The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother. (Proverbs 10:1)
We now move from lectures to individual proverbs, and it just doesn’t seem right not to handle each one but this first one is a powder-keg. Every generation starts out thinking the previous generation is going to destroy the world. After each generation starts to take power, they develop the belief that the next generation is going to destroy the world. The truth is, they do destroy the world, each generation in its own way. But today, I want to look at my own generation: the grandchildren of “The Greatest Generation,” who were raised to believe themselves capable of making the world into a utopia, raised to see no boundary as applying to them, and the generation of the grandchildren of the Baby Boomers, who seem to be learning that they are entitled to that utopia.
My generation saw some great steps forward, the Civil Rights Movement (at least in the early days,) and going to the moon. We also saw some great steps in the wrong direction: the sexual revolution, abortion, and the violence and anger that became part of our lives, one author suggests, because of the deaths of King and the Kennedys. The American Dream seemed possible for everyone until it all fell apart.
The X-ers came next, the most aborted, and some say the most hated generation of Americans in history. It’s no wonder they felt cynical and betrayed. Then came the Millennials, the generation that grew up with Baby Boomers in positions of authority. And we Baby Boomers lied to them, gave them trophies for participation, reassured them that they are treasured, and wise. President Obama went so far as to tell them to go home and school their parents, who were clearly foolish.
Oh yes, we Baby Boomers lied to our grandchildren, the same lies we believed. We can make our own reality, determine our own destiny, be our own gods. We can have it all. We deserve it all. And if someone tries to keep us from having what we want, we can destroy them.
We have stolen wisdom from our grandchildren, how can they do anything but bring us grief?
My generation saw some great steps forward, the Civil Rights Movement (at least in the early days,) and going to the moon. We also saw some great steps in the wrong direction: the sexual revolution, abortion, and the violence and anger that became part of our lives, one author suggests, because of the deaths of King and the Kennedys. The American Dream seemed possible for everyone until it all fell apart.
The X-ers came next, the most aborted, and some say the most hated generation of Americans in history. It’s no wonder they felt cynical and betrayed. Then came the Millennials, the generation that grew up with Baby Boomers in positions of authority. And we Baby Boomers lied to them, gave them trophies for participation, reassured them that they are treasured, and wise. President Obama went so far as to tell them to go home and school their parents, who were clearly foolish.
Oh yes, we Baby Boomers lied to our grandchildren, the same lies we believed. We can make our own reality, determine our own destiny, be our own gods. We can have it all. We deserve it all. And if someone tries to keep us from having what we want, we can destroy them.
We have stolen wisdom from our grandchildren, how can they do anything but bring us grief?
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