THE monthly Fremantle Politics in the Pub event in the Local Hotel will on February 27 ask the question “A Fair Go For Young People? Do young people nowadays have it much harder than previous generations?”

On the one side we hear young people complaining about disadvantage and inequality, unaffordable housing, high student debts, and poorly-paid entry-level jobs, but that is countered by claims of poor work ethics and laziness of young people. 

Young people say they are getting unfair conditions, when compared with the post-war generation and that they have to deal with climate change, that was not their making. 

Generations

But we always had to live with the consequences of the actions, and inactions, of previous generations. 

We pay for the mistakes of the past and we reap the benefits of the improvements and innovations of the past. 

Life is forever changing and evolving. 

The past directs the present, hence we are all paying for the mistakes made by others. 

History shows that it has always been like that.

No one should deny the impact of climate change, and what it will mean for future generations, and neither should we brush aside the very serious issue of unaffordable housing. 

They are real issues for this and future generations,.

We often hear that we live in the age of entitlement. 

People constantly want more and consumerism has reached a ridiculous and unsustainable level, but were our parents and grandparents better off? 

A young FIFO worker complained on social media recently that there was hardly any money left to live on, once he had paid for big holidays, cars, jet ski, rent, etc. and that he had to survive on a mere $1,200 a week. 

If that is hardship, I’ll take it.

The post-war generations in Europe had to deal with rebuilding entire cities, and live with huge poverty and hunger.  

Millions of people had to start their life all over again as refugees in foreign countries, with a different culture and language. 

Was that easier than currently not being able to find a place to rent?

Don’t get me wrong! 

I absolutely understand the frustration of looking for a place to live. 

I have been there many times myself, and had to couch surf for six months about 10 years ago, when I could not find anything I could afford. 

Life is not a walk in the park, and never will be, unless one belongs to the few privileged ones, who have no worries in the world. 

Most of us just battle on, create a happy life for ourselves and survive. 

That makes us rightly proud of our achievements, even when it was never really perfect. 

As they say: It is what it is.

We hear that there is a generational inequality, so the claim is that we oldies had it so much better than the young ones. 

I sincerely doubt that is true.

The current generation has different issues to deal with, but life in the past was absolutely not a smooth and easy run to success and wealth. 

It was bloody hard work, often without the support of social services. 

Being unemployed meant being poor, and putting food on the table for the family was often a struggle. 

Going all the way back to the early settlers, look at the amazing achievements they made.

Imagine walking or riding from Fremantle to the Kalgoorlie goldfields, in a harsh country they knew nothing about.

Contemplate what it must have been like to live without running water and electricity, and the basic lack of health care.

Yes, life is bloody hard and unfair sometimes. 

Life puts a lot of challenges in our way, challenges and changes we have had to deal with since the big bang. 

From the very day we are born we had to learn to cope with adversity. 

We had to find solutions for the mistakes made in the past. 

Nothing has changed in that regard. 

Life is a character-building fight, where we learn to look after ourselves and support each other. 

Not everything is smooth sailing from school to university and straight into the perfect job. 

Hurdles

There are always hurdles in the way, that appear to make our future insecure, but is it really a lot worse now than it was 50, 100, 200 years ago? 

Comparing the present with the past is not working for me. 

We see the immense potential of this new young generation. 

The innovation technology, the start-ups, the creativity, IT and AI. 

There is a real willingness to try, to change, to challenge the status quo, with no fear of failure. 

The future looks amazing and exciting. 

I have no doubt that all those young achievers will adequately deal with the challenges of climate change, and everything else thrown at them. 

They’ll have to, as there is no other option. 

Life continues and we deal with it, as we always have.

Roel Loopers/Freoview