Fast-forward to the 90's. My generation graduates college and finds the following:
1) Taxes have skyrocketed, to pay for services that previously had been paid for with debt, to keep taxes artificially low. Boomers are getting older and falling ill, putting even more of a strain on the health-care system.
2) The national debt is through the roof. 25% of all taxes collected by the government are spent simply servicing the interest on the massive national debt, putting us taxpayers in the crippling position of only receiving 75% of the services we're paying for (on the other hand, our parents actually got more than 100% of the services they paid for, since it was largely funded by debt). So not only am I paying for my own services, I'm picking up the tab for my parents' services (with interest) from the 70's and 80's.
3) Housing prices have ballooned. Our parents are enjoying downsizing their housing, giving their savings yet another boost, on the backs of young families like mine who are just trying to find an affordable home.
4) Nobody is offering pensions. The percentage of companies offering lifetime pensions to new employees has plummeted, leaving us responsible for accumulating our own nest egg.
So in summary, we have no corporate pensions, are paying off our parents' debt, with mortgages twice the size of our parents' (for the same size house), with less money in our pockets (after taxes) to do it all with.
I'm a Gen-X-er, but I'm not apathetic. I'm downright mad.