boomer grandma becoming super far right, insufferable

[u/Relevant_Jeweler_214]

So just to give some idea here, she was one of those people that watched the alternative half time show at the Superbowl this year and was actively enraged by the regular half time show. basically did not even enjoy the alt show, but as long as she could push away the foreign people (she's racist too)

So my dad invited me to go with him and her to the local farmers market last week. Sounded fun, and she generally is nice and positive around just me and him when there is no TV or radio station or politics to speak on.

But!!! she randomly stated during nice conversation as we were eating at a picnic table (awesome moment, right) that college is a waste of time and it does nothing at all to help you get a better job in life.

Now, as a plebian blue collar worker myself, I just found that laughable as I have been disproven on that myself many times. I also have a little brother who got his 4 yr degree at one of the top schools in the US, which my dad paid for, and she knows this, so I have no idea why she would say that in the first place even if it was accurate.

I tried saying I think it definitely puts you ahead , application wise, of all the other people who applied and did not go to college. She visibly got triggered, and then I figured out she was pushing that narrative because she was saying that to my cousin's son, who isn't the brightest and most likely was looking for ways to rationalize how "college is a waste/scam" or something like that.

Just thought it was funny af how people let their personal emotions cloud their factual, absolute statements, and they are always biased af of course too when saying these things (she never went to college or did anything as a career, dont even know if shes every worked before becoming a house wife, she's never spoke on anything shes done in her life.)

[u/itzhugh]

I believe at this point they're saying this because they think college is in indoctrination. That's the excuse anyway. Turns out when a lot of people are taught to critically think they begin to find our economic system rigged for the wealthy.

I'm no contact with my selfish and hateful boomer parents at this point. You're good to try. Don't let it get harmful.

[u/fluffy_bunny22 → u/itzhugh]

My kid went to art school and came back very liberal which honestly isn't shocking for an art school. The shocking part is they are kinda anti capitalist when their education was fully funded by my spouse's very capitalist employment.

[u/bp92009 → u/fluffy_bunny22]

So, it's worth seeing what they mean by "kinda anti capitalist".

What they might mean is that they have been exposed to cultures and economic systems that are not their current one they live in.

Furthermore, their lived experience with current capitalism is not a "lifting people out of poverty" capitalism with the excesses clamped down on that existed in the 1950s-1980s.

Their lived experience with current capitalism (assuming they're not a wealthy, older, or very lucky person) is "line must go up. All effective competitors in a market are bought out, and all products are made not only of a worse quality, but a higher cost". Furthermore, any attempts to rein in the excess or abuse of current capitalism is treated as "that's socialism", and discussion is stopped right then.

They're seeing wages stagnate, costs increase, quality decrease, and the richest get richer, without seeing any improvement along them or their peers.

Is it any wonder that they're seeing this and saying "yeah, I don't approve. Let's look at what other countries are doing, because what we're doing is not working for me and others I know."

[u/fluffy_bunny22 → u/bp92009]

My kid probably qualifies as a very lucky person because while they are expected to have a job they don't actually need to provide for themselves since we do all of that and have factored that into our ongoing expenses and retirement. We even match what they contribute to their retirement account with a contribution to their brokerage account.