In the last two years, the percentage of people in the United States who believe the country is in economic trouble has risen from 65 percent in 2007 to over 85 percent today.
Young adults are even more pessimistic their economic future, and young African Americans and "Hispanics" are becoming increasingly angry a major new survey reveals. Young African American and "Hispanics" are asserting that "the social contract is broken, and 4 in 5 (African American 88%, "Hispanics" 80%) agree the government should help those who are struggling. Even more than white young adults and older generations, they believe the government has greater responsibility (66% African Americans and 56% Hispanics) than other groups." But the shift in attitudes is also significant among young whites and yearning toward a new social contract is also strong among white young adults.
This shift in attitudes toward the economy will have long time consequences relative to how politics is done in this country. But it is an open question whether it will make a difference in how we do church. Unitarian Universalists have for generations cherished the assumption that their natural constituency is the aspiring middle class. Individuals form their attitudes about the "American dream" and how they fit into the society based on experiences that they have when they are coming of age. If we continue to make assumptions about the spiritual journey that flows from the experience of privileged people of aspirations, will we be able to speak to a generation who searching for a new social contract? There seems to be a major shirt in attitudes and the rise of a generation that sees their future in working with other people for social change rather than individual achievement.
The coming of age is experience today has become dominated by debt and insufficient income to consume in the way that older generation taught them to consume. Christine M writes: my generation dreams about having money because most of us are broke.
In truth, I feel like I have a lot more in common with Generation X, which can run the scope of those born between 1965 to 1981, and seems that this group is paired with Generation 2.0's lack of financial funds. Young and broke go hand in hand for us like rock and roll. Money expert Suze Orman even has a book titled The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous and Broke for "Generation Broke", people in their 20s and 30s who are over their heads in student loans, credit card debt, and lack of savings or investments.
MSNBC has an article on the very high level of credit card and student debt being carried by young adults, any of whom have entry level jobs and experience themselves as being shut out of the housing market. It looks like this minister knows what he will preaching about on Labor Day.
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