The Turning of The Tide

We are witnessing the passing of an era. There is, perhaps for the first time in history, four generations who simply do not understand each other and who have completely different foci of being.

At the top, are the members of the generation who lived through World War II and many who fought in that war. These people totally believe in the American Dream and have great investment in America. They still think one can get ahead by merit, and that one can trust the governments of the world. Not many are cynical, thank God, but some, sadly, have in their great old age, fallen into cynicism.

The next generation are the Boomers, who have had the benefit of classical education and who are much more individualistic than their parents. They still have confidence, but are losing this in the new world order, which some see coming. Many who never thought they would live in poverty, as they are highly education, do so now. This generation has watched the implosion and have not trusted governments since the Viet Nam War.

Following them are the most conformist of all generations, the Me Generation or Gen X. They grew up in very small families, unlike the Boomers, and had it all from Day One.

They are the generation of entitlement and experienced the dumbing down of education and most cultural norms. They go with the flow and seem to be the most consumerist, as well as materialistic.

The generation at the bottom of this list, the Millennials, have proven to be the most individualistic and introverted of any generation in the last one hundred years. They grew up in broken families, or families of one or two, have individualistic tendencies, and see the rot. 40% of this generation in the States are minorities, mostly Latinos and Latinas, with a desire to break with their Gen X parents, who they see as living shallow and unfilled, as well as, tragically, uncommitted lives.

All these people do not communicate, or if so, with difficulty. The WWII generation does not understand the Boomers, or the Millenials, and in some ways, can identify with the Gen Xers more readily, as both generations think that things and money will make them happy.

The Boomers see that these things do not, as many of their members live in poverty.

The Millennials believe that the world will see a great catastrophe and are not into global government, despite loving global communication.

Sadly, these people do not talk to each other about real things. As long as conversations dwell on things and status, some people will be marginalized.

Consumerism is the drug of Americans, and the Gen Xers and WWII generation still run after the Golden Calf, the fleshpots of Egypt.  Too many are futilitarians and seek only what is useful to be comfortable.  A point in fact to support this is the glorification of science and medicine, over the higher sciences of philosophy and theology. In America, most people think that those involved in the sciences of chemistry, physics, computers, are more intelligent and more “useful” than those who study philosophy and theology.

Herein is one great difference among these generations. The adoration of the atheistic scientists can be seen on television and in popular magazines. This gross idolatry of those who are useful because they are in the newer sciences separates the Millennials from the Gen Xers.

Theology and philosophy might not be making a huge comeback, as now, the largest growing group of graduating college seniors are either in business or in the sciences.

But, the younger ones are getting more interested in rationality, in ideas, in discovering who they are and where they are going.

The tide may be changing, not a huge tide, but one nonetheless.