Greyenivol Colony
22-06-2006, 16:05
... But now what about Age War?
Imagine a situation where in the near-future where demographic trends have continued. A future where there are more retired people than young people under the age of 30.
The baby-boomers, who have throughout their lives had the unusual distinction of forming the dominant generation in whatever age they found themselves, i.e. they were young in the '60s, and so society was based around the young (the sexual revolution, the hippie movement, etc.), then in the '80s they began to settle down, they demanded an economically stable and conservative environment in which to raise their children, and the New Rightists (Thatcher, Reagan, etc.) obliged. In fact, I suggest that since their conception all of society has been reared towards pleasing the majority baby-boomers.
But now we face the prospect of that generation entering into the unproductive state of retirement, advances in medical technology means that this generation can easily expect to live until the age of 100 and beyond.
Now consider the growing trend in electoral behaviour that has the Elderly more likely to vote, and the Young less likely to. And this shows no sign of reversing as the primary reason for this is the Youth feel disenfranchised by the consensus made between the state and the baby-boomers. Eventually, we may reach a point where governments, (especially in FPTP systems), rely almost exclusively on the electoral support of the Elderly.
But what would this mean? What cheap policies would the whorelike governments cook up to entice their base? It is more likely than not that the policies chosen will be persecutionary policies, as they are the most enticing - and they will be aimed at the Young.
Indeed, the first shots of the Age War have already been fired. The majorly over-40-elected government marks as an enemy the ASBO/wigger/(whatever media friendly buzzword a society chooses) culture and begins to treat being young as a crime. In the UK Dispersal Orders can be issued arbitrarily by the Police to break up "gangs" (in reality, any group in public consisting of three or more members), so that if you are walking to a train station with two or more friends a Pig can come up to you and force you to walk away from them, putting you at risk of crime. Special ultrasonic devices are being place outside storefronts that produce a torturous sound to the adolescent ear. And anti-social behaviour orders are being placed on children as young as five for playing too loudly (breaking such an order puts you on the same level as a criminal).
Still the Myth of the Barbaric Youth is propagated by the tabloid media, and the Aged Electorate demand tougher action against the youth. Within 10 years Conscription will be back, ("maybe a stint in the forces will do 'em some good!") and criminal charges will be raised against the trivial of youthful offences.
How long will the Young put up with this? After returning from their tours of duty they will be expected to take up employment, and as the welfare system overloads it will become the case that each post-boom adult would have to work to effectively support three citizens to every wage he earns. Add to that the cost of avoiding environmental disasters caused by the previous generations; we will eventually see a situation where the Young have become indentured servants to the baby-boomer puppet government. The civil strife would eventually erupt, the Government would violently disperse Workers protesting for a fair share of their wage, there would be massacres in Old Folks' Homes, and a full-scale Age War would ensue.
But how can this be avoided? Immigration to help beef out the workforce? The baby-boomers would never approve of that, the country quite clearly belongs to them. Elderly emigration, summer-homes abroad, but to a wider extent, again no, forced exile is contrary to Human Rights, and ultimately they will refuse to leave. Robots or some kind of Fountain of Youth? I wouldn't hold my breathe.
It seems to me that Age War is unavoidable, one day the Youth (a minority, but strong, well-trained (thank you conscription), and impassioned) will retake the life that is rightly theirs. The Age War will be long and bloody, for every young person who would want to fight the state another will be a Loyalist protecting his country/family.
The Age War is coming.
Imagine a situation where in the near-future where demographic trends have continued. A future where there are more retired people than young people under the age of 30.
The baby-boomers, who have throughout their lives had the unusual distinction of forming the dominant generation in whatever age they found themselves, i.e. they were young in the '60s, and so society was based around the young (the sexual revolution, the hippie movement, etc.), then in the '80s they began to settle down, they demanded an economically stable and conservative environment in which to raise their children, and the New Rightists (Thatcher, Reagan, etc.) obliged. In fact, I suggest that since their conception all of society has been reared towards pleasing the majority baby-boomers.
But now we face the prospect of that generation entering into the unproductive state of retirement, advances in medical technology means that this generation can easily expect to live until the age of 100 and beyond.
Now consider the growing trend in electoral behaviour that has the Elderly more likely to vote, and the Young less likely to. And this shows no sign of reversing as the primary reason for this is the Youth feel disenfranchised by the consensus made between the state and the baby-boomers. Eventually, we may reach a point where governments, (especially in FPTP systems), rely almost exclusively on the electoral support of the Elderly.
But what would this mean? What cheap policies would the whorelike governments cook up to entice their base? It is more likely than not that the policies chosen will be persecutionary policies, as they are the most enticing - and they will be aimed at the Young.
Indeed, the first shots of the Age War have already been fired. The majorly over-40-elected government marks as an enemy the ASBO/wigger/(whatever media friendly buzzword a society chooses) culture and begins to treat being young as a crime. In the UK Dispersal Orders can be issued arbitrarily by the Police to break up "gangs" (in reality, any group in public consisting of three or more members), so that if you are walking to a train station with two or more friends a Pig can come up to you and force you to walk away from them, putting you at risk of crime. Special ultrasonic devices are being place outside storefronts that produce a torturous sound to the adolescent ear. And anti-social behaviour orders are being placed on children as young as five for playing too loudly (breaking such an order puts you on the same level as a criminal).
Still the Myth of the Barbaric Youth is propagated by the tabloid media, and the Aged Electorate demand tougher action against the youth. Within 10 years Conscription will be back, ("maybe a stint in the forces will do 'em some good!") and criminal charges will be raised against the trivial of youthful offences.
How long will the Young put up with this? After returning from their tours of duty they will be expected to take up employment, and as the welfare system overloads it will become the case that each post-boom adult would have to work to effectively support three citizens to every wage he earns. Add to that the cost of avoiding environmental disasters caused by the previous generations; we will eventually see a situation where the Young have become indentured servants to the baby-boomer puppet government. The civil strife would eventually erupt, the Government would violently disperse Workers protesting for a fair share of their wage, there would be massacres in Old Folks' Homes, and a full-scale Age War would ensue.
But how can this be avoided? Immigration to help beef out the workforce? The baby-boomers would never approve of that, the country quite clearly belongs to them. Elderly emigration, summer-homes abroad, but to a wider extent, again no, forced exile is contrary to Human Rights, and ultimately they will refuse to leave. Robots or some kind of Fountain of Youth? I wouldn't hold my breathe.
It seems to me that Age War is unavoidable, one day the Youth (a minority, but strong, well-trained (thank you conscription), and impassioned) will retake the life that is rightly theirs. The Age War will be long and bloody, for every young person who would want to fight the state another will be a Loyalist protecting his country/family.
The Age War is coming.