The real flippening was demographic

In the 1950s, demographics worked like a cheat code: high birth rates. Low life expectancy. Post war economies flooded with young, cheap labor.

The workforce was young, abundant, and expendable.
Children were economic assets. Retirement was short.
Social systems were sustainable, because people died on time.

Today, birth rates collapsed. Life expectancy exploded. And we built a society where living longer costs more than being born.

Our parents worked to live better than their parents. We work so our parents can outlive their pensions.

In my opinion, governments should pay their citizens to have unprotected (obviously mutually agreed) sex. It is in their interest to have a booming, young population.

Instead of paying for pensions, governments should think about dystopian policies where people are taxed simply for living too long.

Before you start fuming boomer, this is mostly sarcastic. If French pensioners riot for higher fuel taxes, chances are they would burn the Elysee Palace if this would even just be suggested.

2025 (left) vs 1950 (right)