[planetguy]

Bottom line: Young adults today have it way worse than their parents.

Except we really don't. In most ways we're similar to or better off than our parents, as they'll no doubt tell you if you listen to them.

[captobvious]

Ok I'll go with that, let's say we're similar to or better off.

But just to be prepared, if it should turn out to be the other way around, or if this would happen in the future, what would you do if conditions suddenly are comparably a lot worse for non-established younger people?

How would you keep them motivated? Would you divide the economic hit equally? Start tearing up old rent controlled apartment leases? Lower pensions?

I think it's an interesting political and moral issue which seems not to have been considered.

If we are having economic problems and decide to raise the retirement age from 65 to 70 (as discussed in europe), should people who are 66 and just retired go back to work? Or should it only affect the younger people, and if so, why?

[planetguy]

How would you keep them motivated? Would you divide the economic hit equally? Start tearing up old rent controlled apartment leases? Lower pensions?

As a parent in such a situation I'd start redistributing my own money to my children before I die.

From a societal point of view the best thing to encourage that would be to get rid of any gift taxes et cetera which might discourage it.

[Fliko]

Actually, a lot of parents I know talk about how ridiculously expensive it is to put their kid through college/university and to help pay for housing when compared to when they were young.