I’m 79 years old today.
I’m spending most of my time with people 50 years younger — my graduate students, my colleagues at Inequality Media Civic Action, and young people to whom I give lectures and seminars.
We communicate over a vast chasm of half a century. They have no direct memories of Joseph McCarthy’s communist witch hunt, the Vietnam War, or when JFK was killed. They barely remember 9/11. They find it hard to believe that I grew up before the internet. That I was born before television. When I tell them I once worked for Gerald Ford, they look at me like I’m a fossil.
I am a fossil.
A few days ago several of them sat around a big oak table in my house and asked me questions.
Do you remember anything as bad as what’s now happening to America?
1968 was almost as bad. Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy were assassinated. Our cities were in flames. Tens of thousands of us were being drafted and sent to Vietnam. The Democratic convention in Chicago was a disaster — National Guard teargassing young people. And Richard Nixon was elected president. I thought the nation would never recover.
Was Nixon as horrendous a president as Trump?
Nixon was bad, but Trump is far worse — the worst president in my lifetime or arguably all of American history.
Did you lose your optimism in 1968?
I despaired for America, as I do now, but I was never pessimistic.
How about cynical? Did you ever think America was hopeless?
No! Cynicism is the enemy of positive change. The Trump regime wants us all to become cynical so we give up and let them take over everything.
Are you angry at Trump?
Of course. Furious! But he’s only the culmination and consequence of decades of neglect.
Neglect of what?
The system!
What do you mean?
My parents’ generation bequeathed my generation a great legacy. They had endured the Great Depression and won World War II. They gave us peace, prosperity, and the largest middle class the world had ever seen. What did we do with that legacy? We squandered it. Oh, we accomplished some good things. But we took the system for granted. We let big money take it over. We let inequality get out of control. We allowed big corporations to become monopolies. We abandoned the working class. We allowed distrust and cynicism to sprout like poisonous mushrooms.
And that led to Trump?
It made America susceptible to a so-called “strong man” demagogue.
So Trump was inevitable?
Not necessarily Donald Trump. But someone like him. You see, we couldn’t have stayed on the road we were on — with widening inequality, ever-greater money in politics, and ever-more powerful corporate monopolies. Something had to give.
But why didn’t it “give” in a progressive direction?
Because Democrats were (and many if not most still are) afraid of progressive populism. They didn’t want to attack the hands that fed them campaign funding — big corporations and the wealthy. So they ceded the populist ground to the Republicans’ cultural bogeymen: the so-called “deep state,” socialists, transgender people, immigrants.
You think they’ve learned their lesson?
S--t, I hope so.
You think the damage Trump and his lackeys have done will be reversible?
Of course. But it will take time. It will be up to you guys to rebuild this country and the world.
Thanks a lot (laughter).
I mean it. Your generation is unbelievably talented, and America is extraordinarily resilient. We’ll bounce back. We bounced back from Joe McCarthy’s communist witch hunt. From Vietnam. From Nixon and Watergate. From 9/11. From George W. Bush’s cruel war on terror. But we’ve bounced back a bit lower each time. That’s why you guys will have to make big, fundamental reforms.
Make America great again? (laughter).
No. Not go backward! Forward! Strengthen democracy. Make the economy work for everyone. Give America renewed moral authority in the world.
What do you think America and the world will be like by the time we’re your age — in 50 years?
You think America and the world will still be here by then? America will survive climate change, AI, more pandemics, the threat of nuclear war, and Trump?
We’re trying to share your hopefulness (laughter).
Well, I do believe America will survive, and I don’t believe America’s days are numbered.
Won’t China take over?
No. China may become the world’s technological leader, but an authoritarian mono-culture won’t be able to lead the world in terms of ideas and ideals.
What would you say we should do with our lives?
I can’t tell you and shouldn’t even try. But I can urge you to do something that makes you feel purposeful, makes moral sense to you, and engages you. And marry someone who you’ll love to bits and who’ll love you to bits back! (Laughter).
Okay. I have a question: What does it feel like to be so old?
F--k you. I’m not so old. (Laughter.)
You’re old. You could be our grandfather.
I wouldn’t want to be your grandfather! (Laughter.)
Why are you so grouchy?
You’d be grouchy too if your joints ached.
We thought you were grouchy because everything you’ve worked for your entire life has gone to s--t.
Yes. There’s that, too.
So what do you do for fun?
Listen to music, write pieces for Substack, make videos and movies, walk, write books, talk with you guys.
Sounds really boring (laughter).
To the contrary, it’s absolutely wonderful. I’m grateful I can still do it. I admit I’ve lost much of my enthusiasm for travel. I’d like to visit China, but, as Philip Larkin once wrote, only on condition I could return home that night. (Laughter.)
Are you afraid of dying?
What kind of a s---ty question is that? (Laughter.)
It’s a real question. We assume that anyone who reaches your age must think about it a lot.
I’m not afraid of dying. I’ve had a long and good life. I have a wonderful family and great friends. And as the Grateful Dead said, no one gets out of this alive. Do you guys remember the Grateful Dead?
Um?
I can’t believe how young you all are! A half-century separates us! When I was your age I’m not sure I’d make as much time for anyone as old as I am now. So, I want to thank you for this conversation.
Awww.
Not just for this one conversation but also for keeping me young. I consider myself blessed for having the good fortune to spend most of my time with you and your peers. You inspire me. You push me. You make me laugh. You keep me optimistic and sane. And even though you’re going to inherit the mess my generation left you with, you’re not bitter or angry. You’re eager to rebuild the world!
Yes! Happy birthday! (Laughter and hugs.)
Robert Reich is a professor of public policy at Berkeley and former secretary of labor. His writings can be found at https://robertreich.substack.com/