product categories than was done in 1970.
• In 2025, “Boomer” and Gen Z aged women are spending $1200 and $1800 respectively.

Women and Hair Color

• In 1970, about 7% of women colored their hair, almost exclusively to hide grey hair.
• In 2025, about 50% of women color or highlight their hair on a regular basis and 75% have colored their hair at least once. They typically spend $75 to $200 every 6 to 8 weeks.

Women and Extensions and Wigs

• In 1970, 3-5% of women used hair extensions (rarely) or wore a wig on a regular basis; at that time, this was more common among black women, and for others, there was often a medical reason such as hair loss.
• In 2025, about 1 in 4 women have used hair extensions (of some type) or wigs on a regular basis, and do so today primarily for personal appearance, for fun, etc. Almost half of black women have worn a wig within the past 12 months.

Men and hair color

• In 1970, 2% of men colored their hair (to hide grey hair).
• In 2025, 11% of men color their hair (primarily to cover grey hair)
• Related: Several contemporary news stories in 2025 say looking fit and young (cannot be overweight) is considered essential today, and some studies found that, for example, MBA graduates who were judged as good looking (whether female or male) are paid more than those not judged as good looking, and this premium remained in effect at 5 and 10 years after completing their MBA. Thus, spending on personal appearance, it is assumed, is a de facto requirement for many.

Educational Attainment

About half of US adults lacked a high school diploma in the 1960s. In 2025, about 40% of US adults have a college degree and 42% of those age 25-29 have at least a 4-year degree.

Health Care

9-1-1 did not exist. Our modern paramedic system was introduced in one city in about 1970. Most urban cities adopted the paramedic response system by about 1980; however, it would take longer for areas outside major cities to get these services – typically into the 1990s.

Vietnam War (1964 – 1975) and The Draft

All males age 18 and older were subject to mandatory conscription – “the Draft”. Women did not register for the draft.

2.7 million American men served in Vietnam – 50,000 Americans lost their lives. Up to 1.6 million were in direct combat positions. During this time, over 9 million American men served in some military role, but about 2/3ds were in roles other than in Vietnam.

During this time, about 1 out of 5 young adults aged 18-25 were drafted or volunteered for military service.

• In 1975, 37% of all American men were veterans with prior military experience.
• In 2025, just over 6% of American men are veterans.

About 1.2% of American women are veterans, which is about 3x greater than in the year 2000. Today, about 1 in 6 members of the armed forces, including national guard, is a woman compared to about 1 in 50 in the 1970s.

Because the government gave a draft deferment to anyone in college during the Vietnam War era, this began the hyper growth of college attendance by young adults.

Protests were common at college campuses – at Kent State University, the national guard shot and killed students. At Jackson State College in MS, police shot and killed 2 students and wounded 12 others. At Santa Barbara, police shot and killed 1 student protester.

Public Schools

• 1970: Average students per teacher was 26 in the 1960s to 1970s, but in fast growing parts of the U.S., such as California, it was common to have 30 to 35 students per classroom.
• 202: The U.S. average student to teacher ratio is 15:1.

Schools districts brought in temporary “portable” classrooms, which range from larger buildings the size of typical classrooms, brought in on wheels and put onto temporary foundations. At my high school, many classrooms were added by bringing the equivalent of mobile home sized “construction trailers” – units that were set up in back of the school and used for classrooms.

Classrooms were un-air conditioned, even in hot climates, and were crowded – again 30 to 35 students was common then.

Public School Grading

In 1970, students were generally graded using a curve from A to B to C to D to F. A C grade was considered “common”.

• In 1962, just 13% of grades received were B+ or higher!
• In 1970, a grade of C was considered normal or “average”, with A grades only for exceptional performance by students.
• In 2012, 42% of grades were an A!
• In 2020, more than 50% of student grades were B+ or higher!
• In some fields of study, 90+% of students receive A grades for all work.
• From mid- to late-1980s onward, a grade of “A” became common.
• In 2025, grades of C or lower are considered “rare”.
• Many districts in recent years began permitting students to turn in work late and to retake exams they had failed. Some districts required students to receive at least a 50% score on work they turned in, even if incomplete, and would allow work to be turned in up to 10 days late.
• A chart illustrating college course grade inflation is here.

National Trends in Grade Inflation, American Colleges and Universities

Driving, Walking or Biking to School

• In 1970, an estimated 15-20% of high school students drove themselves to school and about 15% of students overall received a ride from parents.
• In 2025, an estimated 30-35% of high school students drive themselves to school and 50% of all school students receive a ride from parents or others.
• In 1969, 48% of school students walked or rode their bike to school.
• In 2025, an estimated 10-13% of students walk or ride their bike to school.
• The above estimates may vary based on geographic region – urban city, suburban, small town, rural areas.

Youth Sports

Many kids desire or are expected to participate in sports in 2025.

• In 1970, there were very few girl sports programs; most programs were boy centric sports.
• In 2025, there are many sports for both boys and girls.

Per this report, $1000 per year is a common expense in 2025: Adding up youth sports cost, what one reporter spent for his kid in 2025

In 1970, most sports programs were school run and had no or minimal fees.

• In 2025, About 45 million young people participate in sports each year – which is about 75% of all children age 5 to 18.
• In 2024, the average annual cost was just over $1,000 per year per sport. (Many students participate in more than one sport).
• For private “club” and public teams that travel to away games, the cost per year can run $2,000 to $10,000, particularly in elite clubs.

Before Title IX (pre-1972):

• Girls had limited access to school sports.
• In 1971, only 294,000 girls played high school sports compared to 3.7 million boys.

After Title IX:

Schools were required to provide equal opportunities, including:

• Number of teams
• Access to facilities and coaching
• Scholarship funding

In 2025, boys who self-identify as girls, are permitted to compete on girl’s teams and against girls. The result is that in 2025, we are ending girls’ sports – and returning to 1970 when girls sports were nearly non-existent.

Voting

• Until 1971, the minimum voting age in the United States was 21 years old.
• Later in 1971, the voting age was lowered to 18.

Dim writers, like chef and writer Adam Kelton, assert that the 1973-74 oil embargo and the US going off the gold standard (1971) was caused by “Baby boomers“. As of 1971, you could not vote unless you were born in 1950 or earlier – and the Baby Boom ranged from 1946 to 1964. This means almost none of the “baby boom” had political influence – they were kids! But today, it is fashionable for “writers” like Kelton to make up stuff to blame on the “Baby Boom” generation – a group of people that no more selected their own birth date than someone selects the color of their skin. It’s just another form of ‘isms that people like Kelton are fond of pursuing.

Nuclear Holocaust

In the 1960s, the “Cold War” was in full swing – both the US and the USSR had built arsenals of nuclear weapons capable of destroying all life on earth.

On the last Friday of every month, schools held bomb drills. Air raid sirens went off at 10 am, and students practiced crawling under their school desks – as if this was going to save lives in the event of a nuclear attack. All around town, there were nuclear fallout shelter signs on buildings – people were to go there in the event of a nuclear attack.

In the 1970s, a “nuclear winter” theory was promoted. This hypothesized that in the event of a large-scale nuclear war, much of earth would be set on fire. The combination of smoke and dust clouds from explosions would block out the sunlight, leading the earth into a catastrophic “nuclear winter” that would potentially destroy most life on earth.

Several documentaries and movies were made based on the theme of nuclear destruction including a nuclear winter. A 2025 film, titled “Nuclear Winter” is based on the concept.

Fun times.

In 2025, the fear du jour is “climate change” and some surveys say this has led to significant levels of fear, anxiety and depression among Gen Z.

Spending versus Savings

In the 1980s, we developed a “consumer culture” that put more emphasis on spending to upgrade one’s lifestyle, and to use credit cards to obtain instant gratification.

We went from the post-Depression era mindset of “debt is bad, save first, then spend”, to “spend first, pay for it later.”

Universal credit cards (Visa, MasterCard) were introduced in about the 1960s. But how they were used evolved significantly from about 1980 onward, giving rise to the consumer culture.

• 1950s–60s: Cards were primarily charge cards—balances had to be paid in full monthly.
• 1980s onward: Deregulation, mass marketing, and rewards programs led to explosive growth in credit card usage.
• 1970s–80s: Revolving credit became standard, allowing users to carry balances to the next month and pay interest.

No surprise, but savings rates fell – and people chose to buy now, pay later.

Personal Finance

Headline story on November 6, 2025 – wow, younger borrowers most likely to be behind on payments.

The media meme is that older generations had it easier, but did they?

Summary: Comparing the Past Versus Today

• Homes have 3x more square feet per person than in the past.
• Today’s homes are constructed with 2×6 studs, are insulated and typically have dual or triple paned windows versus 2×4, uninsulated, single pane window construction of the past.
• Today’s homes have air conditioning, washing machines, dryers, kitchen dishwashers and microwave ovens. Except for washing machines (1960-70s), most homes did not have these appliances. A/C was rare. And in the 1970s, about half of homes still hung up clothes to air dry, rather than using a dryer.
• People rarely went out to eat in 1970. In 2025, 2 in 3 adults go out to eat at least once per week. Up to half of Millennials and Gen Z order restaurant delivery service meals, many do this 3x to 4x per week.
• In the mid 1960s, about half of US adults did not have a high school diploma. Today, about 40% of U.S. adults have a college degree.
• Cable TV, Internet services, email did not exist in 1970. Today most everyone has streaming TV services and high speed Internet.
• In 1970, most homes had a single rotary dial phone. Today, most homes have a smart phone for each occupant in the home.
• Vacations went from domestic car and camping trips to local attractions to international vacation trips becoming common in 2025.
• Automobiles are far fancier, with many more options (entertainment systems, automatic door locks and powered windows), less maintenance, longer lasting.
• School grading went from the C grade being common to today, a grade of C or lower is extremely rare, thanks to grade inflation.
• In the 1970s, half of all kids walked or rode bikes to school, about 1/3 rode a school bus. Today, as few as 10% walk or ride a bike, and half get a ride to school. The number of high school students who drove to high school doubled from about 10-15% to 30-35% in 2025.
• Beginning in the 1980s, there was a societal push towards spending to upgrade one’s lifestyle. The post-Depression era approach of saving first and buying after you had the money gave way to buying on the new revolving credit cards and paying later. Easy credit and wide available of credit cards fueled lifestyle upgrades.
• Many of the items we purchase today are paid as monthly subscriptions: cellular phone services, Internet services, cable TV services – whereas such monthly services did not exist in 1970. These account for hundreds or even thousands of dollars in monthly expenditures.

(This was written in October and November 2025 and scheduled for December posting. It was inspired by nonsense I saw on X – and sometimes in media stories that have decided it is appropriate to make stuff up about an imaginary past and compare that imaginary past to today.)