Listen, my son, to your father’s
instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They will be a garland
to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
(Proverbs 1:8-9)
Part of our society has decided
that the teaching of “old, white men” is useless. We don’t need to learn from
the past. We need to look to the future, to progress toward the next stage of
human evolution. My response to that is a loud, impolite snort. Con men and
salesmen always paint rosy pictures, Progressive pictures. My advice to those
folks is “don’t drink the Kool-Aid.” Am I a pessimist? I don’t think so. I’ve
just spent a few years in sales. I know how the racket works.
A friend once pointed out that history tends to be practical. The things that have come down to us aren’t there because some lord-high-muckety-muck somewhere declared “Thou shalt….” Most of what has come down to us has done so because it worked in the every day world. It met a need and it did so in a useful way. Throwing out norms that have been around forever just because they’ve been around forever and it’s time for something new is foolish. At the very least, those who want to introduce the novelty should get past the problem-ridden-prototype before they ask society to adopt it.
Of course, when I most needed my parents’ advice one of two things was true. Either I wasn’t interested, or the parent was no longer around to give the needed counsel. So now I’m going to give you some advice. Do not accept advice that is couched in dreams about how things can, should, or will be. Look for advice from parents and grandparents who can speak from experience. Don’t go for what sounds good or looks nice. Go for what has been proven. There’s room for experimentation once you have a solid foundation. There is ever room to just tear out the foundation and start over. Fundamental Transformations should require a huge neon, lighted sign “Danger. Proceed At Your Own Risk,” and the contractual caveat that until you’ve lived it for at least 10 years, you may not promote it to anyone outside your immediate family. The greater the level of social change needed, the longer the testing period must be.
A friend once pointed out that history tends to be practical. The things that have come down to us aren’t there because some lord-high-muckety-muck somewhere declared “Thou shalt….” Most of what has come down to us has done so because it worked in the every day world. It met a need and it did so in a useful way. Throwing out norms that have been around forever just because they’ve been around forever and it’s time for something new is foolish. At the very least, those who want to introduce the novelty should get past the problem-ridden-prototype before they ask society to adopt it.
Of course, when I most needed my parents’ advice one of two things was true. Either I wasn’t interested, or the parent was no longer around to give the needed counsel. So now I’m going to give you some advice. Do not accept advice that is couched in dreams about how things can, should, or will be. Look for advice from parents and grandparents who can speak from experience. Don’t go for what sounds good or looks nice. Go for what has been proven. There’s room for experimentation once you have a solid foundation. There is ever room to just tear out the foundation and start over. Fundamental Transformations should require a huge neon, lighted sign “Danger. Proceed At Your Own Risk,” and the contractual caveat that until you’ve lived it for at least 10 years, you may not promote it to anyone outside your immediate family. The greater the level of social change needed, the longer the testing period must be.
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