Sunday, November 20, 2011

History is beginning to render its verdict

Another entry in the ongoing societal conversation about the erosion of maturity. This Walter Russell Mead essay at The American Interest focuses on the countercultural ethos and how pervasively it infected the boomer generation, which, in comparison to the contributions of generations of the past several centuries to human progress, doesn't add up to much.

1 comment:

  1. First the good news, which should not for a moment be minimized, of course, according to the author of your posted essay:

    "My generation has some real accomplishments under its belt, especially in the worlds of science and technology. And we made important progress in making American society a more open place for people and groups who were once excluded. In every field of American life, there are Boomers who have made and are making important, selfless contributions: in hospitals, in classrooms, in government, in business, in the military. You name it and we are there."

    Then the bad. Yawn, we are much more grown up now than you give us credit for bloggie and stay tuned for the reinvention of retirement and more grandmas and grandpas participating in their progeny's progeny's lives, really participating, not just handing out candy on visits home from the 55 plus community in the sunbelt. And certainly more tolerant and global, nay universal than The Greatest Generation ever was, and of course to be continued is the story of how many of us tried to and perhaps might have succeeded in teaching our children well. And enough of the crybaby punks in the X and Y Gens pointing their fingers at the generation preceding them, how old news, every generation does that, suck it up and pay your dues dudes! I suppose some boomers might not have taught their children well, and this is of course to be continued, but what a waste of brainpower here, but there is hope here if you consider this grown up behavior:

    "Of the 395 students of the Class of 2010 and of the 332 from the Class of 2009 who accepted full employment, 35.9 percent and 33.4 percent, respectively, entered the finance sector."

    And, please attempt to find it in your wizened conservative heart the forgiveness of our collective trespasses. The message from 2 Millennia ago is that is the way to have your individual ones (if any) forgiven.
    And, as we continue to learn from our mistakes unto death, Obladi, oblada...

    Read more at:

    http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2011/11/17/29377/

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