8 Modern Problems Predicted by Baby Boomers
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The Baby Boomer generation has often been misrepresented as the nostalgic group constantly yearning for the past. However, history has shown that many of the challenges we face today were already forecasted by this very generation. Baby Boomers witnessed pivotal moments in history and foresaw some of the most pressing issues we grapple with today.
Here are modern problems that Baby Boomers predicted, which have gained more urgency over time.
The Skyrocketing Costs of Education
Long before tuition fees were outpacing inflation, Baby Boomers saw the writing on the wall when it came to higher education. In the 1970s, educational leaders were already voicing concerns that the cost of attending college was becoming a barrier for the middle class.
Fast forward to 2025, and the average cost of college in the U.S. has exceeded $38,000 per year. This trend has caused a crisis for many families, and the dream of affordable higher education seems more distant than ever.
The Obsession with Technology
Boomers may not have imagined the rise of TikTok or Instagram, but they did predict that excessive screen time would have profound consequences. As early as the 1970s, the dangers of TV addiction were being discussed, and by the 1990s, concerns about the emerging internet culture were becoming more widespread.
Today, the average teenager spends hours a day on their phone, often at the expense of their social life and mental well-being. In hindsight, their warnings about technology addiction now seem prescient.
The Corporate Takeover of Politics
Baby Boomers, having lived through events like Watergate and the rise of corporate lobbying, were acutely aware of the increasing influence of money in politics. They watched as corporations gained political power through PACs, lobbyists, and dark money, fundamentally altering the democratic process.
With lobbying expenditures surpassing $4 billion annually, their predictions about the corrupting influence of money in politics have come to fruition. The corporate takeover of political systems is now a well-established reality.
The Housing Affordability Crisis
Baby Boomers were purchasing homes for under $50,000 in the 1970s, but they foresaw a future where rising property values would price out future generations. Housing, once an affordable asset for the middle class, increasingly came to be viewed as a speculative investment.
The current median home price in the U.S. is over $360,000, making homeownership a distant dream for many young adults. Baby Boomers’ warnings about the commodification of housing and the growing unaffordability of homes have indeed proven to be valid.
Job Insecurity and the Rise of the Gig Economy
For Baby Boomers, a “job for life” was once the norm. However, they witnessed the slow erosion of this ideal as outsourcing, automation, and corporate restructuring became more common. The traditional 9-to-5 job with benefits and pensions has largely been replaced by gig work and freelancing, leaving many workers vulnerable and without long-term security.
The rise of platforms like Uber and Fiverr has made it clear that Boomers’ warnings about job insecurity weren’t just hypothetical, but prophetic.
The Financial Trap of Credit Dependency
By the 1980s, Baby Boomers had witnessed the birth of credit card culture. The once cautious approach to borrowing had evolved into a lifestyle of debt accumulation. What started with small purchases and manageable credit became a dangerous cycle of overspending.
Today, the average American household carries over $6,000 in credit card debt, a problem that has spiraled out of control, just as Boomers had predicted.
The Growing Mental Health Epidemic
Mental health, once a taboo topic, was becoming more widely discussed during the 1960s and 1970s. Baby Boomers were at the forefront of this cultural shift, recognizing that mental illness was not just a personal struggle but a societal one. Over the years, their concerns have been validated by an increasing number of people experiencing mental health issues.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 59 million Americans suffered from mental illness in 2022, an alarming statistic that underscores the crisis Boomers warned about decades ago.
The Dangers of Overmedication
In the 1980s and 1990s, Baby Boomers watched as pharmaceutical companies flooded the market with a wide array of medications. Unfortunately, their warnings about overmedication have proven all too accurate. The opioid epidemic, which claimed more than 80,000 lives in 2022, is just one example of the devastating consequences of unchecked pharmaceutical marketing and over-prescription.
