The boomers ate all the avocados

Yeah. I could talk all day about this.

I think you have to look at how HR sees talent and recruitment and how technology has played a role in that.

Back in the day, say any time before the internet, how on earth would an employer know if you were "best in the market" or not. No-one really knew anything, so the old boomer advice of "going to the CEO" and "showing initiative " or "starting in the mail room" probably was enough to get your foot in the door; WTF else were they gonna go on?

Now, not just with everything online, software to sift through thousands of CVs, professional recruiters across the spectrum, employers demand highly specific skills because they know eventually, they'll be able to sift through and find people, because there is maybe a 5-10% better retention rate by doing that.

Job hunting nowadays as a grad, honestly, anyone over the age of 45 wouldn't remotely recognise it. It's a deeply alienating, soulless process where you are desperately trying to second guess what the Algo they've chosen wants.

Further down the line, it's the same.

The amount of times I have produced work where I "show" the market for a particular role, and show who's better and worse (by various metrics, some better than others), and compare who the firm has versus what's available. That information was just not available 30 years ago. Obviously, we all know where my incentives are for that work...

So you have to be really good at your job, really good at whatever metric they measure you on, or you're toast, nowadays. There's always someone who can replace you - at least, if there is, they will.

So if it is a tight labour market, let's face it, the company won't pay you more - hell, this is Britain. So employees are gonna make sure they don't deplete their wages per hour by working up to the stated hours and not a second longer.

Yeah that's true and I did a piece at uni saying the same thing about violence and drinking and young people all the way back to the beginning of the 18th Century.

I do think there is a cultural shift in working practices though. I keep explaining to the grads there is opportunity to do really well if things go well and they just don't believe you.

I guess that's what happens when the entire time they've been aware of the economy, it hasn't grown.

On the 'live longer' one are my eyes playing up or is it actually lighter than all the surrounding area (more the shade of East Midlands? Bottom one just confirms my 'London isn't all it's cracked up to be' bias 😉

the 'relative misery' graphic just reflects that there're plenty of poor/deprived in london, i'd guess they're the ones way below median earnings and with little prospect of improvement

yep, it's a bit lighter, again there're plenty who will have shorter/declining life expectancy

three chart that demonstrate how charts may not be a good way to communicate complex situations

Yeah, especially when the headline on the chart isn't actually reflective of the graphic (which was my point with the second one).

Go to a show at the Barbican and have a meal in the restaurant beforehand. There are a lot of well-heeled over-65 culture vultures.

To pick up one of Ricks favourite subjects..."paved with gold" = slightly higher median earnings than Mississippi

Depends what day of the week. I'm not claiming one evening out provides a representative sample but it was quite striking.

Obviously not everyone leaves when they get money and are looking towards retirement, but I'd be interested in how many move to London to retire. Not many surely.

I think I know of one friends parents who did it, although slightly complicate backstory. Their kids had moved to London, had grandkids etc. They had no particular roots elsewhere having moved around quite a bit, sold up in the sticks and moved near the grandkids.

I can kind of see the appeal as long as you have a bit of cash (although it's definitely not for me) - everything is nearby so no need to drive everywhere, you can walk, public transport or taxi. Loads to do with your spare time (galleries, theatre etc) during the day/evening. Obviously you wouldn't want to move to a Peckham high rise but if you can afford somewhere nice and reasonably quiet, there are plus points.

It amuses me when I see old people on escape to the country that don't seem to have thought of that. My inlaws are probably going to get rid of their static caravan because my father-in-law is no longer able to drive and they are basically stuck down there (mother-in-law can still drive but hadn't for several years after a serious illness that left her partially paralysed and in hospital for months so doesn't like doing more than local stuff).

And close to a decent hospital…. they come in handy.

If you read it, it’s exactly what I have been saying.

Is it silly of me to suggest that this has happened, like forever?