As a conspiracy theorist, I am usually suspicious of all things mainstream. Greed and corruption hide around every corner as the very rich become even richer and the middle class and poor become much poorer. Regardless of what the media reports about a growing economy, my eyes still see the homes of people I know going into foreclosure, my ears still hear the tales of full-time, well-paying jobs with benefits being cut in favor of temporary work forces and outsourcing to foreign countries. My brain no longer accepts the "facts" the status quo tries to lay out for me. They don't coincide with my personal experiences.
I have looked at the problems long enough I understand one thing: nothing will change until we are willing to stand together as a people and make change happen. It is not enough to turn a blind eye to the problems and believe that everything will just work out. We have to take personal responsibility for the conditions of our country and our world and be willing to come up with plans to make it better.
Although I see people around my age waking up to the world's problems, my generation has issues. We are so used to sitting back and allowing others to "handle" our problems we have become lazy. In such a scenario, it is incredibly easy for those who desire power to come in and take over. It wouldn't be a problem if those who desired power had integrity. Unfortunately, power positions do not often attract people with integrity. We have allowed those in power to twist our system into one that benefits only a chosen few and rewards their little lapdogs who have been trained in our cookie cutter educational system to follow orders and do the heavy work.
The really crazy thing is, the people of my generation often denigrate the kids and young adults of today. The younger generation is called "lazy" and "socialist" and is accused of wanting something for nothing. Truthfully, the whole attitude pisses me off because when I look at the kids and young adults of today, I see our hope for the future. That's right! I said it! Our young people are our hope for the future!
As I look back on my life, I see how relatively easy I had it. Growing up, my father was the only one who worked outside the home. He could pay all the expenses for our family of five--mortgage, cars, insurance, utilities, food, clothing, extra-curricular activities, vacations, etc. We were encouraged to go to college. Most of us had our college paid for by our parents. We got out of college and were pretty much assured of being offered better pay and careers than our high school only peers, even if the job wasn't within our major.
It is totally different for this new generation. Most everyone grew up in daycare as both parents needed to work to pay the same bills that were so easy for our fathers to pay on their single salaries. Profound debt became increasingly common as inflation outpaced pay increases. Kids today are still encouraged to attend college--which they typically go into lifetime debt for--although they are no longer assured there will be good jobs waiting for them when they finish. Many of them end up living in their parents basements or with several other roommates because the minimum wage jobs they find don't even come close to paying their living expenses. These young people understand that something stinks because life has not been particularly easy on them. What I find appalling is that people of my generation turn around and call these kids "lazy" because they can't do today what life allowed us to do easily when we were their age! It's a totally different ballgame, folks!!! The rules have changed. They've just changed so gradually it is difficult for us older people to see the differences.
The bright spot about how these young people have grown up is this: they have never seen the world through our own distorted rose-colored glasses. They are not blinded to the problems. Consequently, they see the need for change and are much more willing to take the initiative to change it themselves! They attend rallies. They get out on the streets and protest the inequities! They are active in the political process. Best of all, these young people have heart. They see deficiencies that need to be filled and they are willing to do the work. Granted, there are exceptions, but most of the young people I know give me hope because they are willing to stand in the gap and accept responsibility for what happens in our world.
It is time for people of my generation to see what the younger generation has always known--the world needs fixing! Get up off your butts, take some responsibility for what happens, and DO some fixing! If you need ideas to get started, just look to the young people. They truly are our hope for the future!
~CSE
I have looked at the problems long enough I understand one thing: nothing will change until we are willing to stand together as a people and make change happen. It is not enough to turn a blind eye to the problems and believe that everything will just work out. We have to take personal responsibility for the conditions of our country and our world and be willing to come up with plans to make it better.
Although I see people around my age waking up to the world's problems, my generation has issues. We are so used to sitting back and allowing others to "handle" our problems we have become lazy. In such a scenario, it is incredibly easy for those who desire power to come in and take over. It wouldn't be a problem if those who desired power had integrity. Unfortunately, power positions do not often attract people with integrity. We have allowed those in power to twist our system into one that benefits only a chosen few and rewards their little lapdogs who have been trained in our cookie cutter educational system to follow orders and do the heavy work.
The really crazy thing is, the people of my generation often denigrate the kids and young adults of today. The younger generation is called "lazy" and "socialist" and is accused of wanting something for nothing. Truthfully, the whole attitude pisses me off because when I look at the kids and young adults of today, I see our hope for the future. That's right! I said it! Our young people are our hope for the future!
As I look back on my life, I see how relatively easy I had it. Growing up, my father was the only one who worked outside the home. He could pay all the expenses for our family of five--mortgage, cars, insurance, utilities, food, clothing, extra-curricular activities, vacations, etc. We were encouraged to go to college. Most of us had our college paid for by our parents. We got out of college and were pretty much assured of being offered better pay and careers than our high school only peers, even if the job wasn't within our major.
It is totally different for this new generation. Most everyone grew up in daycare as both parents needed to work to pay the same bills that were so easy for our fathers to pay on their single salaries. Profound debt became increasingly common as inflation outpaced pay increases. Kids today are still encouraged to attend college--which they typically go into lifetime debt for--although they are no longer assured there will be good jobs waiting for them when they finish. Many of them end up living in their parents basements or with several other roommates because the minimum wage jobs they find don't even come close to paying their living expenses. These young people understand that something stinks because life has not been particularly easy on them. What I find appalling is that people of my generation turn around and call these kids "lazy" because they can't do today what life allowed us to do easily when we were their age! It's a totally different ballgame, folks!!! The rules have changed. They've just changed so gradually it is difficult for us older people to see the differences.
The bright spot about how these young people have grown up is this: they have never seen the world through our own distorted rose-colored glasses. They are not blinded to the problems. Consequently, they see the need for change and are much more willing to take the initiative to change it themselves! They attend rallies. They get out on the streets and protest the inequities! They are active in the political process. Best of all, these young people have heart. They see deficiencies that need to be filled and they are willing to do the work. Granted, there are exceptions, but most of the young people I know give me hope because they are willing to stand in the gap and accept responsibility for what happens in our world.
It is time for people of my generation to see what the younger generation has always known--the world needs fixing! Get up off your butts, take some responsibility for what happens, and DO some fixing! If you need ideas to get started, just look to the young people. They truly are our hope for the future!
~CSE
