Generational debt

How do you measure the mess we make today that our kids and grandkids will have to clean up tomorrow?

Allow me to introduce the idea of Generational Debt. It’s like plotting a perfect road trip for a country: full of innovation, education, and economic growth.

What Is Generational Debt, Anyway?

Picture this: You’re planning a cross-country drive. You’ve got a route that’ll get you there fast, with stops for gas and snacks perfectly timed. But then you decide to swing by some random roadside attraction. It’s fun for a minute, but it costs you time, fuel, and maybe a flat tire. Now imagine that detour on a national scale. Generational debt is what happens when a country, or even an individual, makes a choice that feels good or necessary today but screws over the folks who come after us.

It’s not a line item on a balance sheet (though money’s often involved). It’s the cumulative cost of decisions that sacrifice long-term growth for short-term wins. Think of it as the opposite of planting a tree for shade. It’s more like chopping it down for firewood and leaving the next generation shivering. This debt can manifest as actual financial burdens (such as a massive national debt *cough cough*), environmental disasters, or social issues (inequality that persists for decades).