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There is a "Generation Uphill" article about the millenials from The Economist. I've looked up in some dictionaries for uphill word, however I am not sure is it used here as an adverb or an adjective.

So what is the exact meaning of "Generation Uphill" in this context?

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    It means that the current generation, also known as Millenials, who are just now coming of age, have an uphill battle in front of them. As in the status quo (in terms of economy, market structure, political parties in power, and so on) is such that the effort required for them to become successful is meaningfully greater than it was for previous generations to achieve similar levels of success. The common example given is student loan debt, the negative balance one has to pay off before accruing capital for his own purposes, is much greater than in the past. And so on.
    – Dan Bron
    Mar 20, 2016 at 16:31
  • The metaphor is that it's much harder to defend the top of a hill, during a battle or military conflict, than it is to prosecute or attack going the other way, i.e. uphill. Hence the related phrase "seek high ground".
    – Dan Bron
    Mar 20, 2016 at 16:32
  • @Dan Bron Your comment would qualify as an answer.
    – ab2
    Mar 20, 2016 at 16:43
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    @ab2 The trouble with answers is they have to be justified. Now, I believe I am right, but proving it is more effort that I'm willing to put in. That said, you (or anyone else) is more than welcome to post an answer based on my comments, or just quoting them verbatim if you feel no need to justify them. You don't even need to mention my name.
    – Dan Bron
    Mar 20, 2016 at 16:44
  • @ab2 I've added an answer, do me a favor and review it, particularly the banner I placed at the top.
    – Dan Bron
    Mar 20, 2016 at 17:07

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As I said in my comments, "uphill" comes from the martial metaphor, "uphill battle".

The metaphor is that it's much easier to defend the top of a hill, during a battle or military conflict, and much harder to prosecute or attack going the other way, i.e. uphill. Hence the related phrase "seek high ground".

Thus, as an extension of the metaphor, and in combination with the by-now stock term "Generation <Whatever>" (as in Generation X, Generation Y, etc), "Generation Uphill" means that the current generation, also known as Millenials, who are just now coming of age, have an uphill battle in front of them.

As in the status quo (in terms of economy, market structure, political parties in power, and so on) is such that the effort required for them to become successful is meaningfully greater than it was for previous generations to achieve similar levels of success. The common example given is student loan debt, the negative balance one has to pay off before accruing capital for his own purposes, is much greater than in the past. And so on.

Whether or not you find this label or argument convincing is another question worthy of another debate, but that's what's being implied by the label.

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    @NVZ Haha, thanks. But you have to cast your vote! Comments or answers? You must decide! I just get "Please convert [that comment] to an answer" a lot on SE, and that injunction reads to me like "Do me a solid and put in a bunch of extra work, or post an answer which will be penalized for insufficient justification". I've found it frustrating recently. Hence this experiment, though I know the methodology is imperfect, and results will be skewed by random uninvolved users voting on the merit of the answer proper, by the fact that comments only take 3 flags to delete, and so on.
    – Dan Bron
    Mar 20, 2016 at 17:24
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    Commenting is your superpower. It's what made you my favourite bloke on SE.
    – NVZ ♦
    Mar 20, 2016 at 17:43
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    @DanBron What I understand from "that comment should be an answer" is that it "is verrrry close to an answer, but don't post it as is."
    – NVZ ♦
    Mar 20, 2016 at 18:37
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    @Lawrence No, you've always been really enthusiastic and civil around here. I don't think I've ever seen you scold anyone. If I could +1 you for being a good dude, I would.
    – Dan Bron
    May 1, 2016 at 16:22
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    I respect what you are trying to do here. I would prefer it if you posted your experimental guidelines on Meta and linked to that question rather than including it at the head of your answer. That way, community members can offer more discussion and I don't have to try to figure out how to prune the commentary.
    – Kit Z. Fox ♦
    May 18, 2016 at 17:27

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