Hacker News Reader

From TFA:

> Millennials are the most materialistic generation: A new analysis of the European Social Survey shows that across Europe, those aged 21-37 are more likely to agree with a range of materialistic statements. This is especially true in the UK, where 24% say it is important to be rich, compared with 13% of Generation X and 10% of Baby Boomers.

View on HN

You can't point to that in a vacuum. For boomers and Xs, it was literally less important to be rich, because you could still do quite well for yourself. Since about 2008 if you're not rich you are much more likely to be existentially struggling. So yea millennials think it's important to be rich because those are the only people who can afford houses.

"It's harder to be rich so more people want to be rich."

We call this changing the goalposts. It's also logically incorrect as "rich" is a relative measure, not an absolute one.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com