“We have to wait for the baby boomers to get out of the way,” said the Gen Y girl after unsuccessfully trying to change a business culture.
The problem is the boomers aren’t going to get out the way; they are fit, healthy and able to work for at least another decade.
For most boomers, the promised golden age of retirement simply isn’t affordable as property prices stagnate and investment underperform.
The smart ones also know governments can’t deliver the promises of ever increasing aged care services and middle class welfare.
Waiting the boomers to get out of the way also assumes their younger replacements will be any better; the sad reality is many have the same views and 1960s or 80s ideologies of their mentors. Old heads on young shoulders.
For those waiting for older generations to get out of the way so they can start changing institutions or business, it might be time to start building ones to replace stale and increasingly irrelevant incumbents.
There’s been few times in history when circumstances have favored challenging incumbents as technology, economic conditions and social change give us the tools and opportunities to build new businesses and political parties.
It’s hard work, but it’s a lot less frustrating than waiting for the boomers to die off.