Niall Ferguson | How Baby Boomers Mislead the Youth

In this clip, John and Niall discuss the phenomenon of young people unknowingly supporting policies and movements that are not in their own best interest. Niall argues that the root cause of this problem lies in the education system, which has failed to inform young people about the realities of socialism, fiscal policy and public sector unions.
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Conversations feature John Anderson, former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, interviewing the world's foremost thought leaders about today's pressing social, cultural and political issues.
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[@youbigtubership]

"Controlling the means of production of..." as a principle, applied across every industry. Then contemplating the public service as a provider of a particular product. It's a simple phrase owned by promoters of socialism used to justify every grab for power.

[@123jlb]

"controlling the means of production.." sound like rampant capitalist monopolies (eg Vanguard, Blackrock, et al)..AND these players are using 'freedom' 'equality' 'democracy' and 'sustainability' to promote their grab for power... so it aint 'socialism' doing it. never was. it is anyone in power doing it

[@chickey333]

Yes and declaring silently or otherwise it's necessity over that terrible power and wealth thirsty capitalism.

[@Kefuddle]

I'm confused. Here in the UK boomers promoted thrift, freedom and independence. Universities, on the other hand, promoted progressive taxation, spending and nationalisation.

[@garypautard1069]

I am confused also here in the UK baby boomers were the generation born from the late 1950s to the middle 1970s. We were called boomers because there was a population explosion due to job opportunities and the free love attitude that prevailed at that time.

[@kalburgy2114]

I'm in the USA. I thought the "boomer" generation was born between '46 and '64, and it had nothing to do with "free love" which was pushed in the late '60s. Europe did succumb to the disease of "socialism" before it made any headway here.

[@manaloola2018]

@@garypautard1069 In the US the boomer generation is considered to be from 1945-1964. But I believe they were the first generation duped into believing the socialist lie by their socialist professors

[@vinniechan]

All I know is single payer healthcare and pay as you go pension represent the biggest expense items on government budget And the money printing in the past 20 yrs are decision made by previous generation which are coming home to roost

[@peterhobbs3367]

@@garypautard1069, The most widely accepted definition of "Baby Boomers" is "people born between 1946 to 1964."

[@thomasheuer1916]

I shudder for the future of the young. They're learning all the wrong things and thinking climate change will be our undoing.

[@Winterascent]

The fear mongering around climate change is deliberate. It's about control.

[@sirwholland7]

It’s not the Boomers, it’s the Academy and the product of the Teachers Union conveying students into the Academy.

[@ardentenquirer8573]

I agree with you, I spend my whole life trying to teach about the folly of socialism and the problems in Public Finance. We just have to accept that fact that it will fail before it changes

[@ajs41]

Agree 100%.

[@Vzzdak]

What we know: - union pensions are not sustainable - teachers are union members - children are not taught what socialism is

[@jeffreykalb9752]

It's the boomers. Sincerely, GenX.

[@0oo00]

Yah, not your fault

[@wdhewson]

JA does the world a grand service with his interview series.

[@richard1342]

Fascinating conversation which needs to be more widely understood

[@stevenboyd593]

Being from that generation, I resent the building of animosity toward a particular generation. This particular mindset that embraces harmful ideologies is spread throughout the age groups, and the spread of socialism of recent decades is an illness of poisons that many age groups have embraced.,and yes the academic community was key

[@henryluttinger2101]

Beng from that mindset makes it almost impossible to get beyond it. Theres never been such horrific HERD mentality that the only comparison is Weimar, Germany. Of course history is written by the victor . No accurate perspective will ever be proffered while this generation is in power. One must talk with members of the preceding generation. As the boomers die off, they'll take their true place in American history: that generation that unconsciously came closest to destroying their own context.

[@theguybehindyou4762]

I increasingly find myself in agreement because the people who deceived the boomers during their formative years were from the war generation. McCarthy, a war veteran himself, tried to warn everyone that we had been infiltrated by communist saboteurs, but he was widely denounced as paranoid and crazy. That infiltration took place under FDR, who most of the "greatest generation" and their parents voted in not twice, but FOUR times- well beyond what was understood to be the limit before and after. The greatest generation did a lot to protect the west overseas, but they failed badly on the homefront, where pretty words were enough to make them look away from what was going on. The boomers merely followed a similar pattern, as is my own generation, the millennials. Thank God people are finally waking up to the century old scam.

[@argus1393]

Young people have not been well educated. Enough said.

[@MBBurchette]

This conversation reminds me of the angry voter who, 10 years ago, yelled out in a town hall meeting, “Keep your g*******d government hands off my Medicare!!”

[@ExtraEcclesiamNullaSalus]

Never happened. This stuff is repeated by thousands of lolbertarians.

[@kalburgy2114]

A neighbor was complaining about her property taxes going up. My dad pointed out to her that she had voted for it. The problem with self-governance is that it requires we have some idea of what that government is doing as a result of our votes. It is amazing how many people can't grasp that concept.

[@MrTL3wis]

@@ExtraEcclesiamNullaSalus Ya, but if it did, would it be a surprise?

[@TheAndroidNextDoor]

"Controlling the means of production," is such a deadly euphemism that has failed every time it's been tried because the means of production aren't the factories or the companies but the people who run them. Controlling the means of production has always failed because the means of production in any economy are the people themselves.

[@christianjondahl7198]

I never seen the means of production as the citizens. How right that is. I am going to think on that a lot more today.

[@avengemybreath3084]

100% correct. Even in a stagnant economy, skilled humans operate and maintain factories and equipment. In the real world, constant innovation also occurs. All of that is human capital, and is the most important bit.

[@reasonablespeculation3893]

The select group of "people" that are skilled, organized, and productive will advance society, IF permitted to operate without intrusive Govmnt laws/mandates. However, most "people" will do as they are told to do, and believe as they are indoctrinated to believe, particularly so if they are directed by a cleverly presented agenda. Bread and Circuses beats rational evaluation every time.

[@robertholland7558]

@@reasonablespeculation3893 hear! Hear!

[@youbigtubership]

That's very perceptive. And the method used to take control of the means of production is in fact seizing the machinery that people make their livings from. That way you control of their lives. The control exercised by banks is the weak point in the digital economy, as Trudeau showed in the Canadian trucker protests.

[@craigallmendinger8404]

Greed of the financial, pharmaceutical, military industrial complex is what’s stealing our future. NOT social security benefits.

[@fbboringstuff]

Whom props them up?

[@craigallmendinger8404]

@@fbboringstuff They prop themselves up by capturing all the agencies of authority. The US has many socialized aspects of its economy, while profits are privatized. When poor retired people or working class, people living in poverty receive any type of financial benefits, all that money goes directly back into the economy, mostly into the hands of the upper class. Suggesting that someone’s pittance of a retirement which automatically gets spent on paying their bills, is destroying our country is preposterous.

[@daniellesomerfield8799]

Don't create hate between generations. We're not responsible for the decisions of the evil governments.

[@daniellesomerfield8799]

@@BrianT-jj3ei It's already happened to me in the 'church'. Division is the work of religion, not The Holy Spirit.

[@Nick-bh5bk]

I wish more people would listen to Ferguson. If more people understood these very simple principles, the West would be in much better shape, economically. Of course, here in the US, the Democratic party are all about buying votes by spending more, so the only way the Republicans could complete is to also overspend rather than reform government spending. It is a slow motion disaster that will eventually come to a head.

[@georgesibley7152]

You want a better life vote for someone who will close your military bases and seek peace throughout the world. Your economy exists to fund your military,

[@chun-mailiu4329]

Indeed this is a tide very hard to resist. I can't even communicate that to my children.

[@ajs41]

The problem isn't Baby Boomers, the problem is woke-ism. They're not the same.

[@jimmyhvy2277]

The indoctrinated Kids are Pushing it , Not as Old People ! We Know Better , we Old People , have been lied to all our Lives ?

[@jimlambrick4642]

I'm a front end boomer, 1946 and I would suggest the seeds of woke-ism even predate the boomers and can be traced to university academic's in love with the whole socialism utopia idea and then infected the boomers coming out of univesities in the late 60's from whence it took off. The late 60.s/70's were the time of Che Guevara t-shirts, free love etc. and those infected boomers had kids and so on and so on to where its at now. The pill and the whole feminism thing were the real fuel on the fire and continue to be.

[@alexcipriani6003]

😂😂😂 it’s fcking boomers; woke-ism is a cultural bs fed to you by those that have no economic solutions just want to distract you with culture wars.

[@apebass2215]

Who allowed postmodernism to march through the institutions?

[@jimmyhvy2277]

@@apebass2215 Free Speech and Capitalism Allowed this , Now we are Finished Because of it , IMHO .

[@GoodMrDawes]

We didn't light it, but we didn't fight it

[@ANonymous-mo6xp]

I got that reference!!

[@GoodMrDawes]

@@ANonymous-mo6xp Well, a few did but most were shot.

[@jercasgav]

It is true, boomers (not all of them of course) largely thought that things would always be easy and that you could take on debts perpetually when this is not true. Their whole lives things were abundant and way better than the boomers forebears so they took a lot of blessings for granted. They also took moral codes for granted like staying married and avoiding single parenthood. All of these behaviors though came with consequences that vastly stole wealth away from the next generations, and the kids were sold a fantasy that was a lie. Things like, "don't worry about how much you take out in student loans, just follow your dream and the money will follow with it", or "play the field, don't just settle down with the first girl/guy you meet...you are young, you have lots of time!" or "you deserve to be happy, and if you aren't happy in your marriage you can leave, your kids will be happy again when you are happy again after the divorce." All things that are lies!

[@llIlIlllII]

I grew up believing life only starts at 25. In other news: I have no life skills and no confidence. Stay tuned for my update at 40. It's not looking good.

[@darbyheavey406]

Life begins at conception. You should have joined the Boy Scouts.

[@brianplatts7818]

garbage

[@Vzzdak]

Majority of voters don't think of financial repurcussions, so they elect for "the best deal" that provides the most immediate return. Condominium boards are a tidy example of how this goes horribly wrong with deferred building maintenance.

[@misse909]

It's social engineering conducted like propaganda through entertainment, education and media by those that control everything. They brainwashed the boomers into comfort, compliance and total trust in media(it was boomers most terrified of the rona) brainwashed the next gen into women's lib which broke up the family home and devalued the maternal and they are brainwashing current generations into a total hive mind.

[@tubalcain6874]

I’m 65, still employed, and life has never been a cake walk for me, nor for most others like me that I’ve encountered.

[@maxbest20s11]

Same here..64 working paying private health insurance thrifty with a propensity to save

[@tubalcain6874]

@@maxbest20s11 I rolled onto the socialist medicine (Medicare) + supplemental in March. $25/month more than my employer group health plan, and considerably better.

[@anthonymorris5084]

Students today are taught "what" to think, not "how" to think.

[@123jlb]

What qualifies you to make this assertion? I'm a teacher. Worked in a wide range of schools. Your assertion is total BS. When was the last time you spend a good/any amount of time in a classroom?

[@dai19721]

@@123jlb go woke go broke

[@georgesibley7152]

They always were, when was it different. Only when you get to Post graduate level are you supposed to think and then not in the sciences until PHD level. teachers and Educators simply do not have the time , back in the 60;s people played with de bono and his thinking lessons but getting people to think requires far more time and work and knowledge from an educator.

[@shelleygordon874]

@@123jlb maybe it depends where you are a teacher. Banning books, parents in charge of how their children are taught. I have friends who are teachers and they had problems with parents and principles not supporting teachers.

[@thevalleygate625]

Definitely a worthy conversation to be had by all. Ex kgb Yuri B was spot on in the 80s with his interview and describing of The Four Stages of Subversion that have been in play in the west for generations.

[@TheHivefl]

While I agree with his points, he is missing the boat entirely on why communism/socialism is alluring. It has little to do with economics. Communism is not an economic theory, but a gnostic cult. The allure of dialectical leftism is in spiritual transformation. Young people will always be lured in by a cultish framework that leads them to believe they have hidden knowledge beyond the scope of their elders that gives them real understanding of how the world works. It only doesn’t make sense (in their mind) to stuffy old privileged white men like Niall because he lacks a Critical understanding. It starts with demoralizing people. Crony capitalism and marxist educators have played a huge role in achieving this so marxists have plenty to work with.

[@georgesibley7152]

You have never read Marx obviously. He is still relevant today, i suggest you read the original rather than some third hand accounts.

[@marcoaslan]

The sad truth. In France young people should be fighting for less taxes - not more.

[@marcoaslan]

@@el_lo sorry but your comment made little sense.

[@marcoaslan]

@@el_lo in France if you want to hire an employee you have to pay double. I personally have a small business in France and I cannot hire anyone because it is too expensive, which means there is less money circulating and less productivity. I pay the URSSAF knowing that it will go bankrupt in the future, and I won’t see that money ever again. It is an idiotic system run by technocrats with little notion of the unintended consequences of top down interventionism. Deep down I think people who fight in favor of such an incompetent system actually are doing so oblivious to what it is. I think they are just going through motions without ever having skin in the game. The same people would never return to eat at a bad restaurant, especially the French, but surprisingly they are dumb enough to pay extravagantly to a government which has little value to give in return.

[@marcoaslan]

​@@el_lo Let me add that if your concern is the government not having enough money so it can handle people's retirements then I have unfortunate news for you - the entire system is a Ponzi scheme, the money will vanish.. Let me repeat - the retirement money you think you have is fictitious. The reason the government is so fragile about this entire issue is because it knows the system will crumble, it is in its very essence a ponzi scheme (google it)

[@fractalnomics]

I've failed too. Breaks my heart.

[@user-cq7eh4sy9u]

Sounds like scapegoating, what the good professor has to say. No group in society can be blamed for pursuing their own best interests. The political arena is where the various interests in the body politic are hashed out. Are there groups in society who are tricked, conned or educated into pursuing the opposite of their interests? I don't think so.

[@vinniechan]

The original episode came out four yrs ago and its coming true Pay as you go pension and single payer healthcare are the single biggest line item in government expenses for every country that adopts the model

[@georgesibley7152]

why did we not have this problem years ago when Baby boomers were in power.

[@josephwalsh7546]

It might help if students were educated that in welfare states it's the Middle Class who pay most of the taxes to pay for the benefits they themselves receive .from the gov't. Politicians lie to the public and tell them the rich are the ones paying. Middle class tax rates in welfare state countries would make most Americans choke.

[@thenzlander7605]

What on earth has this got to do with Baby Boomers?

[@richardlindquist5936]

Pretty much nothing.

[@vivianhull3317]

They get the blame for everything

[@jamesclarke2789]

It has to do with the fact that major budgetary pressures in western countries are coming from increased government expenditure relating to an aging population. In areas like aged pensions, aged care, public health expenditure on age related illnesses, etc. While baby boomers in general tend to be more right leaning in their political views, they also in general tend to oppose any reform to public entitlement programs that primarily benefit their age demographic, hence why Fergueson brought up Paul Ryan's attempts to reform public entitlements and how these reform attempts were later forgotten as Trump seized political support from older generations. And it has to do with the fact that the younger generations have been roped into supporting these social programs, with the result being that much of the wealth that younger generations earn have either been taxed off or will be taxed off to pay off future debts, in order to fund these social programs. Their economic opportunities have artificially been stunted, and their interests betrayed. All to fund programs that benefit an older generation that seems to despise them, and call them 'lazy', 'entitled', etc, etc

[@Chris-gs8kc]

@@jamesclarke2789 And yet the young in France have come out in large numbers to reject the increase in pension age from 62 to 64. Do they truly believe that when they reach the age of 62, or even 64, that they can retire and very likely live for another 25 years or more off of the state ? Seriously ? I would have thought that the young would have came out heavily on the side of Macron. But it seems the young in western nations want to save the planet by shutting down everything gained from the industrial revolution. But I'm old, one of the baby boomers, and it's their world now so they must do what they believe to be right for them. All I can say is; good luck with that.

[@jamesclarke2789]

@@BrianT-jj3ei your ideological views aside, it doesn't change the fact that the main structural deficits in most western countries are coming from budgetary pressures created by increased expenditure on an aging population l.

[@drinno8900]

The term “nanny state” should ring alarm bells.

[@peterbranagan1010]

I completely agree with Ferguson on this issue.

[@michaelyamasaki3592]

Right on! Illuminating

[@stephenkerensky710]

The opposite of socialism has landed millions of people in poverty and ignored the suffering they experience. What is needed is a moderate goverment that shows consideration for all members of society, not just the rich.

[@benh715]

Once you promise to take care of everyone regardless of how useful they are to their neighbours and wider society, where is the incentive to be useful? The socialist answer is to enforce quotas by force, or just let people sponge off current and future compatriots. Neither is a great solution.

[@nottheonlydreamer9512]

Capitalism has lifted most of the world's population out of absolute poverty. Socialism causes more poverty than capitalism does.

[@James_36]

literally false, in fact you are so wrong it is worth you deleting this comment

[@danzigvssartre]

@@benh715 How wealthy one is definitely not a measure of “useful” a person is. The extremely wealthy and multinational corporations are some of the worst parasites on our society.

[@StevenCovey-ct3sx]

This why everyone should own gold. It’s supply increases by approximately 2% a year. It is $2000 an ounce in 2023. It was $300 an ounce as late as 2001. It is the near perfect hedge against money printing and unsustainable government debt. It doesn’t go up in price so much as the value of money goes down.

[@urbanlumberjack]

This is pure gaslighting insanity. The very moment we stop handing corporations billions in subsidies and tax relief I will support “entitlement” reform. Until then you can take your views on “redistributive” policies and shove it.

[@frpgplayer]

Nobody would ever believe the Civilian Conservation Corps actually existed. Why work when the govt just gives free stuff. People would be horrified if all the freebies required work like the CCC.

[@DanSme1]

Sorry, but Niall conflates the Left with Baby Boomers. IT’S NOT GENERATIONAL, IT’S IDEOLOGICAL. See The Secular Revolution, Christian Smith, Editor.5

[@RawOlympia]

Indeed. I'd much rather hear YOUR take on this, Niall has been grating as of late.

[@ExtraEcclesiamNullaSalus]

Of course its generational. You don't think television and schooling indoctrinated baby boomers with certain ways to look at the world?

[@enough1494]

In the US we can’t yea h basic math and reading. To teach about political ideologies would be asking for a Miracle!

[@svenjorgensenn8418]

Been saying this for over 20 years.

[@barrywalsh7926]

I like the Norwegian economic model. that county did not squander her oil wealth. Norway's political class put long-term economic policies above party politics and build up over one trillion dollars US in sovereign wealth funds. Our political parties, yes John including the National Party, have nothing to show for decades of management of our resources.

[@buildmotosykletist1987]

Yet here we are : @barbstapleton6934 : The only allies you Chinese in the PRC have are Nth Korea and Russia. The world's richest people. Yet so many are ignorant of how wealthy and spoilt we are.

[@richardreweti8671]

Nordic Socialism works a lot better than Capitalism which has single handedly destroyed most countries.

[@jimlambrick4642]

But would they have had the luxury to choose if they hadn't been incredibly lucky to be sitting on large pools of oil?

[@barrywalsh7926]

@@jimlambrick4642 Norway's real luck is having a political class that puts the long-term economic interests of the Norwegian population, including future generations, ahead of the next election. Australia has been even luckier than Norway in terms of resources. Sadly, we haven't had much luck in long-term economic policies. Australia is the world’s largest producer of many minerals including iron ore, bauxite, zircon, ilmenite, and rutile. Australia is also the second-largest producer of gold, lead, zinc, alumina, lithium, and manganese ore, and is the third-largest producer of uranium. Australia also mines black coal, silver, nickel, copper, cobalt, and aluminum.

[@Watching58]

Didn’t Costello try to make a fund? Then Rudd spent it…

[@darongardner4294]

America has 45 million homeless people and tens of thousands unemployed and huge debts.Corruption in the banking system is one of the causes of the above with along with miss management of resources.All people in society need jobs homes an a education which will enable people to contribute to society in a positive way by paying taxes from which the latter are sustained

[@marcussparticus8380]

Just one thing I'd like to say, I'm fed up of middle class academics repeatedly referring to the baby boomers as ( To Blame ) when in actual fact we were deceived by the political class and the Socialist unions who made promises they could not keep. I was until retirement a carpenter who had to endure the 1970's under labour and many like myself was against many of Labour's policies, I am a baby boomers generation and I had no say in anything at all, so please stop blaming me or your grandparents or your parents generation it is and always will be the political class to blame wether its the left or the right and for that matter also the banking and industrialist class. Its not our fault its yours. You were Power not us.

[@tbobtbob330]

These ideas attributed to "boomers" here aren't any of the ideas I've ever heard any boomer I've known espouse. These ideas just sound like the opinions of typical government and corporate types (i.e. parasites) of all ages.

[@c.p.1090]

Please ask him about Bitcoin. And Austrian Economics.

[@abazely2743]

Explore the words of Jordan Peterson on equal oportunities and equality of outcome.The former possible in theory the latter impossible in practice.

[@georgesibley7152]

a straw argument since few people push for equality of outcome as Marx said in the Gotha programmer "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs"

[@abazely2743]

@@georgesibley7152 Ferguson contended that socialism had failed and communism was a disaster,that the young were not being taught today's social,economic,financial facts of life. Just heard that Cambridge maintains that the Anglo-Saxons were not real.All beyond me so I'll belt up.

[@SomeCanine]

We already have more redistributive taxation than the Nordic countries. You might say, well they're taxed over 50%. Sure, but so are you. Your taxes are just staggered. You get taxed first for your income. Then you get taxed on the things you buy. Then you get taxed for your property. Then you get taxed for your utilities. The list goes on and on. You have far less economic freedom than the people in the Nordic countries. They've just consolidated the socialist tax and spend policies into a single tax for efficiency and clarity. They do less of it than we do.

[@cushela.cleisrobson3592]

I'm also confused. Born in 1954 in New Zealand and by late 20s I championed feminism, equality of opportunity, clean environment, lower consumption, democratic rights across the board and wide educational opportunities not just to be another machine or an adjunct to one. At nearly 70 massive consumption, miitary industrial complex, the machine in all it's iterations, and worshippers of money have largely one. Clever life enhancing tech must be seized, and consumption for sensate greed must fall. People must be educated to think logically and ethics and tech and science must be tightly bound.

[@Dybbouk]

Great stuff!!

[@sergiomontesdeoca5955]

is that a bottle of Laphroig whisky in the middle of the table?

[@KevTheImpaler]

I don't even believe in a different system of single parent health care.

[@bobcornwell403]

Pretty logical as far as it goes. Unfortunately, it doesn't go far enough. I find that it goes so short of going far enough that I consider it dishonest. True, there is an economic interest divide between us baby-boomers and younger generations. But what is left out is that there is also a gaping economic interest divide between most of these younger folks and the top 5 to 10% income earners. And an even greater one between most younger people and the top 1%. This professor here is highly educated and should be well aware of these facts. I'll make a bet that he is. I'll make a further bet that deliberately chooses to omit them. This, in my view, makes him a traitor to his profession.

[@user-xb2vm2wz7z]

I totally agree, blaming boomers without taking into account the whole human history behind that generation gap is mediocre and suspicious.

[@forcefedapocalypse]

Without watching I can give you an important reason: the extreme lack of desire to want to put their children before themselves.

[@mackcarlo]

We have a smart phone hi tech super computer In our hands and can fly around the entire Planet in days thanks to the great British inventions for Pete’s sakes !!! I feel RICH thanks ! People can be so ungrateful!

[@leonie563]

Turn it off at 80 and you either sell the house and move in with kids and bequeath early or those with no house get public housing. Young know that at 80 they won t get pension beyond that age.

[@neovxr]

If war budgets are entirely taboo, at the end of the story people will starve.

[@robertholland7558]

Humans are a social species, so socialism is the logical choice of governance. Having said that, the manner in which the socialism is applied is clearly not the correct one. China has clearly demonstrated that a capitalist form of socialism is possible, even though even that system falls well short of the mark. Final conclusion, neither capitalism nor socialism, as currently applied around the world fall short of the mark. Humanity can and must do better as a social species, sadly power and control are clearly more powerful then a good form of governance!

[@farinshore8900]

Generation X met the same problem in the 80s. It is likely for this reason that we became the first generation to end up more poor than our parents.

[@caiusKeys]

Wondered what the hippies would do as adults, and now we know...

[@user-xb2vm2wz7z]

So what exactly does he propose? To let enterprises privatize and patent every single living and not living thing that's left? To keep the young and the working class at the mercy, wish, and desire of a handful of Business Men? Yet? This didn't begin with boomers, he's a historian, he should know better than that. It all began with the rise of industries and the promise of better working conditions, which was rather a means for industrialists to get better-trained and stronger workforce. I totally agree with the fact that Government-centered power is a formula for corruption (anyway, governments are submissive to oligopolies these days), but it is exactly the same formula for anyone with too much money and power. In fact, socialism attempts to empower the people, the workers in their own communities, and not the government and its elite (as happens in Venezuela). So yes, please, "can we try just to have a bit of conceptual clarity?" We should be thinking on contextual welfare solutions and on teaching students how to act collectively for the common good instead of keeping on promoting liberalism (aka individualism) as the answer to every problem, because liberalism IS the problem. Just check how free enterprise is a social and ecological disaster too. For someone who promotes sociopolitical and economical counter factual history and analyses fake news this guy is either dangerous or questionably shallow, proof that lucidity doesn't come with diplomas and recognition. Ideologists like him are a problem for education.

[@lawrencelittlefield5254]

Paul Ryan's entitlement reform would have guaranteed the high level of benefits for existing beneficiaries, while slashing benefits for the later born even further. The Democratic alternative would have jacked up taxes, but only on work income, and phased in so Boomers wouldn't have to pay.

[@whitebutterflydust148]

🎯

[@tasd5673]

Wrong headline I’m watch JO and JA 1:22

[@mikemcconnell7800]

Venezuela as an example against Socialism? Wow, Niall doesn't have a lot of respect for the collective knowledge of his audience. Public sector unions are the enemy and the worst? Who is supposed to maintain societies? Niall seems to think that people who work in the public sector should just take it and bow to the private sector class. Children, speak up. You are at Stanford. It is the exchange that people in the public sector make; job and income security for lack of opportunity at great wealth.

[@sedalia9356]

He is right about what he says here, but his admiration of Kissenger and some others is repugnant.

[@alexlanning712]

Hindsight is 20-20

[@BobSmith-fx9sz]

The young don't vote, and the few that do don't vote conservative. No wonder policies aren't aimed at the young.

[@georgeseverent180]

I love the comments on here full of boomers professing exceptionalism You are proving our point. 😂

[@dennyr989]

Cut entitlements but not the military budget? NADA

[@kalburgy2114]

Non sequitur. No other portion of the budget was mentioned here because that was not the topic. Social Security and Medicare are the majority of Federal spending, so being unable to cut them leaves very little to cut.

[@pilroberts6185]

Wonderful to see young students engaged and listening. Not whining, shouting, protesting, or worse. Well done Mr Anderson, hope remains…

[@willardchi2571]

2:32 Tax corporations and the rich and we can afford it.

[@cellbiologyshorts9105]

Can we be like the Scandinavian countries then?

[@audience2]

Without the open borders immigration policies

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

He's totally correct that the elderly are stealing from the young. But in spite of that, the elderly still have the nerve to call the young selfish for not wanting to be stolen from.

[@johnmurphy9550]

Nobody in the general population is 'stealing' from the young. The fact is that governments lied to those it took regular sums of money from, for their pensions and Healthcare. They never invested it, they spent it on tax breaks for big corporations, while taking a comfortable slice for themselves. They're still doing it, while pretending they care about the population at large. They don't. All the while, they've whittled away at our sovereignty, pretending it's parliament that is Sovereign, it's not. Parliament and governments didn't exist when our constitution, under Magna Carta, was written and formed, politicians wormed their way in, courtesy of the elites and corporations, they are, actually, illegitimate and the biggest bunch of crooks on the planet - their greatest success has been setting the people against each other, with lies and deceit. Unfortunately, too many people fall for the lies.

[@kurt2022]

@@johnmurphy9550 Sadly, its only getting worse.

[@Winterascent]

We destroyed the economy to protect Granny during Covid, too. Never should have had the massive long duration lock down and money printing that we did.

[@avengemybreath3084]

I wouldn’t generalize TOO much. Some elderly are poor, and if the state doesn’t provide for them many would suffer greatly. Others are very, very wealthy. Many of those, I expect, would be fine with policy changes to adjust their benefits.

[@richardlindquist5936]

Median retirement savings of boomers is $152,000. That means half are above and half below. Everyone, young and old, need to learn the facts Neill points to and stop voting against their interests.

[@123jlb]

"Socialism ..has always failed" a very narrow conception of Socialism ("its about state controlling the means of production")...! wow Social Democratic nations are continually rated as both the happiest AND the wealthiest..? (Norway, Sweden, Denmark) this IS a form of socialism just as there are various forms/incarnations of Capitalism ideology getting in the way here (again?)

[@thegeorges2384]

The problem is sin. We live in a fallen world. We need Jesus, every step of every day. Repent & return to God in Jesus name, while you still have time.

[@TedSeay]

I blame Gen X for this, too.

[@robertcalamusso1603]

Work hard but not crazy. Don't look for others to pay your way.

[@boydwyatt]

I have lived in socialist countries. It ends up small elite class , no middle class , lotsa peasants. Very very not good.

[@evangreen3080]

Which young people is he looking to benefit? All young people or those privileged few who’d be less rich for choosing to be more equitable? It’s true, future billionaires would be betraying their cohort for bringing the Swedish model abroad. They can choose that or actual Socialism. Or the bloody chaos after the French Revolution. In this day and age of the nukes, pandemics, AIs, and the coming robots and nanotechnologies, you’d think unity and stability would be preferable.

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

Sweden, yes 🇸🇪

[@ralphparker]

Baby boomers didn't set up these programs. I actually object to the term, "entitlements". Especially since my taxes, if successfully invested would of more than paid for the benefits I will receive. But it is now our time to collect our "fair" share, after all, we've paid our taxes just like the program required. The problem is that law makers, who recognized the issues at hand decades ago, failed to update the programs including payouts and tax rates to keep the program viable. Law makers like to get re-elected, so I understand the dilemma but incremental changes along the way are a more political correct than hard cuts required to save a financially dead program. Unfortunately, there are only 3 or 4 workers to support my Social Security benefit when I start receiving it.

[@farvatron]

Cope boomer

[@goodbro7846]

There are only 3 or 4 because your generation didn't have enough children and actually it would be less then 2 if did completely destroy the homogeneous culture by allowing open boarders to keep your ponzi going for a couple decades which will ultimately cost your whole culture in less then 75 years.. your grandchild will be slaves to foreigners in their grandfathers country.

[@KucheKlizma]

Who needs socialism or capitalism when you can have antisocialism, oligarchism and totalitarianism?

[@bottleofwatero1]

I thought boomers were more right wing? Is it different in Australia? I mean there were boomer leftists in the 1960s but it's not everyone.

[@kenpe1455]

But neo liberal capitalism has failed too, so what economic system do you recommend?

[@user-nx6ji9tk8i]

For a bit of revision on how societies previously worked, debated and argued : Niall Ferguson,s history lesson kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4qzdJato9qYeJo

[@markwrede8878]

Niall Ferguson misleads everyone.

[@lukeskirenko]

It is remarkably puffed up to talk as if an authority on national debts and government spending, instead of making it clear that there really isn't a clear/definitive understanding of the money supply and whether the current mechanics of money creation make sense, or rather, there are a competing/conflicting views, and the sustainability of current levels of government spending depends on which account of the mechanics of money is correct.

[@georgesibley7152]

so capitalism works but we under it we cannot afford to pay the bulk of the population having decent welfare. Venezuela has failed but it is nothing to do with sanctions. and the Capitalists states denying the free market and of course the fact there was more corruption before is irrelevant. Climate change and the idea that we are heading for climate extinction is not baby boomers but the next generation, we were for nuclear disarmament which is still a good idea. the problem with these two is they do not have the same problems as ordinary folk, iF they ever did they have long forgotten them. Grants for students were not abolished by a baby boomer but the next generation. Baby boomers introduced student grants, apprenticeships were not dumbed down or abolished by baby boomers but the next lot.

[@rbrowne2998]

I dont trust anyone who does the Blair hands.

[@f.d.6667]

Um. your ivory towers are malfunctioning (obviously)... I teach in college, I technically qualify as a boomer but I also know a bit of history, so I won't sell my students any form of trendy Eco-Marxism... Yes, we do have quite a few loony/lefty professors but I can feel that the majority of our students are increasingly fed up with all the different types of alarmist waffle they are being exposed to. And THAT gives me a lot of hope.

[@anthonymorris5084]

Phew, good to hear. It's getting pretty bad.

[@tomthumb2057]

As a Boomer... I very much like the current level of education we provide... Lets me play golf every day at "The Villages".

[@MrTL3wis]

...and sniff your own farts every night?

[@StimParavane]

It's a stretch to blame unions given the corporate profiteering that's been going on!

[@kalburgy2114]

You might want to look at what unions are really about. The very same people who are behind the large corporations are also behind the unions.

[@StimParavane]

@@kalburgy2114 What a joke.

[@kalburgy2114]

And the joke's on you.

[@Watching58]

Maybe we all need to go smaller, not bigger…. Atm

[@seanlander9321]

The younger set have walked away from trade unions which has allowed capital and politics to combine for profit not for people. They have no one to blame but themselves for denigrating the collective good to replace it with whinging.

[@kalburgy2114]

Lol! Trade unions are run by minions of the very capitalists they purportedly oppose. You need to look more closely.

[@tomlewis7898]

Most of this channel's subscribers are tedious baby boomers if the comments are anything to go by

[@parati1309]

😂 they already feign being hard done by, now they'll really hate their grandparents

[@aaronc4899]

I just stopped listening. He's lying about Social Security.

[@2bullcrap]

Blame game

[@loganjames3789]

Paul Ryan? Fail.

[@huh2275]

pump aqua flo FMCP 1.0SPlus HP 1.0 SPL

[@Rippedfast]

Ok, fine, not socialism. Just tax the corporations appropriately and use that money to invest in the populace's wellfare.

[@anthonymorris5084]

As long as you remain aware that this has negative consequences as well.

[@terrorbilly2520]

But we don't live in capitalism either.

[@mavrosyvannah]

We do have a way of affording it. But people do not deserve a way out.

[@toolfan347]

I love the climate change argument. It's as if no one remembers the ice age or something. Look up George Carlin on people being so ridiculous about saving the planet.