This seems like a fitting board to bring up this op-ed, "Sacrifice, Three Muffles Syllables" - Bruni.

Conditions, all in all, are ripe for a serious conversation about sacrifice. But this presidential campaign has been noteworthy for its nonsensical insinuations or assurances that although we’re in a jam, we can emerge from it with discrete, minimal inconvenience.

Bruni wonders why the Boomer generation talks a good game about economic sacrifice, but won't actually shoulder the burden themselves. I'm suspicious of stereotyping whole generations, and I'm more inclined to blame class, rather than age, for selfish attitudes. But could there be something here?  Could the reluctance of some Boomers to actually nurture the US and its future generations be just because they were lucky enough to be born at a particularly plum time?  

Still chewing this over....