Thanks, g.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thegelding
paul, it will be interesting if children think the same way about us as we do "that generation"...
|
I don't know. Most likely not...why would they? I don't mean that in a snarky, "we're not worthy" way at all, but we've not had some history-changing, cohesive and "bigger than ourselves" event or circumstances - and a huge, unified response to it - that define us in any sort of unique, special way. We'll be loved and admired by our children, grandchildren and others who know us, of course. But simply for the people we are, on an individual basis. Not with any sort of "oh wow...those guys from the 90's really stepped up and did something amazing".
Doesn't make us bad, and that's not a gripe. We don't have control over the timing and circumstances that seem to have anchored themselves to men and women of a certain age in this country. And, sadly, as they fade out in the coming decade or so, those feelings will wane as well, except in those who make a conscious effort to remember or think about it. Our grandfathers didn't ask for the thing, and they just did what was asked of them when circumstances beyond their doing required it. It became this bigger, more noble thing, to the rest of us over time.
I can't imagine a modern-day counterpart to that. Short of a full-on invasion from outer space or something (because at this point, I don't think any man-made or earthbound situations would be enough), I can't imagine something so big - and so "okay, we're all in the same boat together...we must do something!" - that would stretch across all these societal, racial, political and other lines, and result in those types of feelings or labels (any sort of great breakthroughs in science or medicine are often a single person, or small, varied group; not anything that's going to equal the "that generation" vibe. It pretty much has to be a huge, awful thing - and the response to it - that would rival that. And you can't predict or manufacture such a thing. Timing is everything...it just happened, and became what it became.
We're the iPod generation...we'll be too deaf - and "leveled out" on prescription meds - to even
hear our grandkids say they love us.
