It’s good to be back. My garden, after weeks of neglect, is once again blooming. Having a garden is just like having a life. You have to attend to it every so often, pull out the weeds, expose it to more sunshine and nourishment where needed, in order for it to flourish. I also had a remarkable visit around my growing blog neighbourhood. It was impossible to leave comments everywhere, but I so enjoyed reading about everyone’s activities, seeing all the photos and artwork, hearing the music and musing over the poetry and stories. I’ve said it before —what an extraordinary group of people, what a wealth of talent we have at our fingertips every day. It sure beats reality TV by a long ways.
Here’s something else I discovered whilst reading. Generations X and Y will save not only humanity, but the planet Earth itself. They are politically-involved and astute, they’re compassionate and global-thinking, they are street-smart and tech-savvy, environmentally-focused, entrepreneurial and optimistic. They have endless imaginations and boundless enthusiasm. They embrace their lives and their loves. They’re not easily defeated by the state of the world the way we’ve older generations have left it, either. I’m really, really thankful that we Baby Boomers didn’t completely screw things up for them. And let’s face it— we’ve sure come close.
I don’t know what happened to many of us after we hit 40. We suddenly stopped worrying about our legacy to the younger generations, and instead focused on not getting wrinkles. We focus on our weight and our portfolios and not at all on our children and what they might be missing from their lives– our leadership, our support, our encouragement and most of all, our respect for who they are and who they want to become. There is that portion of us who are that selfish and self-absorbed. The word “parenting” to many of us is a verb no different than “networking,” “exercising,” “investing.” We expect our children to be reflections of our achievements, rather than individuals with needs and dreams of their own.
Then there’s the group of us who sit around in metaphorical rockers and shawls, worn-out, remembering our youth and our one ‘big claim’ to immortality—Woodstock—wondering what happened to it all. That portion of us sighs and says, “We were so young,” as though having any values at all besides a longing for long-term health care and social security benefits, is naïve foolishness that disappears with the onset of menopause and swelling prostate glands.
What a picture we present to young people of their future —shallowness or uselessness. No wonder so many of them feel anxious or depressed. And instead of addressing what they’re feeling, we quickly and remorselessly diagnose them—ADHD, bi-polar, social-anxiety disorder, etc. etc. Then we medicate them and continue with our heads in the sand, just waiting to die, hoping it will be quick and painless.
We let Gen X and Gen Y down. A good portion of us stopped worrying about wars when it would no longer be us specifically who had to stand in the way of the bullets.
I remember asking my husband about the invasion on Iraq, “Where are the musicians this time around? How come they’re not protesting?”
It was a fair question, I thought. Some of the same musicians from the 60’s and 70’s were still commanding huge audiences, so why were they not rallying as they’d done back then?
His to the point response made me cringe, “Volunteer army, Clear Channel.”
And even though the older generation retain most of the financial power in the world, we’re the ones whinging the most about rising fuel costs and real estate busts. Yet did we do anything to prevent either? Or were we as myopic as ever? Did we ever take the younger generations seriously as they protested and tried to educate us on what we were doing to the environment and to the economy? And ultimately, to them?
Furthermore, if I hear one more old fart professor bleat on about how hooked up Gen Y is to technology and how adversely it’s affecting his university classroom, I think I’ll hit him over the head with my new laptop that I’m just now figuring out how to use.
What alternatives have we left our young people? Where else can they find answers to their questions? They’ve come to us in the past and we haven’t helped them. So they‘re seeking guidance elsewhere, using technological advances as they should be used, for the most part—for the greater good. Oh, there are exceptions. There is the occasional young sociopath who wants to use YouTube to record the beating of a classmate. But the youth I encounter on a daily basis through VOX and through interacting with my own children is seeking knowledge and/or creating their art through the internet. They, like my unattended garden, are finding their own way to grow, but with just a little encouragement from us, they’d be able to thrive.
And those of us older folk who acknowledge them and embrace them, not only for what they are doing, what they are trying to accomplish, and for what they can teach us, are earning their respect. Yes, that’s right- earning it. (Read this blog to see what I mean.)
Youth asks us, with open hearts and open minds, to be both their mentors and their friends, and I for one, am eternally grateful to be invited to do so. Because like this man, this man, and this woman, (all admittedly over fifty) there still exists a portion of us of ‘a certain age’ who will go to our graves believing that idealism is not just for the young.
The flame of a visionary never flickers with time. In fact, it burns taller and steadier the closer it gets to the candle’s end.
(This post is dedicated to all my Gen X and Y neighbours, my sons, and my writers at Harlots Sauce Radio.)
Thanks for your positive comments about my generation! =)It's nice to hear something other than us being spoiled, whiny, lazy, etc. (Let's just not talk about all the partiers.) Of course those kids are in every generation. It all depends on the type of upbringing they have….
Hear, hear! I can remember the pain of my teen years, seeing my generation in the media constantly described as the "nothing, nowhere" people. It's not that we were doing nothing and going nowhere, our priorities simply were, and still are, not what one might expect. It's not jobs and money and materialism that drive my immediate social circle, but community and unity and time to pursue artistic interests. We have a lot to show for our doing nothing and going nowhere. Fat, happy babies, lots of art and beauty at our fingertips, thriving gardens, lots of afternoons spent in the company of friends… And don't even get me started on politics and religion. We may not be changing the world- but we're changing our communities. It will radiate outward in time. I will leave a legacy for my children.
SO wonderful to have you back and writing! and what an awesome post! As a Gen X'er, it is really great to hear that some people think we have actually made it haha! We were the first generation to deal with being latch key kids, both parents working, MTV, and major shifts in employer/employee relationships that disenfranchised us. I used to have a fridge magnet that said – Warning! This is not your parent's picket fence! and it is so true. And with my parents, I can honestly feel their loss as to how I have responded to various challenges in my life – they still don't get it. BUT I also have to say that some of my most profound relationships from childhood to present have been with the younger baby boomers who taught me about revolution and the "new age" and how to challenge myself and those around me. These relationships and interactions made me realize that there were people that were "older" that would listen and be interested in my opinions and what I had to say and that chronological age was not as important as brain age! So right back at you – THANKS for being someone I can admire and respect and enjoy interacting with!
I'm encouraged that it was Generation X and Y who brought about the recent change of government here in Oz, Patricia. I see similar involvement in the coming U.S. presidential elections. And I also am encouraged by what I read here on Vox. I am gratified indeed whenever I see a reponse from a young person on my blog. We oldies have been where you are, and not so very long ago. If we can pass on the wisdom gained from our mistakes, then we may just help to make your journey a little smoother. I hope so. But as Patricia says, we can also learn from you, so it's very much a two way street.
Maybe the dawning of the Age of Aquarius is upon us yet, and the Net may just be the catlyst for it. I like the fact that we can gather here transcending national, race, gender, cultural, and generational differences to celebrate our precious humanity. And, for my generation, to rekindle those ideals we thought had been snuffed out in a crass, uncaring world. And I'm rather humbled by your link to my blog, Patricia. From one whom I greatly admire, that is an honour indeed. Generation Xers and Yers could ask for no better role model than a baby boomer such as yourself, and I'm sure they'll tell you so. I would.
Thanks for this post! As an X-er, myself, I often felt I had to prove my worth in the workplace to my older coworkers. They appreciated my enthusiasm but couldn't seem to understand why I was always trying to do things differently (or, as I'd like to say, "better"). Oddly, my favorite bosses have all been X-ers themselves. Perhaps it's because we "get" one another.
My own mother was an amazing woman. She recognized that having my sister and me was a choice – and a very unpopular one, at that. When I was pregnant, she reminded me that when she was carrying me, it simply wasn't fashionable for women to have children. Even worse, stay-at-home mothers were looked down upon. (Debra Winger's character in Terms of Endearment comes to mind.) After all, this was the age of The Pill, of Roe v Wade, of Gloria Steinham and NOW. (Christ – look at women's business attire in the '70s and early '80s. It was all designed to make women look as masculine as possible!) But because she wanted more than anything to be a mother, she shelved her degree in Chemistry, bucked the trends, and raised two girls – not returning to the workforce until I was in 3rd grade. And even then, she picked up my sister and me from school every day and saw to it that our homework was done, our clothes were clean, and our bellies were full.
When I was in business school, I wrote my final thesis on the changing roles of women in the workplace. My hypothesis was that the working world has gotten easier on women over time, that it's actually possible for women to "have it all". What I discovered, though, disturbed me. Women who are successful in business – the ones who have made it to the corner office – are not mothers, themselves. They may have step-children from a husband's previous marriage, they may have adopted children, they may have a menagerie of pets. But they very rarely (if ever) have children of their own. Why? Because during those years when it wasn't "fashionable" to have children, those same years of The Pill and Roe v Wade and Gloria Steinham, those years when these women were their most fertile and able to have children, they opted to nurture careers instead. The end result? Wealth and power, to be sure, but an awfully lonely existence at the end of the day.
Every generation can learn something from the one before, even if the lesson is what not to do. If my mother's generation left me a legacy at all, it is simply that I know in all certainty that's not the kind of life I want to lead.
This is simply Fabulous! Thank you for this post. From someone who doesn't know what generation she belongs to ('79 anyone? right on the cusp), your blog made me realize that there are people out there who can and do understand me. That all change is not bad and that we don't need to self medicate for every minor inconsistency that is probably just a normal part of life (anxiety, depression, overstimulation within reason can all be normal).
The other part of your blog I would like to point out:
The word “parenting” to many of us is a verb no different than “networking,” “exercising,” “investing.” We expect our children to be reflections of our achievements, rather than individuals with needs and dreams of their own.
Speaks so personally for me and what I deal with on a daily basis with my own family. My blog could be filled with the "Day in the Life of living with a Narcissistic Parent", but to break up the monotony, I seek different topics. It's particularly hard for a "boomerang" baby to pave her own path when there is nothing but construction and road blocks for miles.
Thank you for your positive message!
Amorette
So glad you're back! Thanks for sharing your post with me…I always love reading anything you write. I haven't been Voxing much lately either–too much wonderful stuff to do in summer!
I was born at the tail end of the baby boom, almost into whatever the next generation is called. I don't share quite so cynical view of the baby boom as this article apparently indicates. After all, it was the baby boom who got the black civil rights movement, the feminist movement, the gay rights movement, and other movements rolling, though there is still work to be done.
Of course, I never became a yuppie and I've always marched to beat of my own drummer. And every generation has those who don't follow the crowd.
My parents were from what is known as The Greatest Generation, those who came of age during WWII, and I have great respect for people from this age group, though I don't agree with all the atittudes prevalent in this age group. But again, my parents weren't exactly crowd followers themselves.
I'm not sure what generation my son, born in 1981, would be considered. He's a good guy, though I find it amusing that he's more conservative than me in some ways.
As I get older, I realized that every generation has good and bad people and I try not to judge others according to when they were born.
It's funny how you always find the posts that I simply lay down and forget about and consider them the ones that stand out.
Patricia, I'm constantly amazed as to how you manage to reach into my head and unravel it in your posts! Thank you so much for this. As a Gen-Yer (born in 1985) this is exactly the kind of encouragement needed for those of us who are striving to leave a legacy for future generations. There are times where I have felt overwhelmed by the crap happening around and I wonder if it's even worth having descendants if this is what I'm going to leave them!I do wish you wouldn't quite belittle your generation so much, though 🙂 – every generation has its ups and downs, but as you said, it's important that the positives be noticed and appreciated in order for them to be sustained, and eventually overcome the negatives.
what an amazing post, patricia!!!i am so honored to have "met" you and your posts always move and inspire me.thank you.
Welcome back. I'm glad the break was mentally fruitful! I'd say "I've missed your writing", but it's really much more than that. What I miss is your generally unflagging optimism and faith in the goodness / positivity of youth and of people in general. It is easy to write off everyone as an arsehole – I do it all the time, sadly – but there is nothing quite like discovering that you're wrong, and that actually people are amazing and the world might just not be going to hell in a handbasket. Thanks for the reminder… x
It's good to have you back in the blogosphere. Great post. Hope your time away was fruitful and restful. Take care and be well!
Patricia, well said! Some of us Gen x types have been protesting and making a racket but the boomers who are still in command wouldn't listen. If only you were in charge of clear channel!I think we are just as guilty of neglect though. Seems to me like we are in danger of demonsing our own kids and that is simply wrong. Nice to have you back.
I am a little surprised at your position here. I read your linked blog and like the kid who wrote it, I am against legislation that attempts to restrict and tax use of the internet. But unlike that kid, I will participate in the process and vote against anyone who supported those pieces of legislation, as well as any politician that supported or voted for any other legislation I do not support. Don't just whine about it, get involved and VOTE on these things when they come up. If you don't like what Congress and the Prez are doing, VOTE THEM OUT!!!! And vote in someone that reflects your position and thoughts better than the incumbents. My generation protested the war in Vietnam until our voices were heard and the war was ended. We screamed for civil rights until some improvements were initiated and progress was at least begun. I don't think I see eye-to-eye with Bill Gates politically, but I feel his efforts to improve the world thru the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation are exactly the way to go….i.e., see a problem and fix it with your money.
Is big brother looking over your shoulder on the internet and telephone?…..you bet. Do I like it?….Heck no. But the only way to stop it is to get involved and do something about it. I'm not stopping gen X or Y from doing anything, I'm trying to help them. And I believe most of my generation is too. Please don't paint us all with the same brush. We didn't give up, get lazy, nor do we care about money and power that much. We simply go from cause to cause trying to make the world a better place for everyone and all of the generations. Good post, I enjoyed it, as usual. Art.
Yep. Green Day's is an apt one, alright. Thanks for writing, Steph. I'm glad you enjoyed the post.
hey Patricia – well, i've gotten both the – "you're too young to know better" during political arguments – me – at 35 – heh heh – as well as the – "you're too addicted to technology" commentto the first one, i say – it's not age, it's the willingness to keep an open mind and keep learning – and that statement right there shows that the person i'm talking to is not doing either one them – and that doesn't make for intelligent conversationto the second one – i say a big Whatever! – if it wasn't for technology, we could all enjoy the VOX forum – i couldn't have gotten my writing noticed as soon as it did – i wouldn't be writing for your fantastic magazine:) – i wouldn't have my new mp3/video player – which i can watch movies on – and not get motion sick on trains in Europe, while traveling and seeing other cultures and the world because i'm too busy watching eye-candy like Transformers – usually in a different country, than friends and family through, i couldn't keep in touch with them inexpensively or free through email or Skype – i'm no Luddite! – this is all just personal stuff – never mind the global applications of technology – the world is smaller and i think that's a good thing – it may be harder to start wars with people across the world who you IM with every day – or play Scrabulous with! – i think it's all amazing!thanks for the post, Patricia:) – although you always provoke a rambling reply from me!
I think we need to start with our communities in order to change the world. I do like that quote, which I can paraphrase, "no sense to clean up someone else's house if your own is dirty.'
We were the first generation to deal with being latch key kids, both parents working, MTV, and major shifts in employer/employee relationships that disenfranchised us.
This is very true, here in the US, especially for certain socio-economic groups and I never thought of it, until you pointed it out.
THANKS for being someone I can admire and respect and enjoy interacting with!
The same right back to you, LY
I'm encouraged that it was Generation X and Y who brought about the recent change of government here in Oz, Patricia. I see similar involvement in the coming U.S. presidential elections. And I also am encouraged by what I read here on Vox. I am gratified indeed whenever I see a reponse from a young person on my blog.
I agree with all of this,Snowy. I so hope the younger generations will come out in droves, all across sex and race to get the US out of the mess this administration put the entire world in.
Well, I also feel I've learned alot from you, as well and it's an honor to know you. .
Even worse, stay-at-home mothers were looked down upon.
Very often, this is still the case, unfortunately. We've got an article about it in Harlots Sauce coming up this month writen by a stay-at-home mom.
However, I just want to point out that though there is a lot of truth to what you describe- re: motherhood and career of my generation- many of us felt we had to break the ceiling for the younger generations. It had to start somewhere. First let's get women in the higher echelon of the workplace, then when that's accomplished, let's get mothers in there in the same way that fathers have always been able to be there. Today, very few employers think twice about having working mothers in the upper office, or a dad taking time off to be with his children. Only one generation ago it was unheard of. Our sacrifices made that possible. From our poiint of view, if we had to choose one only,we chose what was 'most" right for us- work or kids. Some who chose work wish they had children, and some who chose children, wish they had a career. How great it is that now women can have both or only one, with a lot less of the country looking askance.
My blog could be filled with the "Day in the Life of living with a Narcissistic Parent",
That would be such a cool title for a blog. You might ocnsider it. Yo'd probably gets lots of comments,as I think many of us would hear you loud and clear.
Thanks for writing, Amorette.
Too much wonderful stuff to do in summer!
YES.
But it's good to see you, too. Thanks for stopping by.
After all, it was the baby boom who got the black civil rights movement, the feminist movement, the gay rights movement, and other movements rolling, though there is still work to be done.
You're absolutely right. L. I think it was more that I meant the 'oldees' criticise the younger ones and we should look to ourselves, first, as we have control now and are not living up to our potential as a group, resting on laurels and becoming arrogant enough that we won't listem to what another generation has to teach us. But, we both agree thate very group has it's exceptions.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving this great comment.
Many of the things I hear being said about Gens X and Y are the same things that were said about the Baby Boomers when we were young. And the things that are being said about us now are the things that were being said about our parents back then. I think it only looks different to us because a) we are now sitting on the other side of the fence and b) technology is changing everyone's view of the world. Sure things change. But the more they change the more they seem to stay the same.
I think when someone has an indefensible argument, like racism and is put in his place by an intelligent counterargument, the only thing to resort to is name-calling. In your case, he said you were "too young" to know any better.
I do wish you wouldn't quite belittle your generation so much, though 🙂 – every generation has its ups and downs, but as you said, it's important that the positives be noticed and appreciated in order for them to be sustained, and eventually overcome the negatives.
You're right, Suga, and several other people pointed that out. I think I'm hard on us because there was a time in mylife when I absolutley believed we as a generation would never allow the US to get into another war like Vietnam. It's disheartening to say the least that that wasn'tthe case and I can't tell you how distressing it is to have lived thorugh two of these . So i guess when older generations scoff at younger ones, I just get oprotective of them and feel we should look to oursleves first before criticising.
I'm glad you like the post and thanks for stopping by and leaving your comments.
Ditto to you, too, grrrace, and thanks. : )
Thanks for this nice comment. I've been following your wedding trials and tribulations at your blog, feeling for you but, a tthe same time, enjoying the trip down memory lane. Tell your bridesmaid, "shit brown" is all the rage. ; )
You, too, Matriarch, and thank you for stopping by. I hope you've been enjoying the summer!
Thank you, Baria. It's nice to be back. It's funny, because if I could be in charge of something that big, Clear Channel is what I would pick. I hate what's going on there. Sickening through and through. Thank heaven for the internet.
Thank you for your comments, Arthur. It's always nice to see you around. I appreciate that you take the time to write them. You're right that I painted a broad a stroke over our entire generation. But I did pointout that there are exceptions. And it does irk me though, that we allowed another Vietnam to take place in our lifetime. I strongly feel that it was because it was a volunteer army this time, instead of our reluctant asses on the line (our our own personal kids, perhaps) that we didn't care enough to examine this administrations' motives for invading Iraq. I also still believe that we are quick to criticise the younger ones who do and see things differently than we do, rather than mentoring and guiding. I know this because they express that disappointment. They do feel dismissed. As for the blog I linked to, that young man is from Canada. If he could vote in our election, I believe he would. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if we got a world turnout, on this particular presidential election, were the voting open. And you know, as everything we do affects everyone else on the planet so much, it really should be open to everyone.
it's not age, it's the willingness to keep an open mind and keep learning
Astute as always, paikea.
you always provoke a rambling reply from me!
The fact that you feel that way is a very big compliment. Thank you! : )
But the more they change the more they seem to stay the same.
At the end of the day, that's probably true. Thanks for stoppng by, Q. It's appreciated.
I actually feel that I became more connected and more concerned with the planet and younger generations as I passed 40 and less concerned about wrinkles and superficial things. Old dogs can learn new tricks so let's not give up hope on boomers yet. I do hate the us and them thing that appears to develop between all gernerations in western society.
I do hate the us and them thing that appears to develop between all gernerations in western society.
I know what you mean. I only experienced true intergenerational communication when I lived in Greece. It was so nice to see. I hate the idea of 'rebelling against the older generation." Better to rebel against politicians.
Yes, I know there are plenty of us who don't behave as described in this post. This rant is not directed at them, but at those who do fit this criteria. It might even be regional or socio-economic. I only know I witness far more of it than I like to see.
Dear Patricia,
Thank you for including me in your neighbourhood.
I may have to consider it now 🙂 Thank you, Patricia!
I return the same thanks to you, Dharmaji. It's a very lovely neighbourhood and I hope you will enjoy being a part of it. : )
She's half-Greek of course… only a Greek would be that blunt! I guess I don't have to fear her lying to me… Every time I see your new banner, I picture a plate of Spaghetti Puttanesca. None of this is relevant to your post but I like talking to you so I won't apologise for that!
There wasn't enough protest from ANY generation over the Iraq war in the UK. A few marches but no large scale demonstrations like you see on recordings from the Vietnam days. I don't blame the older generation, I'm 28 now so I probably class as a middle generation and we are so busy getting on the treadmill, working and working and paying bills and trying to own a house and pay our taxes that we dont' find the time or the energy to protest and make a fuss over things that count. I don't know what age it is that you stop dreaming that you'll make a difference, change the world and give into the metamorphosis into 'wage slave' but I've passed it. Sure, I bitch about things online, everyday things and political things, sometimes I even write to my MP but I'm not making a difference, not really, I'm just sounding off in the free time that I have and that pisses me off no end.
Also, you rule: http://goodgreekgirl.vox.com/library/post/blush-i-got-a-badge-brilliante.html
Thanks, Patricia! As always, so thought-provoking. I grew up hearing Gen X and later Gen Y mostly insulted and marginalized as the generation that didn't want to move out of mom and dad's house, couldn't keep a job more than a few years, and would ruin America with their self-absorbed ways. I'm so happy to see a changing in the wind that different is not necessarily bad, and there's hope for us yet 🙂 Thanks for such a wonderful and rousing calling to arms for others to change their lens of perception.
O Patricia! I found myself audibly agreeing with you many points in this post! This hit me especially hard:"diagnose them—ADHD, bi-polar, social-anxiety disorder, etc. etc."My counselor diagnosed me as ADD, but in the last two years of meditation and sorting out of childhood wounds I have noticed that it is not ADD, but the fact that I grew up in a home that was not structured at all. I did not have boundaries, certain rules or a routine. There was only the church we attended 3 times a week, which thankfully gave me some rules and structure. That was the only good thing I gleaned from church, haha! I don't understand why we are not seeing more protest music and such, then again, it will not be released even if it was made, it will not make millions. Some teen aged girl singing about sex is what makes millions. If they did implement the draft, we would see much more, I would hope. What a great read, Thanks! This was a great thing to read this morning, gives me bunches to think about all day. Thanks!
I don't mind the off-topic at all, Alex. I love to chat with you, too. I'm glad you like my banner- it was a gift to me from Michelle Solange, a VOX neighbour and a writer at Harlots Sauce Radio. She is the most amazingly talented human being- she writes, plays musical instruments and is one of the best graphic artists I ever seen. Vist her blog when you have a moment to see her stuff.
Also, I'm trying to access your library: http://goodgreekgirl.vox.com/library/post/blush-i-got-a-badge-brilliante.html
It doesn't seem to be coming up. Anything amiss with the URL as printed here?
I just got this! It didn't come up at first. Oh, this is so much fun! I get to pick, right? Only seven? It's going to be hard! Now I'll go back to your blog and follow the instructions carefully.
Thank you so much!
"as the generation that didn't want to move out of mom and dad's house"
Yep – I read that, too. What it should really say is the generation that can't move out of mom and dad's house. The average start-up salary is 35K. (if you're lucky) The average studio apartment rent in this area is 2300K.monthly Living expenses are ridiculously high for GEN X and Y and many are opting to stay at home for years longer just to pay off college loans.
Example- housing for my son who goes to a state school costs approximately 1000USD per month, and that is not for luxurious digs as well as sharing with three others. That is approximately 3X his annual tuition, which is lower because he's at a state school . Were he to go to UC Berkeley, the costs would skyrocket. Not every American family can afford that cost, so they borrow and put themselves in debt for a college education that may or may not land their child a decent job in today's economy. Add medical insurance onto that and it's a wonder GEN X can live at all. Some stay at home so they can pay mom and dad back sooner because many parents are putting second mortgages on their homes to finance their children's university costs.
Additionally, Europeans have lived in their parents' homes, even built their own homes on their parents' land for generations due to high living costs. It has its drawbacks, but it also makes for more intergenerational dialogue and is not the end of the world as American society describes it. Nor does it mean that our kids are lazy, unmotivated and/or not willing to live on their own. Every one of my sons lived frugally all through college, drove run-of the mill cars or relied on public transport and had summer jobs. Whenever possible, they also worked during their college terms, too. We never felt taken advantage of by any of our kids. The ones who are graduated now are all gainfully employed, working to make a living just like anyone else.
What I have witnessed in the younger generation is something entirely different than the media woudl have us believe
As for being 'spoiled.' There are always those parents who will spoil their kids and their are always kids who will refuse to be spoiled. The media makes sweeping generalities about a generation and then everyone seems to find cause to agree with the statements.
"then again, it will not be released even if it was made, it will not make millions. Some teen aged girl singing about sex is what makes millions"
God, this is so true. And it's sickening.
I'm very glad you liked the post, Lavender. Thanks for stopping by.
Thank you, Indiana. Thanks for stopping by. : )
😉 truth stinks sometimes hahaha! Substance no longer has a major place in our "culture"
Sure, I bitch about things online, everyday things and political things, sometimes I even write to my MP but I'm not making a difference, not really
I disagree. Even something as seemingly small as this makes a difference. Writing to an MP makes a difference, because if everyone did, they'd hav eto take notice. Snowy said the entire rousing of the younger generations changed the government in Australia. here in theUS we have a group called Moveon.org an online group which rallied enough dems to vote to change the balance in Congress and get Donald Rumsfeld fired.
Many people read your blog. More and more will as time goes by. keep at it, Vikki. Every little bit counts.
[isto é bom]
On a lighter side of things, my darling: I m still 49 , till septmber the 5th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
Yikes. Oh, boy did I put my foot in my mouth! Well, I always thought you looked very young, now I know why. You're still just a young girl, aren't you, dear? ; )
Interestingly my circle of friends here in DC did protest the Iraq war. We are "old" but not worn out yet….. (though we did fortify ourselves with coffee and cake before protesting downtown – one has to be civilised before rallying!).
My 24 year old son is much more conservative than I am – sometimes I want to shake him! But, perhaps as one of your commentators noted, he might be cleaning up his own house before taking on the world's backyard.
I agree that fortification before protests are a must. That's one thing that age brings many us —the common sense to know you have to nourish your body in order for the spirit to soar. ; D
Sorry about taking so long to comment. I've been putting in some long hours, and the school where I work has had to resort to totalitarian measures to limit Internet bullying. Meanwhile, my ISP at home has been worthless. Alas.I'm glad your back to posting.
Wow. That work situation sounds ominous. (Sigh) Internet bullying. There's always a new way for people to make themsleves and others miserable.
Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks Patricia, it gets so frustrating thinking that you can't change anything when there's so much going on that you don't agree with!
One of these days I plan to post the starfish story. it's a little hoaky but it makes it's point. One of the main differences between being in one's 20' s and one's 50's is that you learn that though you can't save the world, you can work on making a tiny part of it better. It's humbling to have so little influence, but it's also inspiring to know that you can have any influence at all.
Im glad your back and hope you had a relaxing vacation. This might be a little off subject but im not to keen on Obomas saying to check tire pressure will help energy consumption,its old news for over 30 years and everybody has a tire gage in there car. I liked him at first but now he seems he's spewing obvious cures 20 years old,at least mclain spent major time in a japanese concentration camp and you can't question his patriatism,I think Obama doesn't have the skills to run this nation and Mclain has the experience,he might seem old but he's very smart and I think he wont get us in a bunch of trouble like Bush trying to start problems with Russia because Rusia is stopping the georgians killing pro Russians,what is russia supposed to do,let georgia kill innocent people. Craig
Citizens are entitled to vote for whom ever they want. But with all due respect your list- "patriotism," "tire gauges" and "inexperience" come straight out of McCain's very successful campaign soundbites. Propoganda still works on most of us. But if you go to Wikipedia and look up "Keating Savings and Loan scandal" you might think twice about whether McCain should be our next leader. When he was a senator he was involved in that deal which has helped to create the economic crisis all Americans face today. Abusing one's position as a senator of the United States and squandering away hard earned tax dollars of American citizens, well to me, that is just about as "unpatriotic" as anyone can get. The problem is Obama is a democrat and democrats are notorious for not fighting back against smear campaigns, It is essentially what the Bush Administration is famous for, thanks to Karl Rove who created it and now who is helping McCain. As far as I'm concerned all politcians will do and say anything to win and then do whatever they want to us when they get in office because we are far too passive in our politics and far too gullible when we hear ad campaigns. We believe their ads and their lies which is why we went into Iraq. I heard your opinion, Craig, and now you've heard mine.
Patricia, I didn't know mclain was involved in helping to create a economic crisis we are still dealing with. Yes mclain did bring out obomas stupid idea on if you watch your pressure on your tires it will help tremendiously but just remember oboma said it first and any politician would be a fool not to bring up such a dumb statement,its like saying when you stop at a light turn off your motor to save gas,oboma just strikes me as a politician that will say anything even if its ignorant,doesn't he have handlers to tell him what to say by not looking stupid. I will check up on your mclain creating economic crisis,im sure your right but he still has a better grip on the nation in my opinion and oboma must start saying specific answers to our problems instead of just alluding and bypassing the real problem solving answers,I liked oboma at the beginning but with his nonsence answers I think mclain has a better grip on our nation as long as he gets a young vice president running mate. And just remember they both are using propoganda,they are both liers and we just have to weed out who we think will actually do what they say,it will be an interesting outcome no matter who wins, If my memory is right mclain was involved in that keating fiasco and voted stupidly,that just shows how short of a memory the american voters have,if the voters had any since they wouldn't have voted him in the first place,that just shows how corrupt our voting system is and how stupid most voters are to put a known lier and corrupt person to be on the ballot for president. Craig
And just remember they both are using propoganda,they are both liers and we just have to weed out who we think will actually do what they say,
What you say here is very true. And I also forgot to mention that I agree that Georgia should not have started hostilities, so we agree on that, too.
My main reason for supporting Obama is because of the the war in Iraq. I never agreed with it, knew a lot about the region and knew that this was a political stunt being pulled by this administration. I have voted Republican in the past, but I don't consider this administration Republican, though that's what they call themselves.They are banking on the fact that any citizen who feels loyal to the Republican party must support them, simply because they say they are Republicans. But George Bush, to my mind, is no true Republican. He is a liar and a thief.
I hve great respect for our American soldiers who willingly volunteer to serve in our armed forces. There are situations, unfortunately where a country needs a strong army. Iraq was no such situation to my mind. Our involvement in Iraq made a lot of very rich men richer, due to the oil contracts. In order to get those they sacrificed thousands of our young and idealistic American soldiers. Thousands of lives torn apart, children without their parents, young people coming home with no arms and legs, their lives changed forever. And all because the man who was supposed to be leading our country lied to us. It wasn't a little lie. It was a big, dangerous lie and from that lie, he and his cohorts were able to do other terrible things to our civil rights.
Many here allowed this because they were afraid of terrorism. Many others allowed it because they wanted to stay loyal to their political party. But a fear of thugs is no way to live or maintain a society and a blind support of a party, no matter what, is just foolish. Ou r politcians are not like God. We can belive in God without seeing Him if we so choose, but a politican is just a human being and no more.
Apart from the economy, the violation of civil rights, my greatest desire right now is to get us out of the mess we allowed our president to create in a part of the world where people simply do not think like us.
I agree that perhaps Obama would not be the best choice for president. But to my mind, we have no other choice, because he is the one of the only two candidates who is against the war, a criminal war started by a criminal, which killed thousands of our precious young American soldiers, thousands more of innocent strangers and their children, who had no part in terrorism against us. It is that one terrible fact and no other that is important to me. It is that one fact that will get me to the polls in November voting against McCain. I feel we are a lucky country that can and will recover from any econmic crisis, but the slur to our reputation, the stain on our Constitution, the fact that we have almost become a fascist country, the one thing that our forefathers were against, that is just horrible, and has to be changed. If it doesn't, we will no longer be the United States of American we once were.
But don't worry- most people think with their pocketbooks and nothing else. They can ignore dead strangers they don't know. They can ignore the death of our young soldiers on the excuse that those soldiers "volunteered for it and are getting paid to fight." The fact that we broke the contract we have with them, which is not to send them to thier deaths unnecessarily, that won't matter to people if they think voting for McCain will get fuel prices down. (Which it won't, by the way.)
As I read the newspapers and listen to news reports, I am saddened that this election process is going exactly the way my husband and I predicted it would. You will have your John McCain as president, rest assured. And I will be deeply saddened by the passing of the greatness of my country and its Constitution as I remember it.
Patricia,remember sadam attacked saudia arabia,killed about 20% of his people and spent iraqs treasury on himself building hundreds of buildings and statues. Yes Bush started the war to clean up his dads screw up but we did save Iraq from being a terroist country and we started the country to be a usefull society. We should be getting out very soon because we have trained many soldiers and policeman,I personally am glad we didn't sit by while sadam killed and tortured innocent people,he was a tyrant like hitler and though we went about it lawlessly it came out pretty good except for the tragedy of all our citizens and familys suffering and Bushes cronies getting rich over war. Whoever wins the election I can only hope he doesn't get us involved in messing with other countries that could lead us to a stupid war over our thoughts of how they should act,we have a strong history of doing that,take vietnam or the korean war,it was a waste of good men and money for the benefit of nothing. Nobody wins after the election,politics are a scam,oboma will raise taxes and probably put us in a deeper recession and mclain will do who knows what but im sure it wont be good,too bad we can't go back in history and get a great president.
You know what? After people in the US see what a great robot you were able to build, I bet they would vote for you. Maybe you should run for prez? What do you think? ; )
Thanks for chatting Craig, Can't wait to see Ted the robot!
As a baby boomer, I witness all too often the unnecessary criticism of the generations which followed. I am personally in awe of the way my "twenties-something" daughter and her friends have conducted their lives. They have always displayed a level of responsibility, maturity, concern for others and our planet far in excess of my own generation.Thank you for your thought provoking writings.
You're very welcome. Thank you for standing up for us
I agree wholeheartedly about the younger generation's environmentalism. Thanks for visiting and thank you for your lovely comment.
You've got some great natrure shots posted on your blog, I was looking thorugh then while trying to figure out what your new little logo is. What's the littel green thingee? I can't make it out very well on my moniter. You always have the most intriguing "self portraits" : )
Thanks! And the little green guy is an alien. hehe. I got him at an arcade 😀
He's a little green cutie, alright.
Yup! So what is your little pic of?
This week it's a demon. Next week, we'll see.
I'm guessing this has to do with your newest blog…I'll be reading that momentarily
What a great post! I have read it more than three times. Why? Because, it helps me to keep in mind the positive attributes of my generation in the world right now. There are times when I feel totally helpless and numb in front of the ever-changing world. I have this weird feeling that our society lives under pressure for change. The political, social and economic status quo is not working. As Gen-Yers grow older, their needs and demands will grow. The ruling class (because even if we live in democracy, classes are still apparent) has to understand that they have to reitre. It's our time to make decisions. As long as money and political power stay in the same social cycles, nothing new will come up. Our anger will only become more intense.Our times need an open-mind and an open-heart. Let's follow the trend this time.
I think it's time, particularly in this age of technology, for the older generation to learn from the younger and then offer our experience as one ingredient to add to the technological advances about which the young know so much. I have often thought of the way our mag works. With only two writers older than myself, we span as a group, if not three generations, at least two and a half. I have learned so much from my younger cohort and yet, I find they are mature enough to ask me for my opinion on many issues, It's a working atmosphere of mutual respect, which I believe we've all earned. Yes?
I couldn't agree more. We are a learning community and we are not afraid to ask for help or consultation. We go beyond personal fears and selfish behaviors. We learn through each other. For me the biggest accomplishment is that I can talk with people older than me who can still be in the cutting edge and treat me as a mutual person and colleague. For my Greek standards, this is a rare phenomenon, because young workers are obliged to be respectful to their co-workers and supervisors even if the latter give them hell. Our society needs to have a better understanding on the term "multicultural". Multicultural doesn't only means a series of different cultures of various ethnicities; it also means different cultural approaches in the same nation, society, state, country which are mostly represented via various age groups.
I'm going to send your comment to my friend, who is working with the Hewlett Foundation on this very problem. What you described as 'multicultural' tey described as 'diversity' He (my friend) said to one of the participants that 'diversity in the work place' should include diversity in age groups.
I think "diversity" is a much stronger and proper word to describe the differences and rich backgrounds of the members of any community. Culture is another factor that diversifies a population. I would like to see more from this Foundation. I think they are doing a great job just by browsing their website!