Belfast during an earlier period of lockdown (PA)
(Picture: PA Archive)Covid-19 has affected all ages, but one guy is arguing that it’s “young people” that have had their lives catastrophically uprooted - and deserve a reward.
Faced with a virus that particularly harms older generations, he explained that Gen Z has had to endure repeated isolation periods on behalf of those at much higher risk.
So much so, he thinks they should be given financial compensation that shows everyone’s gratitude.
“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 began his lengthy Twitter thread.
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
Judah went on to state that this idea should be supported by Conservatives as well, even though it feels leftist.
“I know this ‘feels Labour’ but no — at least intellectual reason — this couldn’t be a policy the Conservatives could get behind: a one off patriotic thank you stimulus that could, done right, help tens if not hundreds of thousands to start their own businesses or make deposits.
“The U.K. has become such a divided and embittered country between ages, nations and regions — I think the symbolic thank you from old to young would be very important in fostering a threadbare sense of common purpose and togetherness,” he added.
“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 an extremely small one off tax increase they won’t even notice could do a lot to give meaning to these values,” Judah concluded.
With three lockdowns over the course of a year in the UK (March 2020, November 2020 and January 2021), many online seemed to agree with Judah’s thread.
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
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
We owe young people big time for Brexit, COVID, the financial crash and climate change. I'd suggest free university tuition, rent caps, properly funded healthcare for starters. https://t.co/mxGnBXMs8P
— Dr Pippa Goldschmidt (@goldipipschmidt) December 22, 2021
Others however disagreed, with some pointing out that there are young people who are immunocompromised as well, leaving them vulnerable to the virus with a need to isolate.
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
— #THEBOOKBOYFRIEND Jeanna Louise Skinner (@JeannaLStars) December 22, 2021
If you want to compensate the young, what about disabled people who’ve been stuck inside pretty much continuously for two years unable to work and with no additional financial support? This is such a gross idea. Stop fetishing youth and health. https://t.co/nhjtizDmUb
— vodka margarine (@Sorrelish) December 22, 2021
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
So...do young people who *are* clinically vulnerable get less or no money under this scheme? Getting a bit weirded out at how eager youngish people want congratulating for their average risk and health - a rather medical approach to illness and disability! https://t.co/I8ZWFgS5Ne
— Salome Wagaine (@salomewagaine) December 22, 2021
