Sta Hungry Stay Foolish

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

A blog by Leon Oudejans

A new Great Divide: generational conflict (2)

9 February 2021

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Last weekend’s blog (eg, UK version) made me remember my early 2019 blog: The new generational conflict and divide. The anti-lockdown protests are also about a generational conflict: old(er) people who are pro-lockdown versus young(er) people who are anti-lockdown. 

Indirectly, this generational conflict is also about wealth. Young(er) people feel that these corona restrictions (eg, lockdown) deny them the opportunity to accumulate wealth as well. Hence, it’s old & rich versus young & poor. There’s more though. 

About 75% of the African population is below 35 (UN-OSAA). The World Bank estimates that Covid-19 will add 150 million extremely poor people by 2021 (World Bank). A UN Global Compact analysis estimates that “COVID-related hunger could kill more people than the virus” (UN). Note LO: bold markings in quotes by me.

Hence, the new Great Divide may well be a future generational conflict between old, rich & white versus young, poor & black. While writing this, it strikes me that I have just described the American situation for the past several decades (if not much longer) – or the French banlieue.

I just realise that the dystopian societies in many Sci-Fi movies actually give a similar picture: old, rich & white versus young, poor & black. Hence, my assessment is widely shared.

In 2016, I wrote two blogs about Change that are particularly relevant in this context:

  • The less you have, the more you embrace change (my blog);
  • The more we have, the more we fight change (my blog).

I doubt that old, rich & white people are willing to consider a wealth transfer. Similarly, I doubt that ruling politicians are willing to consider this idea because these politicians are often old, rich & white. Hence, this generational conflict might get ugly (eg, the Atlantic, my blog).

To a large extent, the 2021 Russian protests also constitute a generational conflict – rather than a political protest – between old rich whites and young poor whites following widespread corruption, including the extravagance of the Black Sea Residence. Also see this recent FT article: “Rising poverty and falling incomes fuel Russia’s Navalny protests”.

 Hard to Say I’m Sorry / Get Away by Leonid (Vorobyev) & Friends

artists, facebook, LA daily newsvideo, Wikitia

Note: all markings (bolditalicunderlining) by LO unless stated otherwise.

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