My boomer parents be like:

• We had the oil crisis in the late seventies
• We had a recession in the 80’s
• We had high inflation rates in the 80’s
• We had high interest rates in the 80’s
• Salaries were frozen for a year to combat inflation in the 80’s
• We had it worse

They could afford a house and a car with two kids, gas, cable, phone and buy groceries virtually on a single income.

Meanwhile we have:

• A pollution crisis fueled by oil and plastics
• We’ve been in recession since 2008 (or so it feels like it)
• We’re facing runaway inflation rates fueled by corporate greed instead of regular economic factors
• Interest rates are low, but property prices start at just under half a million in comparable areas, also interest in bank accounts give nothing and our savings lose value
• We have widespread wage stagnation since the early 2000’s
• The world is ending

We can barely afford a small 500sq ft condo with double professional income, without a car or even kids in the mix, and we cry every time we buy groceries. And the whole world is burning. But sure, they had it worse.

I don’t care if gas prices increase due to new regulations. It had to happen eventually. Maybe the day nobody will be able to drive to work will be the day they start investing in mass public transit.