I listened to my grandparents and great parents talk about the Great Depression - our current troubles do not compare.
I understand that sentiment and know things were bad, but in a lot of ways, things are much, much worse today. In the 30s, there were no built-in, structural government deficits that were driving the country into ruin. We didn't have trillions of debt, even when you inflate 1930s debt to get a true comparison. We now are on a runaway train that no one can stop.
I listened to my grandparents and great parents talk about the Great Depression - our current troubles do not compare.
Our future troubles might though, thanks to what we have seen in the last few years
“I listened to my grandparents and great parents talk about the Great Depression - our current troubles do not compare.”
That’s for sure. My parents are in their 90s and they have vivid memories of the Great Depression. They were fortunate to either live on farms or have close relatives who did. People then really worried about getting their next meal. They wore patched clothes and shoes because there was no money to buy new ones. My father says you can’t imagine how bleak it was.
“...our current troubles do not compare.”
True - perhaps in large part due to the social security for older people, and welfare for the younger ones. And all sorts of free medical and health clinics, etc. that are available now.
And some would posit that governmental help is not sustainable, and that it will be much, much worse than the Great Depression when it comes crashing down.