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Comment by clipsy | Hacker News Reader

> I find conversations about money with younger generations to be very hostile (btw, I still consider myself young). Accusations, assumptions, and name-calling start circulating quickly if you dare to ask 'the youth of reddit' as it were, if they understand compound interest, how much money they spend on food delivery, vapes, weed, and booze.

I’m not young, and if you tried to start a “conversation about money” with me in this fashion it would go poorly. Perhaps you just aren’t giving a clear picture of these attempted conversations, but you come across as rather condescending in your own post.

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I'm surprised that "you are not young", because this is the usual attitude I receive from Gen-Z: "you're not telling me in the way in which _I_ want to listen, so I'm ignoring you", rather than a mature: "Help me understand what I change in order to be more effective"

In general, if you start lecturing someone, they are more likely to go to number 1 than number 2. Regardless of generation. Honestly this sounds like more of a 'you' problem, without further context.

Seems reasonable to me. Unless there is a good reason to believe that they have valuable information, ignoring condescending people seems worthwhile. How likely is someone to understand you and your problems when they are condescending? I also have a hard time imagining that this is something limited to Gen-Z.

I don't see myself as a big Gen-Z defender, but I think you can only reasonably expect one. Either I'm having a discourse with you regardless of whether I like your language (no assumptions if we ever agree), or I am looking if I can move towards your position, if you are doing the same.

Both are dependent on good will, even if I think that a not-antisocial person should be open to this in a functioning culture. Demanding both at the same time is assuming some crazy level of authority that you might associate with some figures in your life sometimes. Not some randoms on the internet. Docility is not maturity.

"Help me understand who you are and why you're speaking to me in an authoritative manner on a subject that you may be erroneously attributing to your personal virtues and skills where it could be more attributed to house prices being 5 figures back in your day."

My BIL was pretty outspoken BTC and NFT booster at various times (I’m sure he’s back as an advocate with the recent runup, but he may have liquidated at a slump when they bought a house), so it’s possible the PP wasn’t initiating the conversation, but lacked the wisdom to nod politely and pivot to the weather (though nowadays climate and weather can be contentious conversations too!)

I would certainly be grateful for suggestions or actionable feedback.

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