He argued there should be a ‘financial societal thank you to the those under thirty’
A writer has suggested that under 30s should be given a financial reward by older generations for the sacrifice they have had to make throughout the pandemic.
Ben Judah explained that Gen Z has had to endure repeated lockdowns and restrictions on their social lives to help protect the elderly and the vulnerable from Covid-19.
He reckoned that this has been such a sacrifice that under 30s should be financially compensated as a way of everyone else showing their gratitude to them.
In a lengthy Twitter thread, he wrote: “I have non-ironically come round to the idea that the burden placed on young people in the UK to protect mainly the old has been so severe there needs to be a financial societal thank you to the those under thirty. We’ve got 21 year olds with no symptoms isolating for 10 days.”
I have non-ironically come round to the idea that the burden placed on young people in the UK to protect mainly the old has been so severe there needs to be a financial societal thank you to the those under thirty. We’ve got 21 year olds with no symptoms isolating for 10 days.
— Ben Judah (@b_judah) December 21, 2021
He continued: “We’ve got a generation whose university, social, travel and often loves lives have been ruined and have taken on often multiple 10 day isolations to protect mainly the old — a generation that sadly seems to hold them collectively or at least their aspirations in complete disdain.
“What I’d like to see if a societal thank you: a major — we’re talking thousands of pounds — gift to every young person under 30. Done right it could turn tens if not hundreds of thousands of lives around. It should be funded by a one-off tax on the generations they protected.”
What I’d like to see if a societal thank you: a major — we’re talking thousands of pounds — gift to every young person under 30. Done right it could turn tens if not hundreds of thousands of lives around. It should be funded by a one off tax on the generations they protected.
— Ben Judah (@b_judah) December 21, 2021
He went on to say that this wasn’t a policy that he felt was either Labour or Conservative and that the “symbolic thank you from old to young” would be important in “fostering a threadbare sense of common purpose and togetherness.”
He concluded: “Most British young people — rightly or wrongly — see the old as the generation that gave them unaffordable homes, climate change, loss of rights and opportunities in leaving the EU and now years of covid suffering to protect them. It’s just bad for a country to feel like this.
“The older generation are very attached — rightly in my view — to the values of nationhood and honouring sacrifice. Funding this with what would be for them individually a extremely small one off tax increase they won’t even notice could do a lot to give meaning to these values.”
Related links:
- ‘Two-week circuit breaker lockdown’ considered on December 27th
- Expert says cloth masks are ‘useless’ in fight against Omicron
- New year is ‘too late’ for extra Covid restrictions, say scientists
The idea certainly split opinion amongst people. Some thought this was a good idea which would be of huge help to younger people.
I'm down with this. Give everyone under the age of 30 a couple of grand as a "thank you" for helping combat a disease that cost them lots to generate benefits for others. Good thread. https://t.co/2ycpQHDhux
— Stanley Pignal (@spignal) December 22, 2021
Young people who cannot afford to buy property, have had their futures stripped away by Brexit-voting boomers, no job security because of the death of industry, crippling student debt, etc. They deserve a tax break at the very least. There needs to be redistribution to the youth. https://t.co/9AQHAyfoxK
— Danny Wong (黄永年) (@dannyjnwong) December 22, 2021
I wholeheartedly agree. The honus put in the young to protect the old was tolerable at first, but as we close in on two years of disruption, there should be some sort of organised, societal recognition. Maybe build some houses? https://t.co/vrORr455Gj
— Nye Jayne (@nyejayne) December 22, 2021
But others pointed out that lockdowns were imposed not just to protect the elderly but also those who were immunocompromised or had underlying health conditions.
I agree with this, but I object to the idea that the young were asked to protect "mainly the old", because yet again it excludes the disabled & chronically ill – a demographic made up of the young, old & everyone in between. Especially as so many of us were #leftoffthelist https://t.co/U81xOX7nCI
— Jeanna Louise Skinner is UPDATES ONLY (@JeannaLStars) December 22, 2021
https://twitter.com/Sorrelish/status/1473574017634390018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1473574017634390018%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-3668448458436346099.ampproject.net%2F2111242025001%2Fframe.html
I do agree with this, but at the same time there is also a huge forgotten cohort of *young* vulnerable people, who normally have active social lives just like any other young person, and have had to isolate for months without any support, acknowledgement, or societal thanks. https://t.co/vf5t7twU6x
— CAM (@camabnormal) December 22, 2021
Having experienced three separate lockdowns since the start of the pandemic, it remains to be seen whether lockdown restrictions will be imposed in the coming weeks as the Omicron variant continues to surge across the country.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that no new restrictions will be imposed for Christmas Day though.
