Posted 2/28/2009 03:26:00 PM by Douglas

The recession: what don't kill you can only make you stronger. Assuming you're not dead. And that ought to teach those greedy boomers something.

These are people who started their working lives at a time when labour unions were strong, taxpayers outnumbered retirees nearly 10 to one, housing was as cheap as borscht and the basic personal exemption covered most of a living wage. They congratulated themselves on building an elaborate “social safety net” at the expense of their children. Their great numbers have allowed their preferences and superstitions to dominate culture and media. They’re the ones who burned through tonnes of pot and then launched a War on Drugs when they grew bored with it; they drove mighty-bowelled Mustangs and Thunderbirds in their youth, and only started worrying about the environment when they no longer needed a capacious backseat to fornicate in; they espoused and took full advantage of sexual liberation, but were safely hors de combat by the time AIDS reared its head. The first time I see one shopping for dog food, I doubt I’ll be able to suppress a laugh.

A bit of an oversimplification, but I like the sentiment. Problems never get solved by those that created them.

I'm hesitant to embrace the recession, per se, since I got some pretty bad news at work this week, but if that's what it's going to take to see some tanning/nail salons close down, I'm all for it.